Lemon Rice with Roasted Papad and Pickle

Ingredients

• 1.5 cupcooked rice (cooled)
• 2 tbsplemon juice
• 1.5 tbspcoconut oil or vegetable oil
• 0.5 tspmustard seeds
• 1 tspchana dal (split chickpea)
• 0.5 tspurad dal
• 1 piecedried red chilli
• 8 piececurry leaves
• 1 piecegreen chilli, slit
• 0.25 tspturmeric powder
• 1 pinchasafoetida (hing)
• 0.5 tspsalt
• 1 piecepapad (urad or plain)
• 1 tbspmango pickle (aam ka achar)

Method

1. 1

   Spread the cooled cooked rice in a wide bowl, pour lemon juice over it, add salt, and gently mix so the grains stay separate — set aside.

2. 2

   Heat oil in a small pan or tadka pan over medium heat. Add chana dal and urad dal and fry for 30–40 seconds until they turn light golden.

3. 3

   Add mustard seeds and let them splutter, then immediately add the dried red chilli, slit green chilli, curry leaves, and a pinch of asafoetida — fry for 20 seconds until fragrant.

4. 4

   Add turmeric powder to the tempering, stir once, then pour the entire tadka over the lemon rice and mix well until the rice is evenly golden.

5. 5

   Roast the papad directly over a gas flame, turning with tongs every few seconds until it puffs and gets light char marks on both sides — about 30–40 seconds total.

6. 6

   Plate the lemon rice, place the roasted papad on the side, and add the mango pickle alongside. Serve immediately.