Lemon-Rice Inspired Quinoa

This is a bright, tangy, nutty quinoa version of the classic South Indian lemon rice. It’s vegan, gluten-free, and comes together in under 30 minutes if you have pre-cooked quinoa.

Serves: 3–4 as a side | Prep + cook time: 25–30 min

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa (uncooked) → yields ~3 cups cooked

• 2–2.5 tbsp fresh lemon juice (adjust to taste)

• ½ tsp turmeric powder

• Salt to taste

For tempering:

• 2 tbsp neutral oil or ghee

• 1 tsp mustard seeds

• 1 tsp chana dal (split Bengal gram) – optional but traditional

• 1 tsp urad dal (split black gram) – optional

• 2–3 dried red chilies (broken)

• 1–2 green chilies, slit or finely chopped

• A generous pinch of asafoetida (hing)

• 10–12 curry leaves

• 2 tbsp peanuts or cashews (raw)

• ½ inch ginger, finely chopped (optional)

Garnish:

• Fresh cilantro, chopped

• Fresh grated coconut (optional but delicious)

Instructions

1. Cook the quinoa
   Rinse 1 cup quinoa thoroughly, then cook with 1¾ cups water and a pinch of salt (rice-cooker, stovetop, or Instant Pot all work). Fluff and spread on a plate to cool slightly so it doesn’t get mushy when mixing.

2. Tempering (the flavor base)
   Heat oil/ghee in a wide pan on medium heat.
   Add mustard seeds → let them pop.
   Add chana dal and urad dal → fry until golden.
   Add peanuts/cashews → roast until they turn golden-brown.
   Toss in dried red chilies, green chilies, curry leaves, ginger, and hing. Sauté 20–30 seconds until fragrant (don’t burn the leaves!).

3. Season
   Lower the heat, add turmeric powder and a generous pinch of salt. Stir for 5 seconds (this prevents turmeric from burning).

4. Mix it all together
   Add the cooked quinoa to the pan. Gently mix so every grain gets coated with the tempering.
   Turn off the heat, drizzle lemon juice evenly, and toss well. Taste and add more lemon juice or salt if needed. The quinoa should be tangy and bright yellow.

5. Finish & serve
   Garnish with lots of fresh cilantro and (optional) 1–2 tbsp grated fresh coconut.
   Serve warm or at room temperature with papad, yogurt, or pickle on the side.

Tips & variations

• Make it protein-packed: Add boiled chickpeas or pan-fried tofu cubes at the end.

• Meal-prep friendly: Keeps well in the fridge for 3–4 days; flavors get even better the next day.

• Mild version for kids: Skip green chilies and reduce lemon slightly.

• Extra zing: Add ½ tsp lemon zest along with the juice.