Everyday Kitchen

Indian · Dinner

Lemon Rice (Chitranna)

Draft recipe — not kitchen-tested
VegEasy

Diet: Veg · Vegan

Warm already cooked rice with peanuts and spices. Fold in lemon juice after turning off the heat.

Prep
5 min
Cook
15 min
Total
20 min
Servings
3
Difficulty
Easy
Cuisine
Indian
Course
Dinner

Estimated times for the original batch. Preparation, cooking and listed waiting time are included. Batch cooking can take longer.

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Yellow lemon rice with peanuts and chilies, beside a cup of tea
Representative lemon rice with peanuts and chilies. The cup of tea is a serving accompaniment, not part of this recipe. This is not a tested result of our recipe. Photo credit and licence
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Ingredients

Metric weights use grams. US weights use ounces; liquids use fluid ounces. Conversions are rounded. Spoon measures use 5 ml teaspoons and 15 ml tablespoons; cups use 240 ml.

Serves 3

Choose any positive whole number of servings. Ingredients and measured amounts in steps scale together. Times, temperatures and equipment stay unchanged. For larger yields, cook separate original-size batches. Counted ingredients can become fractions; beat eggs before dividing them. Fixed correction-water checks remain fixed.

Main ingredients

Liquids

Seasoning and finishing

Equipment

Wide frying pan; slotted spoon; bowl; spatula.

Check all product labels and cross-contact. Diet groups describe this listed draft, not every substitution.

Steps

Prepare the rice and nuts · About 4 min

  1. Separate the grains of 720 ml cooked rice gently with a fork.

    Check: This recipe starts with cooked rice; cooking raw rice takes additional time.

  2. Heat 2 tbsp neutral oil in the pan over medium heat.
  3. Add 60 ml peanuts.
  4. Stir for 3–4 minutes.

    Check: The peanuts should smell toasted and become lightly browned.

  5. Lift the peanuts into the bowl.
  6. If using cashews, add 1 tbsp cashews, optional to the pan.
  7. If using cashews, fry them for 1–2 minutes until pale gold.
  8. Lift any fried cashews into the bowl.

Make the tempering · About 1 min

  1. Add the remaining 1 tbsp neutral oil to the pan.
  2. Add 1 tsp mustard seeds.
  3. Cook for 30–60 seconds.

    Check: The mustard seeds should pop.

  4. Add 1 tsp split skinned urad dal.
  5. Stir for about 1 minute.

    Check: The dal should turn pale gold.

  6. Add 2 dried red chilies, 1 green chili, chopped and 12 curry leaves carefully.

    Check: The curry leaves can splutter.

  7. Stir for 20 seconds.
  8. Turn off the heat.
  9. Stir in 1 pinch asafoetida and ½ tsp turmeric.

Heat and finish · About 5 min

  1. Add the cooked rice, fried nuts and ½ tsp salt, adjust to taste.
  2. Stir over medium heat for 3–5 minutes.

    Check: The rice must be steaming hot throughout.

  3. Turn off the heat.
  4. Fold in 2 tbsp lemon juice.
  5. Serve promptly.

Tips

  • Timing starts with cooked rice. If using leftovers, use rice cooled promptly and refrigerated for no more than 24 hours; reheat only once.

Substitutions

  • Use cashews instead of peanuts.

Storage

  • Cool in small shallow portions and refrigerate promptly, ideally within one hour. Use within 24 hours.
  • Reheat rice only once, until steaming hot throughout. For this draft, check reheated food reaches 74°C / 165°F. Add a little water and cover while heating.

Make ahead

  • Measure tempering ingredients ahead; cook rice on the serving day.

FAQ

Can I use fresh rice?

Yes. Spread it briefly to release steam so the grains stay separate.

Why add lemon last?

High heat dulls its fresh flavour.

How should I store lemon rice (chitranna)?

Cool in small shallow portions and refrigerate promptly, ideally within one hour. Use within 24 hours.

Recipe source and adaptation

Measured home adaptation: Dassana's Veg Recipes: Lemon rice.

Uses prepared rice; rice cooking is excluded from the time.

Food safety references

FoodSafety.gov: cooking temperatures · Food Standards Agency: rice storage and reheating

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