This post contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
Turmeric Lemon Rice Recipe. 10 minute Golden Rice with turmeric, lemon and mustard seeds. Indian Lemon Rice. Use cooked brown rice, quinoa, millet or couscous or cauliflower rice for variation. Easy side. Vegan Gluten-free Soy-free Recipe. Pin this post.
This super easy flavorful rice is a great side with simple dals, veggie curries or anything really. I posted a bowl with the Mango Dal, Bengali Veggies with the turmeric rice last week and got many requests for the turmeric lemon rice recipe. So here goes.
TGIF! Make this 10 minute lemony turmeric rice. Or use other cooked grains or cauliflower. I usually use Basmati Rice or a mix of white and brown basmati. Add veggies along the way or just make the plain rice and serve in a bowl of choice. Use up the left-over rice. Curry leaves are available in Indian Stores or online on amazon. The fresh leaves can be frozen for months in an airtight container. Use fresh or frozen right out of the freezer.
Heat the oil. Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds and let them really start to pop. If the mustard seeds don’t pop, they don’t release their amazing flavor into the food. This is one of the reasons, people often want to add more spices and flavors to the food, esp Indian food, as it feels like there isn’t enough in the dish. If the recipes call for roasting the spices with or without oil, the spices need to be roasted well for the flavor to really bloom into the dish. See video below and notice those popping mustard seeds!
Easy Turmeric Lemon Rice.
Served below with Mango Toor Dal, Easy Bengali Gobi Aloo, some Khakhra(Indian crackers).
More Indian recipes from the blog
- Festive Butternut Squash Pilaf with whole spices.
- Carrot Veggie Turmeric Pilaf /Fried Rice with Indian spices
- Mango Halwa Dessert
- Easy 30 min Veggie Pakora / Fritters.
Turmeric Lemon Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 1.5 to 2 cups cooked rice
- 1 tsp oil, high smoke point oils like organic safflower or organic canola
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, preferably black mustard seeds
- 8 to 10 curry leaves, fresh or frozen, whole or chopped
- 2-3 tbsp toasted cashews or peanuts, optional
- 1/2 to 3/4 tsp turmeric
- 1/3 tsp or more red pepper flakes, or 2 broken red chilies
- 2 tbsp or more lemon juice
- cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the rice, fluff and keep aside or let the rice or other cooked grains you plan to use, come to room temp.
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add mustard seeds and let them start to pop. i usually check the oil by adding 2-3 seeds. If they start to sizzle immediately or pop, the oil is ready.
- Add curry leaves and wait for a few seconds. Add turmeric and red pepper flakes and mix in. Reduce heat to medium low. At this point you can add roasted nuts(cashews or peanuts) or peas or both and mix in.
- Add a splash of water to reduce the temperature of the pan. then add the lemon juice.
- Add in the rice and mix in well. Add salt if the cooked rice was not salted. Cook for 2 mins. Taste and adjust salt and lemon. Cover and take off heat. Let it sit for 2 mins before serving. Garnish with cilantro.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
For the weekend, did you know that pigs are smarter than dogs! They learn quickly, can play intellectual games, have great memories and love people.
Can you do this without oil?
you can dry toast the mustard seeds and use.
Hi, Richa,
I loved this recipe — thank you so much for sharing! Nicki
OMGosh!!! I used cauliflower rice with this recipe and I couldn’t be happier!! My hubby and I are doing low carb, low sugar and for the longest time didn’t eat the Indian food we LOVE! Thank you so much!!!
Hello Richa! This was amazing! I did notice the spices turning dark before adding the splash of water–was that burnt or should I have stuck with it? (I started over–and it is now a fave!)
The mustard seeds are brown black mustard seeds. If the turmeric goes brown or black, then it is burnt. It depends on your pan and stove etc. You can cook it at slightly lower heat.
OMG, you’re amazing! I just ordered your book, (X2) for both myself and my daughter. I added a bit of broccoli from my garden, (minus the big green worm that fell out__fed that to my pet chicken).
Lots of flavor, thanks for the tip about roasting the herbs.
lol, good that you noticed the worm. I remember my mom fed us some because she didnt see them (that is how we found out she needed glasses ):). I was like Mom, what are those floating worms, she said its cumin, and i said nope.
Haha, my mother in law once ate ants, because she thought they were cake crumbs 😀 yes, she also needed glasses.
OMG! 😂