Lemon rice | Chitranna

Again, this is a mandate on your banana leaf for festivals and functions. It is served on the bottom left side of your banana leaf or plate right next to the plain rice. If you are eating this for breakfast, you can make many different versions. You can add vegetables like onion, capsicum, carrots, potato or peas. You can add avarekalu or lima beans. You can add raw mango. But again, at the end of the day if this is for festival, the simplest version is served with just peanuts. This is the recipe that follows…

Lemon rice | Chitranna

Lemon Rice or Chitranna (Kannada) is a South Indian dish in which rice (usually leftover) is flavored with lemon and turmeric. Peanuts can be added for additional texture.

Recipe Type:  Main Course
Cuisine:          South Indian
Prep Time:     10 minutes
Cook time:     15 minutes
Yield:              2 cups

Ingredients:

2 cups Cooked Rice
2-3 Green Chillies
6-8 Curry leaves
2 Tbsp Peanuts
A handful of Coriander leaves (Optional)
1 Tbsp desiccated fresh Coconut(Optional)
1 tsp Mustard seeds
3 tsp Oil
1 tsp Turmeric powder
1 Lemon
Salt

Method:

Heat oil in a kadhai and add the mustard seeds to it
After they splutter, add the peanuts and fry until the peanuts are slightly brown.
Add the slit green chillies and curry leaves.
Add the turmeric powder and lime juice
Add the rice and salt and mix well until the rice is coated with the turmeric powder
Cook for 1-2 mins while stirring
Garnish with desiccated coconut and chopped coriander leaves