Quinoa Lemon Rice
South Indian-style quinoa lemon rice with mustard-curry-leaf tempering, turmeric, roasted peanuts, and fresh lemon juice over fluffy quinoa.
Equipment
- Medium saucepan with lid
- Wide skillet or kadai
- Fine-mesh strainer
Ingredients
For the quinoa
- 1 cup quinoa 170 g, rinsed well
- 2 cups water 480 ml
- 1/2 teaspoon salt for cooking water
For the tempering
- 2 tablespoons oil or ghee
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon urad dal split black gram
- 1 teaspoon chana dal split chickpeas
- 2 tablespoons raw peanuts or cashews
- 1 sprig curry leaves about 10 to 12 leaves
- 1-2 green chilies slit
- 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida powder hing, optional
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice from 1 large lemon, or to taste
- 2 tablespoons cilantro chopped
Optional add-ins
- 1/4 cup grated carrot or thawed green peas optional
Instructions
Cook the quinoa
- Rinse the quinoa under cold water until the water runs mostly clear. This helps cut the natural bitter coating.
- Add quinoa, 2 cups water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low 12 to 15 minutes until the water is absorbed and the germ rings look spiraled.
- Turn off the heat. Keep the lid on for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Spread in a wide plate for 2 minutes if it looks wet so excess steam can escape.
Make the tempering
- Heat oil or ghee in a wide skillet on medium. Add mustard seeds and let them crackle. Add urad dal and chana dal. Stir until they turn light golden.
- Add peanuts or cashews. Roast until the nuts smell toasted and look lightly browned. Add curry leaves, green chilies, and hing if using. Stir a few seconds until the leaves crisp.
- Lower the heat. Add turmeric and optional carrot or peas. Stir 30 to 60 seconds so the turmeric blooms in the oil without burning.
Finish the lemon rice
- Add the fluffed quinoa and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Toss gently so every grain picks up the yellow tempering. Taste for salt.
- Turn off the heat. Squeeze in lemon juice a tablespoon at a time, tossing between additions, until it tastes bright but not harsh. Fold in cilantro. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Lemon timing: Always add lemon off heat. Hot lemon juice can taste bitter and dull the color.
Nut-free: Skip peanuts and cashews, or swap in roasted sunflower seeds for crunch.
Ghee vs oil: Ghee gives a richer South Indian aroma. Neutral oil keeps it vegan.
Make-ahead: Cook quinoa up to a day ahead and refrigerate. Temper and lemon just before serving so the flavor stays fresh.
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days. Refresh with a squeeze of lemon and a splash of water when reheating gently.
Grain swap: Prefer millet? Use the same tempering with lemon foxtail millet rice and adjust cook time for the grain.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!