Cook the brown rice in the rice cooker or instant pot with 3 cups of water. If you're cooking on stove-top, boil 5 cups of water in a wide pot, add the rice and cook until done. The rice should be cooked just right: not mushy and the individual grains should be intact.
Drain the rice using a strainer. Transfer back to the pot and keep it closed for 5 minutes. Spread out the rice on a large tray and let it cool.
How to cook soybeans
Boil the frozen soya beans (edamame) in 1 cup of water for 10 minutes. If using dried soybeans, soak them overnight and cook in a pressure cooker. Cook until high pressure is reached, then at low pressure for 10 minutes.
How to season brown rice
Heat oil in a pan or wok, add mustard. After it splutters add curry leaves, cashews, minced green chilies and ginger, carrot and turmeric powder in the same order.
Add the cooked soybeans and salt. Saute for 5 minutes and remove from heat. Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, and the cooked brown rice and mix well.
If needed, add more lemon juice or salt according to individual taste. Let it sit for about 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Cooking the brown rice: The time and water required to cook the rice might vary depending on the brand and the equipment to cook. The measurements specified here are for Indian brown rice using electric rice cooker.
If you're new to brown rice, the most fool-proof way to cook is the stove-top method as mentioned in the instructions above.
If you're not a great fan of soybeans, you can replace them with green peas, fresh, frozen or dried. Cooking method is the same.
Don't forget the lemon zest for that amazingly unique flavor.