Lemon Rice/chitranna/Nimmakaya Pulihora is a crunchy, spiced, lemon-y rice dish that is quick and easy to make and tastes amazing! It is a dish originating from the south of India, particularly Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, and is perfect to consume for breakfast lunch or dinner!

Lemon rice served on a banana leave, 45 degree shot - 1

What is Lemon rice?

Lemon rice is a staple in most south Indian households, as it was in mine. We usually make it when we want a quick dish and have some leftover rice available. With just a few ingredients, this dish comes to life in no time. It has a slight tanginess from the lemon juice, aromas from the mustard seeds and curry leaves and crunchiness from the peanuts, cashews and roasted lentils.

This dish is perfect for beginners since its easy and very forgiving.

In India, his dish a very common travel food. My mum used to always pack some lemon rice with pickle, that we used to enjoy in our train journeys. The addition of turmeric and lack of soggy ingredients makes this dish stay good for a long time.

How to make Lemon rice?

Here is the step-by-step guide to making this dish.

  1. Start by measuring out 1 cup of rice and cooking it. You can also use leftover rice, in which case, measure out 3-4 cups of it for this recipe.
measuring a cup of raw rice - 2
  1. Let the rice cool down, then heat up some oil in a pan. Make sure it’s on medium low heat.
Lemon Rice Recipe - 3
  1. Add mustard seeds to this and let it crackle.
Mustard seeds crackling in a pan - 4
  1. Then add the chana dal and urad dal. Fry until the dals turns golden. Do not let it burn.
Adding chana dal to the hot pan - 5
  1. Then add peanuts to it and let that sauté a bit (about 40 seconds) then add cashews to it.
adding peanuts to the pan - 6
  1. Then add the chopped green chilies and curry leaves.
adding green chilli peppers (chopped) - 7
  1. Finally add the asafoetida and turmeric powder and turn off the heat. Mix very well.
Adding a pinch of asafoetida - 8
  1. To this, add the cooked and cooled rice, lemon juice, salt and mix very well so that everything is well combines.
adding salt - 9
  1. Cover the pan for the flavors come together for 4 to 5 minutes. and then serve the lemon rice with some spicy Indian pickle and pappad. You can also garnish with chopped coriander/cilantro leaves.
Lemon rice served on a banana leave, 45 degree shot - 10

Let me know if you give this easy Lemon Rice recipe a try! Tag me aka @beextravegant on Instagram if you post it, so I can see it.

Try other breakfast/snack items from the blog:

  • Vegetable Upma Recipe
  • Khaman dhokla recipe
  • Paniyaram recipe- shallow fried, spiced rice and lentil balls
  • Vegan Yoghurt Toast – Spicy
  • Tofu masala sandwich
Lemon rice served on a banana leave, 45 degree shot - 11

Lemon Rice Recipe

Ingredients1x2x3x

  • 1 cup rice sub with 3 cups of cooked rice
  • 1 ¾ – 2 cups water
  • 1 ½ – 2 tablespoons lemon juice or add as required
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1 tsp urad dal
  • 1 tbsp cashews
  • 3-4 tbsp peanuts
  • 12-15 curry leaves
  • 2 green chilies optional
  • ¼ tsp asafoetida hing
  • ½ tsp turmeric powder
  • 1-2 tbsp neutral oil
  • salt to taste

Instructions

Cooking the rice (if not using leftover rice)

  • Rinse uncooked rice in water (rubbing between your palms), drain and rinse again until the water turns clear
  • Then soak in water for about 30 minutes.
  • Then, the water from the soaked rice.
  • Add the rice in a large pan with water covering enough so that when you lay you hand on top of the rice, your fingers are covered in the water.
  • Bring it up to boil and, turn the heat down, cover with a lid and cook for about 8 minutes.
  • After 8 minutes, turn off the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes. Then uncover and fluff up the rice with a fork and let it cool down.

Lemon rice base

  • In a large frying pan, heat 1-2 tbsp oil. Bring it to low heat.
  • Add the mustard seeds and once they begin to crackle, add the chana dal and urad dal.
  • Fry until the dals turns golden. Do not let it burn.
  • Then add peanuts and cashews to it.
  • Then add the chopped green chilies and curry leaves.
  • Finally add the asafoetida and turmeric powder and turn off the heat. Mix very well.

Final Lemon Rice

  • To this, add the cooked and cooled rice, lemon juice, salt and mix very well.
  • Cover the pan for the flavors come together for 4 to 5 minutes.
  • Serve the lemon rice with some spicy Indian pickle and pappad.
  • Optionally, garnish with chopped coriander/cilantro leaves.

Storage

  • Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and can be stored in the freezer for up to one to two months.

This Lahsun chutney (Rajasthani Garlic Chutney) is garlic-y, spicy and perfect to pair with your Bajra roti or Wheat roti . It also serves a test to true love because if your partner is willing to kiss you even after you eat this chutney, he/she/them is a keeper!

Bajra roti and lahsun chutney served on shiny brass plates served with green chilli peppers and red onions - top shot - 12

How to make Lahsun Chutney/Garlic Chutney

This spicy and flavoured condiment made with fresh garlic pods, a tomato and a few spices comes together in 5 minutes.

