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Fun FOOD Frolic

  • Home
  • About Hina
  • All Recipes
    • Appetizers/Snacks
    • Beverage
    • Breakfast & Brunch
    • Cakes & Bakes
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Vegan
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    • Instant Pot Recipes
    • Indian Side-Dishes
    • Indian Desserts
    • Multi-Cuisine Recipes
    • How To’s (Homemade Basics)
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Everyday Indian RecipesVeganVideo Recipes

Lemon Rice (Video Recipe)

written by Hina Gujral September 8, 2020
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Lemon Rice is a delicious South Indian style lemon-flavored fried rice. It is the best way to use leftover cooked rice sitting in the fridge. Ready in 20 minutes, lemon rice is a fabulous gluten-free, vegan, one-pot meal.

Indian style lemon flavored fried rice

About Lemon Rice

Lemon Rice is a popular South Indian rice recipe. It is also known as chitranna or elumichai sadam.

Stupid easy and bursting with the flavors of lemon, this chitranna makes all your one-pot meal dreams come true.

It has the nuttiness of peanuts, the spiciness of chilies, and the bursting tartness of lemon. And all the flavors are absorbed by the rice. It is purely delicious.

Needless, to say we were introduced to this delicious fried rice recipe during our stay in South India. And ever since then, it is a regular repeat in our weekly meal menu and for husband’s office lunchbox.

Reasons to Bookmark Lemon Rice Recipe

vegan and gluten-free

easy to pack and reheat

fuss-free and one-pot dish

requires only 20 minutes

meal-prep and lunchbox friendly

side shot of lemon rice in a cast iron kadhai

My Tried & True Tips

The leftover cooked rice sitting in the fridge works best for this fried rice recipe.

Any medium-short grain white rice is perfect for making lemon rice.

Many chitranna recipes suggest adding lemon juice in the beginning. I prefer stirring the lemon juice towards the end once the rice is ready to serve.

Talking, about the cooking oil used in the making of chitranna. Try to use either ghee, sesame oil, coconut oil, or the traditional gingelly oil. It requires strong, flavorsome oil to enhance the flavor of the ingredients.

Chitranna cooked in either sesame oil is my personal favorite.

aerial shot of lemon rice on an oval serving platter

Serving Suggestions

South Indian lemon rice can be served with a bowl of chilled mint raita or masala potato roast.

One can serve it with spicy Indian curries as well such as chana masala or chicken curry.

Watch Lemon Rice Recipe Video

More Indian Rice Recipes For You

Chana Pulao

Mushroom Pulao

Paneer Tikka Pulao

Curd Rice (Yogurt Rice)

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aerial shot of lemon rice in a dark brown bowl

Lemon Rice Recipe

Lemon Rice is a delicious Indian style lemon flavored fried rice. Learn how to make elumichai sadam in a few simple steps. 
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 2
Calories: 460kcal
Author: Hina Gujral
  • Heavy Bottom Kadhai

Ingredients

  • 2 Cup cooked white rice
  • 1/4 Cup lemon juice
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 teaspoon black mustard seeds (rai)
  • 1 teaspoon dhuli urad dal
  • 2 tablespoon peanuts
  • 1 tablespoon cashew nuts, sliced
  • 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
  • 2 green chilies, slit
  • 1 sprig of curry leaves
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 2 tablespoon mustard oil/sesame oil/coconut oil

Instructions

  • Heat oil in a kadhai over a high flame. Once the oil starts fuming, reduce the heat to low.
  • Add mustard seeds and allow to splutter. Next, add urad dal and hing. Fry till dal turn light golden in color.
  • Add peanuts, cashews, curry leaves, and green chilies. Fry till cashews turn golden in color. Add turmeric powder, mix and turn off the heat.
  • Now add rice, salt, and lemon. Stir to combine. Rice should get coated with the seasoning nicely.
  • Cover the pan with the lid and allow the rice to absorb the flavors for 5 – 10 minutes.
  • Serve lemon rice warm with chilled raita and roasted potato.

Recipe Notes:

  • The leftover cooked rice sitting in the fridge works best for this fried rice recipe.
  • Lemon Rice requires strong, flavorsome oil to enhance the flavor of the ingredients.
  • You can store lemon rice for a week in the refrigerator. Reheat in a microwave or stir-fry pan before serving. 

Nutrition

Calories: 460kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 156mg | Potassium: 242mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 2mg
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Lemon Rice (Video Recipe) was last modified: December 17th, 2020 by Hina Gujral
351shares
3 comments
Hina Gujral

I am a passionate Indian food blogger living in India with my husband and our pug, named Momo.

previous post
South Indian Coconut Chutney Recipe
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3 comments

Deepti Gupta October 3, 2020 - 7:02 PM

Good for kids tiffin. Will try.

Reply
Hina Gujral October 5, 2020 - 11:04 AM

Yes its fantastic for kids.

Reply
Shruthi October 3, 2020 - 7:37 PM

Looks very authentic. Will definitely try this

Reply

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Hello! I am Hina Gujral

Hello! I am Hina Gujral

I am a passionate food lover. Fun FOOD Frolic is all about tried and tested comforting meals from my kitchen.

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