Atlantic living




After months of planning, city hopping, countless flights and significant stress, we are finally, permanently, in Halifax. The apartment is fantastic – at least double the size of our old places, with a roomy kitchen, and 3 blocks from the ocean … and not to mention, close to an excellent weekend farmer’s market.

Unfortunately, not so much can be said of the weather, which has been as grey and drizzly here as it has been in most of Canada, though with an added, distinctly coastal, chill. So, in an effort to bring some sunshine into the apartment, M and I incorporated a bright and colorful dish to our first official co-habitation meal.

Lime rice always reminds me of lazy weekend lunches with my family. My mom can whip it up in no time at all, having all of the spices and herbs on hand, and of course, it is always delectable. Being new to the city, though, M and I had to improvise a little bit, as some of the ingredients my mom uses are a bit harder to find. Regardless, the result was satisfyingly delicious. You can pair this dish with pretty much anything (we made chicken tikka masala and a cherry tomato salad), though it is excellent on its own too. It is also quite versatile – once you get a feel for the flavors that make up the rice, you can modify the limey-ness, the spice, the ratio of rice to peanuts and coriander, and so on. It’s fantastically easy, and it was enjoyed in the best of company.

Lemon-yellow lime rice

Ingredients
-       2 cups uncooked jasmine or basmati rice (we used the latter)
-       ¼ cup vegetable oil, for cooking
-       1 tbsp black mustard seeds
-       1 tbsp urad dal (yellow lentil) (optional)
-       1 tbsp channa dal (optional; we omitted this)
-       1 cup peanuts (optional; to taste)
-       ¼ cup fresh curry leaves (optional; we omitted these)
-       ½ tsp turmeric
-       2 fresh hot green finger chilies, or to taste
-       2 fresh limes (or to taste)
-       ½ bunch fresh cilantro leaves
-       ¼ cup grated coconut (optional)
-       2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
-       Salt, to taste

1.     Cook rice according to instructions; remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

2.     Finely chop green chilies by hand or in a food processer, and set aside.

3.     Finely chop cilantro and set aside.

4.     Heat vegetable oil in a large wok or saucepan with a lid. Oil should be hot, but do not heat it until it smokes, and lower the heat for the next step.

5.     Add the mustard seeds to the hot oil and cover it immediately; the seeds with sputter and pop everywhere if you don’t.

6.     When seeds stop sputtering, uncover the lid, turn the heat down to medium and add the two dals and peanuts, if using. The dals will cook in the oil and gradually change color.

7.     When the dals turn a light brown, add turmeric, curry leaves (if using) and chopped green chilies to the oil. Cook for a minute, making sure that the turmeric does not turn brown.

8.     Turn the heat off and add rice to the oil.

9.     Squeeze lime over the rice and salt and olive oil, and combine thoroughly; adjust the sourness and the salt to taste, and add more olive oil if the rice seems dry
.
10. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and coconut, if using. 

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