India is home to many different types of rice but one that stands out among all others would be the tangy Lemon Rice or Chitranna Rice. A recipe that is only found in south-eastern region of India, called Udupi. There is a unique preparation process for this delicious dish made with lemon juice not from sour richness or freshness gained through lemons like other recipes do. Rather its uniqueness comes from tamarinds which gives off added crunch value alongside hot red chilies grown locally in nearby regions. The aroma of pure Indian spices makes the dish more delicious and the end result is worth it. The dish is known by different names in various parts of India, but it’s most commonly called Chitranna Rice. There are several variations of this dish and you don’t have to stick to any particular way of cooking this rice as it can be made with a variety of souring agents like lime or green mango.   

One of the most popular dishes of south India, Chitranna Rice or Lemon Rice is quite easy to prepare. The best part about this is you don’t have to invest a lot of time and energy into its preparation. You can either cook fresh rice to prepare this dish or even use the left-over rice. If you want to add some crunchiness in your rice, you can add some cashews and nuts to enhance its flavor. Let’s see how we can cook this easy dish in just a few minutes.  

Ingredients: 

• Raw Rice -­ 1 cup 
• Cashew nuts- few 
• Peanuts – Handful 
• Cooking Oil­ – 2 tsp + 3 tsp 
• Tamarind ­- Marble sized 
• Mustard seeds ­- 1/2 tsp 
• Curry leaves
• Coriander leaves – 1 tsp 
• Grated fresh coconut – 1 tsp 
• Jaggery ­- Marble sized 
• Turmeric Powder ­- 1/2 tsp 
• Udupi Kitchen Chitranna rice masala 
• Salt to taste 
• Urad Dal ­- 1/2 tsp 
• Red Chilies – 2 

For Masala Powder 

• Chana Dal ­- 2 tsp 
• Coriander Seeds ­- 1 tsp 
• Urad Dal ­- 2 tsp 

• Black sesame seeds­ – 3 tsp 
• Fenugreek Seeds ­- 1/4 tsp 
• Cumin seeds ­- 1/2 tsp 
• Red chilies ­- 5 to 6 pieces. 

How to prepare: 

• For 20 minutes, wash and soak the rice. Pressure-cook the rice for three whistles with 2 cups of water. Then, remove the lid once the pressure has subsided and spread the rice out on a plate to cool it down.   
• Now soak tamarind in half cup of water for at least 10 minutes and then extract the pulp. Keep it aside.  
• Take a pan and heat it. Add black sesame seeds and dry roast it while stirring continuously, until they start to splutter. Keep it aside.  
• Add 2 tsp of oil in the pan and roast dals, cumin, coriander, red chilies, and fenugreek seeds. Evenly roast everything in the pan. Once done, take it out separately, keep it aside, and let it cool. Make a smooth paste out of it once cooled.  

• Take a non-stick pan and heat oil. Add urad dal, red chilies, mustard seeds, and curry leaves.  
• When mustard seeds start to splutter, add cashews and peanuts. Sauté it well.  
• Add tamarind extract, salt, and jaggery. You must add pure Indian spices like Udupi Kitchen Chitranna rice masala and thus mix pure ground spice powder when tamarind juice starts to boil and jaggery dissolves.  
• Switch off the flame when spice powder gets cooker in tamarind juice and a smooth paste is prepared.  
• Add the cooked rice in the paste and mix it well.  

• You can garnish it with grated coconut and coriander leaves, as per your choice.  

Alternative method:  

• Prepare rice or use the already available cooked rice as per your requirement.  
• Take a pan and add cooked rice and Udupi Kitchen Chitranna rice mix. Mix it well. 

• Add preferred amount of ghee or coconut oil. 
• Mix everything well. 
• Garnish with coriander leaves and roasted peanuts. 

Cooking tips-  

• You can use one day old leftover rice to enhance the taste. Add at least three to four cups of rice.  
• Spices such as dry red or green chilies, mustard seeds, cumin seeds are important, so you must buy Indian spices online or offline beforehand.  
• Make sure that the rice you’re going to use is not too mushy. 
• Use lemons that are ripe and fresh.  
• If you want to make gluten-free Chitranna Rice, then you can use gluten-free asafetida or just skip it. 
• If you do not have or do not want to use sesame oil, then you can use peanut oil, sunflower oil, or avocado oil, based on your preference.   

Chitranna Rice or Lemon Rice is one of those recipes that you can prepare easily. The best part about it is you can cook this with leftover rice and you don’t have to invest a lot of time and energy in it too, unlike other rice dishes. One thing that you have to make sure is just prepare a well-cooked masala and then you are good to go. You can have this Papad to make it even more tasty. Try this easy recipe today and enjoy a delicious meal.