My mother took making lunch for my brother and me pretty seriously. She rotated dishes like dosas, uttapam, poha, and chutney sandwiches throughout the week to ensure we had variety. My favorite? Masala rice. Don’t let its simplicity fool you—it’s packed with flavor and delicately balances salty and spicy. The onions bring sweetness and green chiles add heat. Serve it with fresh cilantro and lime wedges, and every bite is more comforting than the next. Day-old medium- or long-grain rice such as jasmine or basmati work best since the drier grains stay separate as you cook. Delicious hot or at room temperature, this dish can either be a light lunch on its own or a dinner side along with korma, curries, or chicken. —Rachel Gurjar
What you’ll need
Large Straight-Sided Skillet
$200 At Amazon
Citrus Juicer
$20 $15 At Amazon
Silicone Spatula
$13 At Amazon
Recipe information
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Place 4 cups chilled cooked rice in a medium bowl and sprinkle 1½ tsp. sugar over; mix to combine.
Step 2
Heat 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium. Cook 1 tsp. black mustard seeds and 1 tsp. cumin seeds until seeds start to sputter, about 10 seconds. Add 1 medium white onion, finely chopped, and 1 small serrano chile, finely chopped, and cook, stirring often, until onion is translucent, about 4 minutes. Add 1 Tbsp. ground coriander, ½ tsp. ground turmeric, and ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper and cook, stirring, until spices are fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add rice mixture and 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt and toss until rice is evenly stained with turmeric. Sprinkle 2 Tbsp. water over, then cover and steam until rice is warmed through and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in 2 Tbsp. finely chopped cilantro and 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice.
Step 3
Top rice with more cilantro and serve with plain whole-milk yogurt and lime wedges.
