Lemon Rice (Chitranna)
This Traditional South Indian dish can be put together in couple of minutes. Comes very handy when you have left over rice and have no idea what to do with it. Great recipe for a lunch box, to office or to school.
So having said that, the Indian name for this dish is Chitranna, a very popular rice dish in the state of Karnataka, where I come from 😊 The dish is has different varieties to it, can add grated carrots, green pepper or capsicum or even grated mango. My mouth is watering as I write this 😝 I love anything and everything about raw mangoes ☺️
It requires very few cupboards ingredients which most of the Indian households have them, for my non Indian friends, all these ingredients are available in any Asian or Indian shop around the city. I usually buy them here in Dublin.
Let's show you how it's done.
| Prep Time: | 20 mins |
| Servings: | 1 person - can be doubled |
- One cup pre cooked or left over rice (basmati, long grain) approximately 200 grams
- Juice of half lemon (small)
- One small onion chopped
- One green chili chopped (can omit if too spicy)
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp of sunflower oil
- Salt to season
- Handful of fresh chopped coriander leaves to garnish
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
- 1/2 tsp urad dal (spilt and dehusked black gram lentils)
- 1/2 tsp Channa dal ( yellow split peas)
- 1 tbsp raw peanuts
- 10 to 12 curry leaves
For tampering
- Heat a tsp of oil in a non stick pan
- Add the mustards seeds first, let it splatter.
- Add the rest of the Tampering ingredients and fry for two to three mins until you see they are nicely done, stirring few times, do not burn them.
- Add the chopped onion and sauté until translucent for two to three mins
- Add the green chilli, fry for a min
- Add the rice and combine everything well, make sure there are no lumps.
- Add the turmeric and squeeze the juice of lemon, season with salt. Mix well.
- Garnish with fresh coriander and serve warm
- Enjoy
Note - I like mine extra tangy, so I always add a bit more than half a lemon juice, feel free to add more if you like.
Get more creative - add grated carrots, green pepper or raw grated mango.
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