Lemon Rice

Whoever said cooking is not my forte, should understand cooking is not just making complex dishes but even simple ones. It is easy to cook even with less ingredients. Indian Lemon rice recipe is a great way to use left overs. Chitranna as you call it in Karnataka, Nimmakaya pulihora in Andhra is an all time favourite. This is the South Indian lemon rice recipe. Did you know there is a Greek lemon rice recipe too? It just has an addition of onion to it.

Lemons can be used to make so many delicious recipes. Make limonada,lemon curd,tarts & lemon slice.Use it as dressing in salsa and even pickle it.Nimbu achar goes with every paratha.

Food waste fighter mom 

Food waste is a reality we should all fight together. My mum has been using this recipe since my childhood. She being a working mum always used left over rice of dinner to make a yummy breakfast. Sometimes fried rice or lemon rice side dish and even rice paratha. As a mum now, I know why 🙂 I hate wasting food and try to finish everything we make daily.

Kids love it in their lunch box and so do elders. It also takes the mundane rice feeling out on a weekday. You may also add in some crispy chips and a nice tangy potato curry to go with it. This is great for vegan option. You can also have some yogurt dip along with it or some 'ghee' if not vegan.

Quick and a great fix from eating boring oily food at office mess.

Add peas/carrots to actual recipe to make your own pilaf version.

This makes it healthier and yet packs a punch with the authentic flavors.

How to make lemon rice?

1. Add the tempering ingredients in oil.
2. Now,add soaked dal/lentils and let it splutter.
3. Add turmeric and salt to rice.
4. Mix rice with tempering with peanuts.

Read the lemon rice recipe below:

Print Recipe

4.17 from 6 votes

Lemon Rice

Lemon rice is a great way to use left-over cooked rice.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: chintapandu puliyogre, lemon rice, nimmakaya pulao, nimmakaya pulihora, pulihara, puliyogre, south indian lemon rice

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1.5 cup cooked rice

For tempering

• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp urad dal/split black gram soaked in water for 20 mins and drained
• 1 tbsp channa dal/split bengal gram soaked in water for 20 mins and drained
• ¼ cup peanuts
• ¼ cup cashews optional
• Generous pinch of heeng/asafoetida Avoid if gluten-free
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp ginger
• 3 sprigs of curry leaves
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 dried red chilli
• Salt as per taste

Instructions

• Cook rice and keep it aside. Ensure they are not mushy.
• Add turmeric and lemon juice to rice, keep it aside.
• In a pan,heat oil and and saute peanuts, keep it aside.
• Add mustard seeds,let it splutter.
• Add curry leaves followed by chillies and soaked lentils.
• Let it roast.Add asafoetida & ginger
• Add peanuts,rice and mix well
• Serve hot.

Notes

Note: Do not cook rice with double quantity of water. This may make it mushy.
You may also use left over rice for this recipe.Only add the lemon mix to it.

Looking for easy rice recipes?

• Tomato rice
• Sindhi bhugga chawal/Caramalized onion rice
• Pulihora/ Tamarind rice
• Raw mango rice
• Brown rice dal khichdi
• Sindhi Tairi

Click here to see additional rice bowl recipes.

Also, click here to watch additional recipe videos.