Lemon Rice with Tomato Rasam and few awards....

Years back whenever we traveled by train down South, we were always on the lookout for vendors selling hot lemon rice at non-descript stations. This is how we were introduced to lemon rice in our childhood days. The aroma stayed on like other fond memories of childhood. Very recently we had a relative as a guest from Mysore, who gave a first-hand demonstration of the procedure of preparing this favorite dish of ours. Rather interesting as the relative happens to be my maternal uncle, a resident of Mysore since 50 odd years who speaks fluent Kannad and broken Bengali !!! Nonetheless a master of South Indian cuisine.


Lemon Rice:
Serves: 2-3, Preparation time: 10 minutes


Ingredients:
2 cups Cooked rice (preferably leftover rice)
2 Lemons
3-4 Green chillies
2 tbsp raw Peanuts
1/2 cup Green peas
1 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tbsp Channa dal
1 tsp Turmeric powder (haldi)
2 Dry chillies
2 tsp Ginger (grated)
Handfull of curry leaves
1 tbsp Refind oil + 1tbsp Ghee
Salt to taste


For Garnishing: 
Fresh grated coconut (optional)
Fresh chopped coriander leaves


Method:
Take a large kadhai and heat oil +ghee. Fry channa dal for a minute, then add peanuts and fry them for about a minute. Add asafetida then green chillies. Throw in the curry leaves, dry red chillies and mustard seeds. When mustard seeds starts spluttering add green peas and ginger, fry for a minute. Add haldi powder stir fry for seconds and then switch off the flame.

Add little quantity of rice at a time and mix well. The mixing should be done light handedly. Add salt and lemon juice to it and toss well again. Mixing the rice should be done properly so that the spices and color should be evenly spread. Garnish lemon rice with grated coconut (optional) and coriander leaves. Serve warm lemon rice with tomato rasam.

                                                                           

                                    
Rasam:


Serves: 4, Cooking time: 15 minutes


Ingredients:
3-4 Tomatoes (ripe)
1/2 cup Tamarind
10-12 Peppercorns 
7-8 Garlic
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
Few curry leaves
Pinch of sugar
Salt to taste


For Seasoning:
2-3 Garlic (chopped)
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
2 Dry chillies
Pinch of asafetida 
1tsp Ghee


For Garnishing:
Coriander leaves (chopped)
Curry leaves


Method:
Take 2 1/2 cups of water in a vessel, add tomatoes, tamarind and heat it till the outer skin of tomatoes become soft and comes out. Remove from heat and let it cool down for 5 minutes. 
In a blender make a paste of garlic, cumin seeds, peppercorns, chilli and curry leaves with very little water. Now by using a strainer, take out the juice of tomato and tamarind in a saucepan. Discard the pulp. Mix the above paste in the tomato-tamarind liquid. Add salt to taste.
Heat 1 tsp ghee in a kadhai on medium flame, add ingredients for seasoning mentioned above. Once mustard seeds starts spluttering add the tomato-tamarind liquid and cook it for few minutes. Switch off the flame when it is frothy. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and fe curry leaves. Hot and spicy tomato rasam is ready to be served with lemon rice.

              Now few awards from my blogger pals .....Soumya has shared Sunshine award with me. I'm truly humbled dear. Thank you so much Soumya.

Happy to receive this participation award from Jay