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lemon millet rice with salad
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5 from 1 vote

Lemon Millet rice

Easy South Indian Style Lemon rice made with millets, turmeric, lemon juice and green chilly.

Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 2
Author: Madhavi

Ingredients

  • 3 cups cooked millets I used foxtail millets
  • 3 green chilly, slit or add to taste
  • 2 tablespoon toasted peanuts
  • ½ inch chopped ginger optional
  • 2 sprigs fresh curry leaves rinsed and destemmed
  • ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1 teaspoon chana dal
  • 1 teaspoon urad dal
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • pinch of asafoetida
  • a generous squeeze of lemon juice
  • 3 teaspoons oil
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 table spoons of chopped coriander leaves

Instructions

Cooking Millets in Instant Pot -

  • Wash one cup of millets with tap water by gently rubbing it with hands. Wash it twice and soak the millets in fresh water for an hour.After an hour drain the water from the millets.
  • Turn on the saute mode on your instant pot.Add the millet and toast them for a minute to 1 ½ minutes, not more than that. Keep stirring while toasting.The millet should get little plump but not brown. If the instant pot becomes too hot, turn it off and the heat in the pot will toast the millet.
  • Cancel the saute mode and add 1 ¾ cup of water. Mix well making sure millet are not stuck on the side of the Pot.Close the lid and turn the valve to sealing position. Press Pressure cook mode and adjust the time to 8 minutes.after 8 minutes, wait for atleast ten minutes before releasing the pressure.
  • After ten minutes, you may still have little pressure left, you can release it manually.At this point you can add a tea spoon of oil and little salt. Both these ingredients are optional. Fluff the millet and enjoy as needed.

Making Millet Lemon Rice -

  • Heat oil In a large skillet and place over medium heat. Wen the oil is heated add mustard seeds and let them pop.
  • Add the chana dal and urad dal and saute until light brown, about 45 seconds. Make sure not to burn the lentils.
  • Add the slit green chilly, ginger and curry leaves. saute for 30 seconds.
  • If using raw peanuts, add them now and saute for 2 to 3 minutes.
  • If you are using toasted peanuts, just add them along with turmeric powder and asafoetida. Mix and cook for 30 seconds.
  • Add the 3 cups of cooked millets and salt and toss it gently until the millets turn yellow and the tempering is fully coated to them.
  • Switch off the flame and add the lemon juice and coriander leaves.
  • stir to combine and check for seasoning. Enjoy as is or with some salad.
  • Tastes best at room temperature.

Notes

If you are new to Indian cooking and do not have chana dal and urad dal, its ok too. The recipe still tastes good with out these lentils.
Green chilly is must in this recipe. Do not replace with red chilly powder. 
Dry curry leaves can also be substituted for fresh ones.