Lemon Rice with Curried Squid

Nothing can go wrong when you mix butter and lemon. Rice coated lightly in a lemony sauce with fresh herbs can satisfy any picky palate. In addition, you can pair it with fish, vegetable curries in cashew sauce and grills. Highly nutritional and easy to prepare, I have intentionally chose to share a 'under 30 minutes' pairing with squid in dry curry for the busy bees.

For the Lemon Rice

Ingredients

• 2 cups cold  rice (stored in fridge overnight)
• 1/4 teaspoon mustard seed
• 1/8 teaspoon white gram seed
• 1 coriander root sliced thin
• 1 bunch of coriander leaves chopped
• 2 tablespoon of lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoon of butter (or clarified butter)
• 3 shallots, fried till golden
• Pinch of turmeric 
• pinch of salt (coarse crystals are best)

Directions

• Take the cold rice and place it in a bowl (make sure they are separated and not lumpy).
• Heat the pan and add the butter to melt.
• Then add the mustard, white gram and coriander root along with tumeric. 
• Once mixture starts to sizzle take it off the heat and add the lemon juice.
• Pour the sauce into the rice and stir till rice is covered. 
• Add some salt (very lightly) and mix.
• Place the rice in the rice cooker to cook (and warm).
• When the cooker switches to 'warm', take it off the heat and  mix the fresh coriander leave and fried onion.

For the Squid in Dry Curry

Ingredients

• 2 Medium Size Squid (Cleaned and Cut)
• 2 Shallots
• 3 Clove garlic
• 1 Thick slice of ginger
• 5 Dried chilies (soak in water)
• 1 Teaspoon coriander seed
• 1/4 Teaspoon fennel
• Blend shallot, garlic, ginger, chilies, coriander seed, fennel seed into a paste
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon canola oil

Directions

• Heat oil in pan and pour the paste.
• Cook till fragrant.
• Add the squids and a bit of salt ( be careful not to add to much as this is a dry curry).
• Cook till oil separates and sauce thickens.

Serve it hot with the lemon rice.

Happy Cooking!