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.
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.Other recipe recipes from south India include Tamarind rice, Curd rice,mango rice & tomato rice.
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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 chitranna 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 chitranna 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.
Trivia: Did you know there is a Greek lemon rice recipe too? It just has an addition of onion to it.
Ingredients
- cooked rice
- lemon juice
- turmeric powder
For tempering
- oil
- urad dal/split black gram soaked in water for 20 mins and drained
- channa dal/split bengal gram soaked in water for 20 mins and drained
- peanuts fried or roasted
- Generous pinch of heeng /asafoetida (Avoid if gluten-free)
- mustard seeds
- ginger
- sprigs of curry leaves
- dried red chili / green chilli (optional)
- Salt as per taste
Refer to recipe card for details.
How to make lemon rice?
Heat a pan. Fry peanuts and keep it aside or use air fried peanuts like I do. Add mustard seeds, dried red chilies and curry leaves. Let it splutter.
Now, add soaked dal/lentils, ginger, asafoetida and let it cook for couple of minutes.
Meanwhile, add turmeric powder, lemon juice and salt to cooked rice.
Mix rice with tempering with fried or roasted peanuts.
Serve hot.
Related recipes
Chitranna | South Indian Lemon rice | Nimmakaya pulihora recipe
Equipment
- pan /saucepan
- Grater for ginger
- Air fryer optional ( for air fried peanuts)
Ingredients
- 1.5 cup cooked rice
- 3 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
For tempering
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 1 tablespoon urad dal/split black gram soaked in water for 20 mins and drained
- 1 tablespoon channa dal/split bengal gram soaked in water for 20 mins and drained
- ¼ cup peanuts fried or roasted
- Generous pinch of heeng/asafoetida Avoid if gluten-free
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- 3 sprigs of curry leaves
- 2 dried red chilli optional
- Salt as per taste
Instructions
- Heat a pan. Fry peanuts and keep it aside or use air fried peanuts. Add mustard seeds, dried red chilies and curry leaves. Let it splutter.
- Now, add soaked dal/lentils, ginger, asafoetida and let it cook for couple of minutes.
- Meanwhile, add turmeric powder, lemon juice and salt to cooked rice.
- Mix rice with tempering with fried or roasted peanuts.
- Serve hot.
Notes
You may also use left over rice for this recipe.Only add the lemon mix to it.
Substitutions & Variations
You can add peas/carrots to actual chitranna recipe to make your own pilaf version. This makes it healthier and yet packs a punch with the authentic flavors.With just addition of pepper (as per taste), you can make lemon pepper rice. You can also make lemon garlic rice with the addition of garlic in this recipe.
Storage
Store it in a container for 2-3 days in refrigerator.
FAQ
It translates to mixed rice and has different ingredients added to rice like lemons or raw mango.
Lemons are a good source of vitamin C plus it is an easy recipe to reuse left over rice instead of throwing it away.
Yes if you add lemon juice while cooking rice it helps you avoid it getting gummy or sticky.
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