Lemon Rice Recipe (Chitranna)
Lemon Rice (Chitranna) is a popular South Indian rice preparation where cooked rice is flavored with lime juice and a few more simple ingredients. Try my easy recipe here.
Servings: 2 people
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil or any other cooking oil
- ½ teaspoon brown mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon split and skinned black lentils (white urad dal)
- 1 teaspoon Bengal gram lentils (chana dal)
- 2 green chilies slit into half
- 3-4 dry red chilies stalks removed
- 10-12 curry leaves
- ½ teaspoon asafetida (hing) skip for gluten-free
- ¼ cup peanuts
- 6-8 cashew nuts
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 cups cooked and cooled white rice
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice or lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
Instructions
- Heat oil in a pan over medium heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds, urad dal, and chana dal, and saute until the dals are lightly browned, stirring continuously.
- Add green chilies, dry red chiles, curry leaves, and asafetida, and saute for 10-12 seconds.
- Add peanuts and cashew nuts and saute for 40-60 seconds until the nuts are slightly browned, stirring continuously.
- Now add turmeric powder and saute for 10-12 seconds.
- Add rice, lime juice, and salt, and mix well.
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Check for salt and lime juice and add more if required. Serve hot.
Video
Notes
Sona Masuri is the preferred rice choice for lemon rice. However, you can also use any white short-grain nonsticky rice or basmati rice.
Cook the rice beforehand and cool it down completely before stir-frying it with other ingredients. Day-old rice is perfect for making this recipe.
Nutrition
Calories: 504kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Sodium: 1358mg | Potassium: 439mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 841IU | Vitamin C: 206mg | Calcium: 71mg | Iron: 2mg
