South Indian Lemon Rice with Coconut Poriyal and Papad

Ingredients

• 1.5 cupcooked white rice (short or medium grain)
• 1 piecelemon
• 1 piecegreen chilli
• 8 piececurry leaves
• 0.5 tspmustard seeds
• 1 tspchana dal (split chickpeas)
• 1 tspurad dal (split black gram)
• 0.25 tspturmeric powder
• 1 pinchasafoetida (hing)
• 1 piecedried red chilli
• 0.75 tspsalt
• 2 tbspcooking oil
• 1.5 cupcabbage
• 3 tbspfresh or frozen grated coconut
• 0.25 tspmustard seeds
• 5 piececurry leaves
• 1 piecedried red chilli
• 0.125 tspturmeric powder
• 1 tspcooking oil
• 1 piecepapad (urad dal papad)

Method

1. 1

   Start the poriyal first: thinly shred the cabbage and set aside. Heat 1 tsp oil in a small pan over medium heat, add 0.25 tsp mustard seeds and let them splutter, then add 1 dried red chilli broken in half and 5 curry leaves.

2. 2

   Add the shredded cabbage to the pan along with 0.125 tsp turmeric and a pinch of salt. Stir well, cover, and cook on medium-low for 6–7 minutes until the cabbage is just tender but not mushy.

3. 3

   Turn off the heat, stir in the grated coconut, and set the poriyal aside.

4. 4

   For the lemon rice, slit the green chilli lengthwise and juice the lemon (you need about 1.5 tbsp juice). Spread the cooked rice on a plate, sprinkle 0.25 tsp turmeric over it, and gently mix so the rice turns yellow without clumping.

5. 5

   Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan over medium heat. Add 0.5 tsp mustard seeds and wait for them to pop, then add the chana dal and urad dal and fry for 30–40 seconds until lightly golden.

6. 6

   Add the dried red chilli, slit green chilli, curry leaves, and a pinch of hing. Fry for 15 seconds — the leaves will crisp up quickly.

7. 7

   Pour this entire tempering over the turmeric rice, add the lemon juice and 0.5 tsp salt, and gently fold everything together until well combined. Taste and adjust lemon or salt.

8. 8

   Roast or microwave the papad: hold it directly over a gas flame with tongs, turning every few seconds until it blisters and crisps all over (about 30–45 seconds), or microwave on high for 30–40 seconds.

9. 9

   Plate the lemon rice, spoon the cabbage poriyal alongside, and serve with the crisp papad.