We had eaten a Dill Rice at a Mediterranean restaurant when we were on a vacation far east (no not that far east a little to the westJ), and that taste had stuck onto us for a long time. It was a simple rice recipe, nothing complicated but the way the rice and dill was cooked appealed to our taste buds. It must have been exhaustion, hunger, the timing we are not sure but anyways the taste and memory lingered on for days to come.
Anyway we found some fresh dill last week and DH remembered the Dill Rice we had at the restaurant. He offered to give it a try and make his own. So this is DH’s recipe that he made last weekend for our lunch. This is more of an Indanised version of the one that we had at the Mediterranean restaurant. This rice had a lemon taste with mild flavor of Dill in the background, spiced with the green chillies balanced by the sweet taste of beans and cooked onion. This is more like an extension of our very own Chitranna with the addition of dill and beans!
Lemon Dill Rice Recipe
Ingredients:
- 2 cups cooked rice (make sure it is fluffy and grains are separated)
- 1/2 tsp turmeric (optional)
- ¾ cup chopped onion (add more)
- ½-3/4 cup finely chopped dill leaves (stems removed, I used fresh)
- 2 green chillies (chopped finely)
- 3/4 cup lima beans (use any other beans of choice) ( I used frozen)
- 2-3 garlic pods (grated)
- Juice of a lemon
- 1 tsp urad daal
- Mustard seeds
- salt
- Oil
Method:
- Boil the lima beans separately in little water, salt drain the water and keep aside.
- Take a big plate and spread out the rice making sure there are no lumps. Add salt, turmeric, chopped dill leaves, little oil mix well and keep aside.
- Note: The step above is important, mixing the dill to the rice and then adding the combination to the cooked onions. Adding dill directly to heat, removes its flavor. Hence it is best to combine with rice and cook it as this retains its texture and imparts good flavor to the rice.
- Take a heavy bottom pan, add oil on medium heat. Add mustard seeds and let it splutter, add the grated garlic and stir until it turns light brown.
- Now add the urad daal, green chillies and roast until the daal turn brown and crunchy.
- Add the chopped onions (optional) and fry until it gets transparent.
- Add the rice mixture and stir it thoroughly. Cover the lid and let it cook for a while.
- Finally add the juice of a lemon. Mix well. Serve hot.
- Note: Make sure to add the lemon juice when the prepared rice has cooled down a little, else it tends to add sourness to the rice.
Wow lovely tasty rice….So nice and fresh looking post….I like the green coaster u’ve used 🙂
lovely rice…..nice flavors gone into it..
I love the colors of this rice! Dill is a great flavor, and with lemon, It’s even better!
Looks yummy!! I just love the flavour of dill – can imagine how good it tasted with the lemon combo!!
Looks really nice & colorful….not big fan of dill but still occassionaly bring it home…..next time I have it will try to pair it with rice…
Beautiful click and lovely recipe RC. I like what M cooked up. Now I need to find dill in the market.
This is amazing concoction of flavors. looks yumm.
Nice version. I make this without lemons but use tomatoes and peas with it. Nice pictures.
Lovely rice recipe RC. Great way to use dill.
hi,
Lovely clicks…Thats the great thing about one pot meals…One thing leads to another and before you know it, you have a new decadent preparation to partake of!!! Lovely recipe and I am sure I shall try it…The only thng that crossed my mind was that, doesnt the aroma of dill overpower the rice???
Shobha
Thanks Shobha. Agree that dill is overpowering, but in this recipe the chopped dill is first mixed with warm rice and only then added to the stove. If you add the dill directly then it imparts that overpowering taste. This has a mellow taste. Also the amount of dill is also less. Hope this helps and hope you give it a try.
Such a beautiful,one pot meal, looks very yummy and flavourful..
looking delicious and colourful rice
I remember eating lots of Dill post pregnancy. Never had it after then. This sure is a nice variation to our chitranna.
What a flavorful combo! Nice clicks!
i tried this. it came very well. aroma of dill[suppuseege]leaves was nice. healthy receipe. thank you.
Thanks Malini, so glad you liked it.
I tried this today and it turned out very tasty. Thanks a lot for the recipe RC..
Thanks Manjula, glad you liked it.
Looks yummy…Im always looking for different rice recipes for my son’s lunch box. Just wanted to know what other beans do you recommend I use instead of Lima beans…not sure if we get them here in Bangalore.
Hi Divya, thanks. You can add peas or cooked black eyed bean, garbanzo bean or even roasted peanuts. Hope this helps.
Thanks RC. I tried this yesterday with avarekalu…and it’s success was seen in the empty lunch box that came back from school! 🙂
Glad you liked it Divya!