  1. Add garlic pods, tomato, red chilli powder, cumin powder and coriander powder with some salt to taste into a blender.
Ingredients for the chutney in the blender bowl - 13
  1. Blend until smooth.
blending the chutney in my blender - 14
  1. Heat some oil in a pan and add the chutney to this oil, then reduce the heat. Make sure the heat is low enough to prevent the chutney from splattering.
pouring a tbsp oil onto a skillet - 15
  1. Cook until some of the rawness of the garlic is gone and is digestible to you.
chutney cooking on a skillet - 16

. Serve on the side of some rotis and you have yourself a delicious meal!

Bajra roti and lahsun chutney served on shiny brass plates served with green chilli peppers and red onions - close up - 17

STORAGE

This chutney can be stored in an air tight container for up to 4 days. It can also be frozen in a freeze safe bag for up to 3 months. Let defrost in the fridge the night prior to the day of consumption.

Check out my other chutney recipes:

  • Kaara Chutney – Tamilian Spicy chutney
  • Easy Mint Coriander Chutney: Thick With Secret Ingredient
  • Homemade Coconut Chutney- Easy South Indian Dip
  • Onion Tomato Chutney (South Indian Dip)
Scooped up chutney with a piece of roti - 18

Lahsun Chutney

Ingredients1x2x3x

  • 8 pods Garlic
  • 1 Small tomato
  • 1 tsp Ground cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp Ground coriander seeds
  • 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
  • 1/2 tsp Salt (or to taste)
  • 1 tbsp Water (or add as required)
  • 1/2 tbsp Neutral oil

Instructions

  • Add all the ingredients except the oil to a blender and blend until smooth.
  • Heat the oil in a pan and add the blended chutney to this.
  • Cook for about 3-4 minutes on medium to low heat (avoid splattering) until some of the rawness goes away.
  • Take it off the heat and serve with rotis or store in a jar for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.

Here’s an easy step-by-step tutorial on how to cook rice that is perfectly fluffy, non-sticky, with well separated grains. It always comes out perfect and you will hopefully reduce buying pre-cooked rice/microwave rice from the supermarket.

Rice scooped up with a fork from a large bowl of fice - 19

Now make rice so you can make this delicious Lemon Rice

Or pair it simple with the following dishes:

  • Daal Tadka recipe
  • Easy Chana Masala
  • Vegan Paneer Butter Masala
  • Vegan Palak Paneer
  • Easy One Pot Daal Recipe
  • Achinga Kaya Mezhukkupuratti – Green Bean Plantain Dish
Rice scooped up with a fork from a large bowl of fice - 20

Fluffy Rice

Ingredients1x2x3x

  • 1 cup raw rice like basmati rice, jasmine rice etc.
  • 1 ¾– 2 cups water

Instructions

  • Take 1 cup of rice in a bowl and pour water into it.
  • Rinse this uncooked rice rubbing between your palms and save the water to water your plants.
  • Repeat several times until the water turns clear
  • Optionally, soak this rice in water for about 20-30 minutes.
  • Then, drain the water from the soaked rice.
  • Add the rice in a large pan with water covering enough so that when you lay you hand on top of the rice, your fingers are covered in the water.
  • Bring it up to boil, turn the heat down and cover with a lid and
  • Let this cook for about 8 minutes if soaked or 10 minutes if un-soaked.
  • After 8 or 10 minutes, turn off the heat and let it sit covered for 5 minutes.
  • Then remove the lid and fluff up the rice with a fork.
  • Serve with some daal or sambar or chana masala and enjoy!
Lemon rice served on a banana leave, 45 degree shot - 21

Lemon Rice Recipe

Ingredients1x2x3x

  • 1 cup rice sub with 3 cups of cooked rice
  • 1 ¾ - 2 cups water
  • 1 ½ - 2 tablespoons lemon juice or add as required
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1 tsp urad dal
  • 1 tbsp cashews
  • 3-4 tbsp peanuts
  • 12-15 curry leaves
  • 2 green chilies optional
  • ¼ tsp asafoetida hing
  • ½ tsp turmeric powder
  • 1-2 tbsp neutral oil
  • salt to taste

Instructions

Cooking the rice (if not using leftover rice)

  • Rinse uncooked rice in water (rubbing between your palms), drain and rinse again until the water turns clear
  • Then soak in water for about 30 minutes.
  • Then, the water from the soaked rice.
  • Add the rice in a large pan with water covering enough so that when you lay you hand on top of the rice, your fingers are covered in the water.
  • Bring it up to boil and, turn the heat down, cover with a lid and cook for about 8 minutes.
  • After 8 minutes, turn off the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes. Then uncover and fluff up the rice with a fork and let it cool down.

Lemon rice base

  • In a large frying pan, heat 1-2 tbsp oil. Bring it to low heat.
  • Add the mustard seeds and once they begin to crackle, add the chana dal and urad dal.
  • Fry until the dals turns golden. Do not let it burn.
  • Then add peanuts and cashews to it.
  • Then add the chopped green chilies and curry leaves.
  • Finally add the asafoetida and turmeric powder and turn off the heat. Mix very well.

Final Lemon Rice

  • To this, add the cooked and cooled rice, lemon juice, salt and mix very well.
  • Cover the pan for the flavors come together for 4 to 5 minutes.
  • Serve the lemon rice with some spicy Indian pickle and pappad.
  • Optionally, garnish with chopped coriander/cilantro leaves.

Storage

  • Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and can be stored in the freezer for up to one to two months.