Elumichai Sadam

Tamil Brahmin lemon rice — cooked and cooled rice mixed with fresh lemon juice, turmeric, and salt, then tossed with a tempering of mustard seeds, urad dal, chana dal, curry leaves, dried red chilli, green chilli, ginger, and peanuts fried in sesame or groundnut oil. The sesame oil is essential; substituting any other oil eliminates the dish's characteristic nuttiness. Served at room temperature — the rice must be cooled before the lemon juice is added to prevent the acid from making the rice gummy. One of the most important rice preparations for temple offerings, train journeys, and picnics in Tamil Nadu; along with puliyodharai and thayir sadam it forms the holy trinity of travel rice in Tamil Brahmin culture.