Variety rice lunch Menu 11 | South Indian

South Indian variety rice lunch is the menu number 11 for the series. It has sambar rice, lemon rice, curd rice, a vegetable and payasam along with some fryums.

This South Indian variety rice lunch is a part of my Lunch menu series, where I share a lot of menu ideas, mostly bit elaborate, fit for weekend or special occasions. Here, I do not share the recipe as such, but I share ideas alone with recipe links along. I also write about the steps I prepare in order to help get an idea about the preparation of the entire menu.

Day before yesterday, when I was staring at the Facebook wall, suddenly saw a meal promo in the feed. Said Variety rice lunch which had a paratha/ kal dosa kurma, flavored rice, sambar rice, poriyal, curd rice, sweet and papad, pickle. It really tempted me a lot, so I decided to make it the next day and I did. But I omitted the paratha/ kal dosa kurma part as I thought this itself is enough. Since yesterday was Aadi velli I made a payasam and added to the meal 😎. As I always say, I dont like sambar rice that much so had my favourite lemon rice and curd rice alone in this menu.

Watch 🎥 :

Aadi perukku lunch preparation video

And here we go, this week’s lunch menu :

A flavoured rice – Lemon rice

This part of the menu is more like a starter. Usually what I feel is flavored rice is kind of light and doesn't feel heavy when had. I have seen Andhra meals having a variety rice in their part of menu. So my choice is always my favorite lemon rice. It is also easy to make you see!

Lemon rice recipe

5 from 2 votes

Lemon rice recipe is the simplest and best of all variety rice. I love it, so enjoy the process of making. Step by step recipes.

20 mins

Sambar rice (Sambar sadham)

Sambar sadam is right opposite to the above. It's hearty and fills you tummy too. The method I make is adaptable in such way that you cook rice in single go and use the same rice for all three. Check out the recipe with step by step photos and video below.

Sambar sadam recipe

5 from 4 votes

Sambar sadam recipe with full video, stepwise pictures. Tamil nadu style sambar sadam, an one pot meal with mixed vegetables, small onions.

25 mins

Snake gourd stir fry ( Podalangai poriyal)

I have no particular reason for choosing this vegetable for the menu. I used what I had and to be finished. You can choose anything from my poriyal category. Or make a simple potato fry. Your work will be done soon.

Curd rice (Thayir sadham)

Can any south Indian menu end without curd rice? Hell no. Thayir sadam is a must to end the meal. As I said, I used the same rice but mashed it when it was hot. You can check the recipe for details.

Curd rice / Thayir sadam recipe

5 from 7 votes

Curd rice recipe - Learn how to make perfect creamy south Indian curd rice with step by step pictures and tips for delicious results!

20 mins

Fine vermicelli payasam

A small serving of dessert makes this meal complete. I make this quick payasam often and it's family favorite too. It's a microwave version and gets done in minutes. You can check the recipe here. Or below is the regular semiya payasam recipe.

Semiya payasam recipe

4.67 from 6 votes

Semiya payasam recipe, very easy to prepare to go with any south Indian meals or as a dessert! With step by step pictures and detailed instructions.

20 mins

Fryums

Usually, variety rice is accompanied with some crisp factor like appalam, vadam or fryums. I used store bought color fryums.

You can replace the lemon rice with any other favourite of yours. Like coconut rice or puliyodharai or puli sadham or thakkali sadam or peanut rice.

And vegetable poriyal also could be of your choice.

I had curd rice with mor milagai, you can have it with pickle.

Payasam can be replaced with any sweet pongal or kesari too.

Here's how I prepare this variety rice lunch menu:

1. Firstly, I kept pressure cook with rice and dal + tamarind in two separator vessels.
2. Mean while finished the cutting part. You can also cut the veggies ahead.
3. Vegetable, green chilli, coconut and other ingredients kept ready for the menu.
4. You can also prepare the payasam now and keep it aside ready.
5. If the rice is cooked, divide into 3. Drizzle one portion with sesame oil and one with ghee. The other portion of rice should be mashed when hot.
6. Mix hot water, salt to the mashed rice for curd rice so that the rice texture is loose.
7. Do not add hot water before mashing as it will make it difficult to mash. Keep aside covered for cooling down.
8. Extract tamarind juice for sambar sadam. You can alternately use tamarind paste.
9. Now let's give some work to kadai. Firstly, temper for sambar sadam and transfer to the vessel you are going to prepare it and boil the veggies. Let it simmer.
10. Secondly temper for the curd rice and transfer to it.
11. Then for lemon rice and transfer to respective bowl.
12. Lastly prepare poriyal and side by side sambar rice as well.
13. Do the finishing touch for paysam, that is, frying cashew/ raisin if desired, cardamom if desired. I skipped this step happily as Vj likes his payasam plain. You can also add the cashew to sambar sadam, lemon sadam and thayir sadam.
14. Do all the mixing - sambar rice, curd rice and lemon rice.
15. You can fry the fryums lastly or do ahead the previous day and store in dabba.

Happy weekend with homey food 😍