Lemon Rice with a twist

I know I've been MIA since a few weeks. Life has taken me over with a force. An invisible hand guiding me through days. An invisible girdle blinding me from loosing sight of my Things-to-do, appointments to make etc. My parents came over to spend half a year with me and my little one. So, I did not venture outside "traditional" stuff. After they left, I've been cooking on Sun evenings 3 or 4 items to last me through Thurs.

One such sunday, there was an abundance of mint. Since in the past, I've always let the mint to wither before making good use of it, I decided to change. All the mint, one day, 4 dishes. Lets see what all I have

A. Lemon Rice with Mint Leaves

Ingredients:
1. Rice - 1 cup
2. Lemon/Lime Juice - 3 tbsp
3. Mint Leaves - 10 medium size
4. Onion (totally optional) - 1 medium

For Tempering/Tadka/Thirumari/Thalikardhu
1. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
2. Peanuts (I love them!) - 2 tbsp
3. Channa Dhal - 1 tsp
4. Asafoetida/Hing - 1 pinch
5. Curry leaves - 2 to 3
6. Green Chilli - 3 nos
7. Salt to taste

Method de prep:
1. Cook 1 cup rice with 1 cup water in rice cooker. The rice needs to be separate pieces after cooking. A mushy lemon/lime rice isn't as enjoyable.
2. In a small frying pan, heat 1 tsp oil. Add Hing, channa dhal and fry a little till the channa dhal is light brown.
3. Add mustard seeds, green chillis and curry leaves and fry. The popping of the mustard seeds must stop.
4. Add the peanuts and fry till they are light brown. (If you are using onions, then fry the onions here)
5. Add the mint leaves and gently cook till the mint leaves are dark green
6. Remove from flame and add this to the cooked rice.
7. Add salt and mix well.
8. Once the rice is cooled, add Lemon/Lime juice.

Delicious, simple, tasty and a new lemon/lime rice is ready to be enjoyed and shared!