Lemon Rice: A Family Comfort Recipe That Travels Well
Some recipes stay with us not because they are fancy, but because they show up exactly when we need them.
Lemon rice is my favourite go-to comfort meal. I learnt it from my grand-aunt, who was a nun in North India. In those days, travelling from North India to Goa meant long train journeys — often 2 to 3 days. She would pack lemon rice in banana leaves, and it would last the entire journey, staying fresh, fragrant, and nourishing.
That practicality was no accident. This dish was designed to travel well, to sustain, to comfort. And perhaps that’s why it still feels so grounding today.
On days when my mind feels full and decision-making feels heavy, this is what I cook. It takes very little time or effort, yet delivers exactly what’s needed. We enjoy it with a side of vegetables, pickle, curd — or sometimes just plain.
It’s a reminder that food can be simple and still deeply supportive. Sometimes, healing looks like a familiar plate of food.
This lemon rice has travelled across geography and generations — from long train journeys to everyday kitchens. It’s proof that the simplest recipes often hold the deepest wisdom. Here I am making the rice for close friends in Puerto Rico
Lemon Rice
Ingredients
1 cup rice
Juice of 2 lemons
1 or 2 deseeded red chillies
8–10 flakes garlic, sliced
1/2 tsp finely cut ginger
Curry leaves
1/2 tsp haldi (turmeric) powder
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
2 tbsp oil
Salt to taste
Method
Boil the rice with salt and allow it to cool completely.
Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
Add the chillies, ginger, garlic, and curry leaves. Fry gently on low heat.
When the garlic begins to change colour, add the lemon juice with a little water (about 1 tablespoon water per lemon), salt, and haldi powder. Allow this to simmer briefly.
Slowly fold in the cooked rice. Keep on low heat until everything is evenly mixed and nicely heated.
Notes
For travel, always cool the rice completely before packing.
Traditionally packed in banana leaves, this rice keeps well.
It lasts up to 3 days when stored properly.