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Lemon Rice is a bright and simple side dish that will go great with cuisines from the Mediterranean to South Asia. A few simple ingredients turn plain rice into something sunny and delicious. It's gonna be awesome.
We've got plans to go away for the first time in 18 months, and I'm pretty excited about it. We're only traveling a few hours away to Northern England to see family (who we also haven't seen in 18 months), but Geoff's booked us a fancy hotel, and there's been a promise of a massage at the spa. I have never been to a hotel spa in all my life. It feels very indulgent.
I'm dreaming of white sandy beaches and fruity cocktails, but I think those will all be in our imaginations for a little while longer. Luckily, I know how to cook, so I'll just bring the rest of the world into my kitchen.
I made this Lemon Rice to go along with the Grilled Chicken Skewers I made last week. It's fluffy basmati rice flavored with lemon juice and zest, obvs, plus turmeric, dried mint, and mustard powder. It's a subtle enough flavor that you could pair it with lots of different dishes, but also flavorful enough that you kinda just want to keep shoveling it in your face.
This will be a great accompaniment to a summer cookout with Mediterranean or South Asian flavors. I'm thinking grilled lamb, chicken, or veggies on a stick. Use this rice for a pita filler or a bed to collect the juices from lots of meaty goodness.
How to make Lemon Rice
This is pretty much a whack everything in the pot and let it simmer situation. Warm some oil and toss the rice in it, then add your flavorings, dried mint, turmeric, and mustard powder. Finally, stir in the lemon juice, salt, and enough water to cover the rice. Clamp a lid on, bring it to a boil, then turn the heat down and let it simmer for about 15 minutes. All the liquid should be absorbed.
You can then turn the heat off, leave the lid on, and let this hang out while you finish dinner. This is just as good at room temperature, so don't worry if you're not ready to use it right away. When you're ready to serve, fluff it up with a fork and stir through some lemon zest and some nigella seeds if you like.
FAQ
You could start this about an hour before you want to serve, but I wouldn't go much further out. There's lots of controversey over whether or not you can reheat rice. I've done it, and I'm still here, but I'm not going to tell you that it's definitely safe. Use your common sense.
Make it magical
Turmeric is a fiery spice associated with Mars and masculine energy, so you know it's gonna be fierce. It's main magical use is for purification and protection. Sprinkle it around your circle for spiritual proction (probably best to do this outdoors only as turmeric is also used as a dye). You can wear a dried turmeric rhizome around your neck as a talisman against evil. Beyond it's powerful medicinal uses, it's an excellent tool for magick. (Source: Pagan N Proud)
Bringing new flavors into your kitchen may not be the same as travelling to far off places, but it's still pretty awesome. Let this Lemon Rice be your ticket to new flavors.
Looking for more awesome, easy side dish recipes? Check out this Sweet Potato Gratin or Ridiculously Awesome Mashed Potatoes.
PrintLemon Rice
Lemon Rice is a bright and simple side dish that will go great with cuisines from the Mediterranean to South Asia. A few simple ingredients turn plain rice into something sunny and delicious. It's gonna be awesome.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Boiled
- Cuisine: British
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon rapeseed or vegetable oil
- 250 grams basmati rice
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon dried mint
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- 1 lemon, zest and juice
- 500 ml water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- nigella seeds, optional, to garnish
Instructions
- Add your oil to a medium saucepan with a lid and heat it over medium heat. Add the rice and stir it into the oil to coat the grains.
- Stir in the turmeric, mint, and mustard powder. Zest your lemon onto a separate dish to add later, then squeeze your lemon juice into the rice pot, then add the water and salt.
- Give it one last stir and put the lid on the pan. Bring this to the boil, then turn the heat down as low as it will go for about 15 minutes or until the water is absorbed. You can let the rice sit for a while off the heat while you finish up dinner.
- When you're ready to serve, sprinkle in the lemon zest and the nigella seeds (if you want a bit of color) and fluff the rice with a fork before dishing it up.
Keywords: Rice
Recipe from Nigella Summer by Nigella Lawson.
Don't forget to leave a rating and a comment if you make this recipe. Thanks for your help!
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