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Lemony Fresh Basil Basmati Rice is a refreshing blend of fresh Optimistic Garden herbs, zesty lemon, bright peas, crunchy almonds and light aromatic basmati rice. It’s our new family favorite and is sure to become yours as well!

Lemony Fresh Basil Basmati Rice

A few years ago, during one of my trips to the Garden Center to buy plants for the Optimistic Garden, I came across Lemon Verbena plants. Lemon Verbena is a green leafed plant that tastes super lemony. You can put it in recipes, drop it into hot water for a super lemony refreshing tea, or dry them for later use. I also planted lemon basil, which is basil that has a lemony essence to it as well, then put them together for the freshest, lightest tasting Lemony Fresh Basil Basmati Rice.

Fresh Optimistic Garden Lemon Verbena – it doesn’t get fresher than fresh picked!

Lemony Fresh Basil Basmati Rice uses garden fresh ingredients

I didn’t just add my Optimistic Garden fresh Lemon Verbena and Lemon Basil to the recipe, I also gave my fresh chives a “haircut” and added them in for extra flavor.

Optimistic Garden Chives before they got a haircut!

I found dried lemongrass a while ago

During one of my weird ingredient searches on Amazon a while ago, I came across dried lemongrass powder. It was during my FODMAP diet phase and I was actually searching for dried asafoetida, which has an onion-like flavor without the gi problems onions can create.I thought that lemongrass powder might be a cool ingredient to use in rice someday, so I bought it and put it in the back of my pantry.When the Optimistic Garden fresh, lemony ingredients started to bloom I knew it was time to pull out the dried lemongrass.I wanted a super lemony rice!

This is what fresh lemongrass looks like! Photo: Courtesy Ruralsprout.com

Using Fresh ingredients made the Lemony Fresh Basil Basmati Rice extra tasty

In addition to all the other fresh ingredients in the Lemony Fresh Basil Basmati Rice, I added just squeezed lemon juice and the zest from the lemon. The fresh lemon added the right acidic balance to the rice, making it freshly delicious.

Lemony Fresh Basil Basmati Rice is insanely fresh tasting!

The rest of the ingredients

To add some color and texture I added toasted slivered almonds, and bright green peas to the rice. The toasted slivered almonds gave the rice a little crunchy sweetness, and the peas added a colorful natural taste as well.

Lemony Fresh Basil Basmati Rice is a wonderful medley of lemony flavors.

When serving I sliced some additional fresh lemons and garnished with more lemon zest, toasted slivered almonds, basil flowers and chives. Lemony Fresh Basil Basmati Rice ended up having just the right balance of lemony fresh herbal flavor.

Fresh Optimistic Garden Lemon Basil Flowers make a naturally beautiful garnish for this amazing rice dish.

The family loved it and inhaled the entire pan. I personally couldn’t stop eating it! It’s one of my new favorite recipes.

The Lemony Fresh Basil Basmati Rice Substitutions

It always nags at me when I see a great recipe but the ingredients aren’t readily available. I’m fully aware that not everyone has an Optimistic Garden where they grow lemon verbena, lemon basil and chives.Please keep in mind that fresh is best. Substituting any of the fresh ingredients may alter the final result of the recipe. It will still be delicious…just not the same. For reference, one tablespoon of fresh herbs = one teaspoon dried herbs.Here are the substitutions for those ingredients. I’ve found dried tea that contains lemon verbena and lemongrass. In a pinch you could substitute that, but the flavor will be very different.

Lemon Verbena

If you’re lucky you may be able to find fresh Lemon Verbena in a produce store, farmer’s market, or a specialty store like Whole Foods. If you can’t you can substitute dried lemon verbena that you can find in your local spice store or on Amazon. I’ll provide a link at the bottom of the recipe.

Lemon Basil

You may be able to find lemon basil in your local produce or grocery store. If you can’t find it, don’t worry. You can substitute fresh, traditional basil leaves. Additionally, in a pinch, you can use dried basil as well.

Fresh Optimistic Garden Lemon Basil – it doesn’t get fresher or better than this!

Lemongrass

I used dried lemongrass in this recipe. You can probably substitute fresh, which I’ve seen in produce stores. I add one teaspoon of dried powdered lemongrass, so that would be the equivalent of a tablespoon of fresh. I’ve never used fresh so please let me know if you make that substitution.

Fresh Chives

Fresh chives are fairly accessible in the produce section of local grocery stores. These are not green onions, but the thin, skinny green onion stalks. If you can’t find them, you can substitute traditional green onions. Worst case scenario, substitute a traditional yellow onion or dried chives.

Fresh Lemon

Please please don’t substitute. Fresh lemon juice and fresh lemon zest are essential to give this recipe the best, bright flavor.

Here’s the recipe for Lemony Fresh Basil Basmati Rice

Lemony Fresh Basil Basmati Rice

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Author: Sharon Matten - Kosher Everyday
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Rest Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 10 servings 1x
Category: Side Dish
Method: Cooking
Cuisine: Gluten Free
Diet: Kosher

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Description

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the Rice

2 1/2 cups basmati rice
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried lemongrass powder
4 cups water
2 tablespoons fresh lemon basil, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon verbena, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice

To Finish

2 cups frozen green peas, defrosted
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 cup toasted slivered almonds
Additional lemon zest, basil, chives, sliced lemon, and almonds for garnish

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Instructions

For the Rice

In a large stockpot, stir together the rice, salt, pepper and lemongrass powder.
Add the water, lemon basil, lemon verbena, chives, lemon zest, olive oil and lemon juice. Stir to combine.
Over high heat, bring the rice to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed.
Remove the rice from the burner and allow it to rest for 10 minutes, uncover then gently fluff with a fork or spatula.

To Finish

Toss the peas, fresh chives and slivered almonds into the rice.
Garnish with additional lemon zest, basil leaves, chopped chives, sliced lemons and slivered almonds before serving.
Can be served hot or cold.

Equipment

Cuisinart C7M25-30DGD 12 Inch Everyday Pan

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Outsidepride Lemon Basil

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Lemon Verbena 3 oz (Aloysia Citrodora) Dried WHOLE Leaves

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Soeos Lemongrass Powder 7 ounce

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Tealyra – Pure Lemon Verbena

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Lemongrass & Verbena Herbal Infusion Tea

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