Wash and rinse rice with water. Then add them in a pressure cooker along with salt, 1 teaspoon oil and 2 cups of water. If cooking in an open pot, add 3 cups of water.
1 Cup Raw Rice (or 3 Cups Cooked Rice), 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
Cook the rice till you get 2 whistles then wait for it to cool down. Then gently fluff the rice with a fork. You can also use leftover rice.
Heat some oil in a pan and roast the peanuts. Then remove the peanuts and set them aside.
2 Tablespoon Peanuts
In the same pan, add black mustard seeds (rai) and let them crackle.
1 Teaspoon Rai (Black Mustard Seeds)
When the mustard seeds start to splutter, add cumin seeds and fry them for a few seconds.
1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds (Jeera)
Add urad dal (split & skinned black lentils) and chana dal (split chickpeas). Fry them till they turn golden brown.
1/2 Teaspoon Urad Dal (Split & Skinned Black Lentils), 1/2 Teaspoon Chana Dal (Split Chickpeas)
Add 2-3 whole dried red chillies and fry them for a minute.
2-3 Whole Dried Red Chillies
Add 10-15 curry leaves along with finely chopped green chillies to the pan.
10-15 Curry Leaves (Kari Patta), 2 Green Chillies
Then add turmeric powder and asafoetida (heeng).
1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder (Haldi), 1/8 Teaspoon Heeng (Asafoetida)
Add the cooked rice to the pan. Add lemon juice to the rice.
2-3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
Toss the rice gently to coat them in the tempering.
Now add the roasted peanuts to the rice and mix everything together.
Turn off the heat and let the rice sit for 5 minutes. Lemon Rice is ready. You can serve it as is or with any raita or papad.