Lemon rice is one of the most popular variety rice recipes we enjoy for lunch, lunchbox, travel etc. Lemon rice is called as Chitranna in Karnataka and it is a common rice meal savoured at homes and served as prasad in temples.
About Lemon Rice
Lemon Rice is a popular lunch box meal and travel food as the taste is retained even hours after cooking. The sourness of lemon when mixed with plain rice along gets us a heavenly tasty Lemon rice.Lemons contain a high amount of vitamin C and soluble fibre that give them a number of health benefits. Lemons aid in weight loss, reduces risk of heart disease, skin issues, kidney stones, digestive issues, and cancer. So lemon rice is a healthy choice in addition to a tasty choice!
Lemon Rice – A popular variety rice
Lemon Rice is a popular variety rice that is part of the menu in mini meals served at hotels. Lemon rice is a one of the five variety rice cooked for Valaikappu / Seemantham / Baby shower function. Lemon Rice is also commonly sold as a packed rice in hotels, mobile catering vans and bakeries. Lemon Rice is also served in Annadhanam performed at temples.
Lemon Rice Ingredients
Lemon : Choose a lemon that’s heavy for its size and has a pleasant fragrance. The skin should be bright yellow with no wrinkling. A thinner-skinned lemon will yield more juice and hence choose them. Lemon’s acidic nature tends to pick the metallic taste when it is directly cooked in aluminium or unseasoned cast iron tava. A stainless tava or a well-seasoned cast iron tava is a good choice.Rice : Both Raw and Boiled rice are very good for making Lemon rice. I used Ponni Boiled Rajabhogam rice for this recipe. We can use Basmati rice also for making more fluffier and flavourful Lemon rice. Do not overcook the rice – the rice should be grainy after cooking so that lemon rice is fluffy and not sticky when mixed with lemon extract and spices.Oil : Use refined oil available at stores. For a healthier option, you can use ground sesame / groundnut oil. Olive oil and coconut oil also can be used according to user preferences.
When life gives you lemons make lemonade and lemon rice!
Yes – not all the days are bright and energetic. When we are tired of routine or office orhaving a busy schedule ahead, you can pep your mood up by completing the cooking in notime. Lemon rice is the one I look for at those times. The best part is that when you haveleftover rice after packing lunch box or from the previous day, you can make Lemon rice inminutes and make it a no cook day !
Why Lemon Rice is yellow?
Yellow comes from the turmeric powder! Lemon rice without turmeric powder will look like normal white rice with spices. Turmeric powder gives beauty to this dish –a nice bright yellow color to lemon rice. I believe when people where using it for hundreds of years they would have added turmeric powder to sync it with colour of the lemon and for the goodness of turmeric! Whilst not, turmeric powder is extensively used in Indian cooking and could have been an integral ingredient in the making of Lemon rice when it was cooked the first time.
Is Lemon and Lime the same?
Lemon and Lime are similar. While lime is smaller, round green variety lemon is bit larger, oval shaped and yellow variety. Both Lemon and Lime can be used to make Lemon Rice. Lime is often confused with Sweet Lime which is mosambi which is popular as a fruit and a juice.
Lemon Rice – When can we make?
Lunch Box menuBaby shower function when we cook 5 / 7 / 9 rice varieties traditionallyMonday Blues – Quick recipe in lazy times& busy schedulePicnic / Train / Car trip menuLeft over rice
More rice recipes
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📖 Recipe Card
How to make Lemon Rice
Tempering Lemon Rice
1.Heat oil in a pan – add mustard seeds let it crackle then add urad dal and chana dal. Pin 2.Now add chopped ginger, red chillies, curry leaves and peanuts.Pin 3.Saute for a minute until dals turn golden and peanuts turn crisp.Pin 4.Add required salt, turmeric powder and hing.Pin 5.Give a quick mix.Switch off and let it cool down and come to room temperature.Pin
Adding lemon juice
6.This is done off the stove : Squeeze lemon to extract lemon juice.Do not add lemon juice when the tempering is hot.Pin
Adding cooked rice
7.Add cooked rice(warm and not hot).Pin 8.Mix well until nicely combined.Lemon rice ready.Pin Enjoy!
Expert Tips
Always bring the tempering to room temperature before adding lemon juice else it may turn bitter. Also cook rice spread it in a plate to cool down then add it. You can even add a teaspoon of oil spread it to cool down. I added peanuts with skin, you can add deskinned peanuts too. Adding ginger not only gives flavour but helps in digestion too. Use good quality turmeric powder. I used homemade turmeric powder.
Storing & Serving Suggestions
Lemon rice goes well with any vegetable fry, papad, vadagam, and pickle. Usually I make fry – potato fry as side dish for lunch box and papad when I prepare it in home. Lemon rice is a good lunch menu at home and as well for lunch box. It could be made early in the morning and it would be good till night.Refrigeration is not needed.
Variations
Adding cashews will make lemon rice more richer and crunchier Onions can be tempered with spices and added Mint leaves can be added for mint flavour Garlic can be minced and added for garlic flavoured rice Replace rice with poha for Lemon Poha You can replace red chillies with green chillies while tempering.
1.What is Lemon rice?
Lemon Rice is a flavourful tangy meal made by extracting juice from the lemon and mixing it with tempered spices & nuts and cooked rice.
2.How to make Lemon rice?
Cook rice and spread it on a plate to make it grains separated Heat oil in a pan – add peanuts and fry till nicely browned,set aside. In the same pan – temper spices, curry leaves let it crackle Once the spices are brought down to room temperature, squeeze lemon juice and then add rice & mix well. Serve it warm with papad / chips.
3.Are peanuts necessarily to be added in the Lemon rice?
Roasted peanuts give a crunchier feel to lemon rice – peanuts are preferred but not mandatory in the making of lemon rice. You can alternatively add cashewnuts too.
4.Can we use Basmati rice instead of raw / boiled rice?
Yes basmati rice could also be used and it blends well & fluffy too!
5. Can I use left over rice for making lemon rice?
Yes – we can use left over ricefor making lemon rice. It will be equally good.
6.Can I make lemon rice as a one pot dish?
Rice can be cooked in Instant pot or pressure cooker or in pan and then mixed with spices & lemon. Cooking lemon rice with all spices, juice extract will not taste as good as cooked per the recipe. Hence cooking lemon rice as one pot dish is not recommended.
7.Can I cook lemon in cast iron skillet?
Acidic foods like lemon, tomato are not supposed to be cooked in cast iron or aluminium as they tend to pick metallic taste of the skillet. A stainless steel tawa is best suited, I have used a carbon steel pan.
8.What is the difference between lemon rice and chitranna?
Lemon rice is called as Chitranna in Karnataka and it is a common rice meal. It is most commonly served at homes and as prasad in temples. Chitranna is made with onions additionally while tempering the spices.
