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South Indian style instant pot lemon rice
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Instant pot lemon rice / lemon sadam

Instant pot version of South Indian style rice dish where rice is cooked with green chillies, mustard seeds, chana dal, peanuts and lemon.

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: South Indian
Keyword: instant pot
Author: Preethi Venkatram
Ingredients
  • 1 cup white rice
  • 1 tbsp chana dal
  • 1 tsp urad dal
  • 2 green chillies slit (use more or less as per spice levels)
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1 sprig curry leaves
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 2 pinches asafoetida
  • Juice from 1 big lemon
  • 1 capsicum / bellpepper chopped fine (otpional)
  • 2 carrots grated
  • 2 to 3 tbsp peanuts (roasted)
  • 1 tbsp chopped cilantro / coriander leaves for garnish
  • salt to taste
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil (can substitute it with other neutral tasting oils)
Instructions
Instant pot recipe

  1. Wash the rice 2 to 3 times until it runs clear and soak the rice for 30 minutes.

  2. Switch on the saute mode in your instant pot and when it heats up add the oil, mustard seeds, chana dal, urad dal, green chillies, curry leaves, turmeric powder, asafoetida and let the mustard seeds splutter.

  3. Add the soaked rice, 1 tsp salt,  1 & 3/4 cup water and cook on manual high for 6 minutes. Release pressure after 6 minutes.

  4. Open up and let it rest for couple of minutes and fluff up the rice with a fork.

  5. Now if you are adding carrots and capsicum, remove the rice to a separate bowl and add a tsp of oil to the instant pot. (No need to wash the pot)

  6. Add the veggies (carrots and capsicum) and saute until the capsiums turn a little soft. You can add a pinch of salt to help cook fast.

  7. Now add the rice to this mix well. (If you are not adding the veggies, you can proceed to the next step directly. No need to do the previous 2 steps)

  8. Add the juice from 1 lemon and adjust salt accordingly. Garnish with chopped cilantro and roasted peanuts.

  9. Serve with a side of chips/ papad.

Recipe Notes
  • Can add roasted cashews instead of peanuts or skip it like I have done.
  • Chana dal and urad dal gives the dish a nice crunch. It is recommended not to skip it.
  • Can use jalepenos, or serrano chillies instead of green chillies.
  • Can use brown rice too. But adjust the cooking time accordingly.
  • We don't usually use basmati rice for this dish. But if thats what you have, you could use that too.