Elumichampazham Saadham | Lemon Rice
Lemon rice is the simplest and most flavorful rice recipe that is perfect for lunch boxes or picnics. Made with basic ingredients, this Vegan rice recipe is very quick and easy to make.
When the month-long BM was announced along with the wonderful A-Z alphabet theme, I was right on making lists with several unique dishes and dishes that were new to me.

When the dates started getting close and I realized that I would not be able to do the marathon making just unique dishes, I started bringing in more practical dishes. One such addition to my list is this Elumichampazham saadham or lemon rice.
Why make this recipe
Lemon rice is a very simple and quick rice that works great for lunch boxes and traveling. This is a dish that does wonderfully during travels in hot weather. The addition of the lemon juice and the oil in the dish enables the dish to remain fresh when traveling.
Also, this is a very often-made lunch box dish in my house. My older son loves lemon to the extent that he chews on lemon slices as is. When we are in a restaurant, he would take the lemon slices that would be served as garnishes, and he would be sucking on them.
This habit of his got me really worried, and I asked his doctor if he was deficient in any minerals or vitamins. The doctor reassured me that it was completely fine to develop some weird liking and just wanted him to be a little careful not to do it very often since the acidity of the lemon could ruin his tooth, enamel. His love for the lemon allows me to pack this for school.
If making the lemon rice early in the morning, you could make the rice the night before, so that would allow enough time for the rice to cool down. This recipe goes to the marathon for the letter E under the theme regional.
Preparation time - 10 mins plus time to cool down the rice
Cooking time - 30 mins
Difficulty level - easy

Ingredients to make Elumichampazham Saadham - serves 4
- Rice - 1 cup (cooked and cooled down)
- Oil - 2 tbsp
- Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
- Ullutham paruppu/urad dal - 1 tsp
- Kadalai paruppu/channa dal - 1 tsp
- Green chilies - 3 (chopped)
- Red chilies - 2
- Peanuts - 3 tbsp
- Ginger - 1 tablespoon (grated)
- Turmeric powder - ¾ tsp
- Asafetida - ¼ tsp
- Salt - to taste
- Lemon/lime juice - from I large lemon/lime or about 3 tbsp
- Curry leaves - 5-6
- Cilantro - for garnish (chopped)
Procedure -
- Cook the rice and transfer it to a wide plate. Spread it slightly and allow the rice to cool down.
- In a small frying pan, heat the oil. Add all the ingredients except the lemon juice and the cilantro and fry until the seasonings are aromatic.

- Now add this to the cool rice and mix well without adding too much pressure. Add the lemon juice and mix well.

- Garnish the Elumichampazham Saadham with cilantro and serve with any curry, chips or appalam on the side.

More Lemon-Based Recipes
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Recipe

Elumichampazham Saadham - Lemon Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup Rice cooked and cooled down
- 2 tablespoon Oil
- 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon Ullutham paruppu/urad dal
- 1 teaspoon Kadalai paruppu/channa dal
- 3 Green chilies chopped
- 2 Red chilies
- 3 tablespoon Peanuts
- 1 tablespoon Ginger grated
- ¾ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon Asafetida
- Salt to taste
- 3 tablespoon Lemon/lime juice from I large lemon/lime or about
- 5-6 Curry leaves
- Cilantro chopped- for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the rice and transfer it on a wide plate. Spread it slightly and allow the rice to cool down.
- In a small frying pan, heat the oil. Add all the ingredients except the lemon juice and the cilantro and fry until the seasonings are aromatic.
- Now add this to the cool rice and mix well without adding too much pressure. Add the lemon juice and mix well.
- Garnish the Elumichampazham Saadham with cilantro and serve with any curry or chips or appalam on the side.










Love this. Its my favourite rice. Now you ar etempting me to make it tomorrow.
Unless you plan well ahead, its difficult to showcase only elite recipes...But lemon rice is fine, its homely and its comfort food..Will prefer this over all else when there is overdose of virtual food 🙂
This was a common lunch box item at my mom's place. But my hubby doesn't like it so much. I so miss this!!!
This comes to rescue on lazy days. Simple and flavorful.
One of our family favorite dish. Most of the leftover rice transforms into lemon rice in our household.
Perfect lunch box recipe and my fav variety rice...
So tempting .. This is one os my favorite rice & I make it very often..
An easy dish for lunch box and travel.Love this with a simple potao curry...
looks so flavorful...definitely a must try
I always remember my school days in Chennai when I see Lemon Rice. SImple tasy and pretty looking rice dish.
I also ended up changing the list so many times. Believe me if I say I am bound to still some changes.
so flavorful and delicious!!! simple and elegant rice!!!
Sowmya
kids love it anytime.. So I do it so often.. So comforting rice
It has been a long time since I made these..but I remember enjoying these rice. They look wonderful with those peanuts.
all time fav and a delicious comfy food 🙂 looks super yumm dear !!
Look tempting and flavorful with nuts and lemons
I love it anytime pa my hubby fav and my kids too.Looks like ur enjoying the full benefit of ur garden fruits nice nice.
Beautiful click...delicious rice!!
my son's fav dish, loved the way u have presented
My all time favorite..could have it for the whole day..:)
Lemon rice is always such a saviour...btw..one of the picture is not loaded..do check it again...
Even it happened to me, i fixed earlier with unique dishes, then made many changes too.
Lemon rice is my all time favourite, love with potato roast.
So delicious lemon rice . When I prepared it few days back we just fell in love with it.