This rice preparation is cherished across South India as a tummy friendly dish well known for its lemony zing. This dish does not take much time in preparation and there is nothing like the gratifying citrusy flavor to make it suitable to be taken at lunch, dinner or even as a snack. In this article, we will explain to you in detail how to prepare this delicious dish and give some tricks that will help you achieve the desired taste. Let’s get started!

Introduction to Lemon Rice

Lemon rice is more commonly known as Chitranna in Kannada and Nimmakaya Pulihora in Telugu is a South Indian preparation. In Indian households Churma is liked because of its easy preparation, its gravy and the best of all it can be made with left over rice. But the most simplest of all is the rice cooked in lemon juice and spices just the right amount of flavor when tempered to another level.

Ingredients required

Now before going straight to the directions on how to prepare lemon rice, allow us to take a look at the basic necessities for the dish. These are easy to find and are usually characteristics of most household recipes storage.

Basic Ingredients

• I cooked 2 cups of rice but you can use cold rice is better for this recipe.
• 2 tablespoons oil choosing from coconut or vegetable oil.
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon urad dal which is split black gram
• 1 tablespoon chana dal (split Bengal gram)
• 2-3 dried red chilies
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 2-3 green chilies (slit)
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• Juice of 2 lemons
• Salt to taste

Moderate changes: If you are feeling adventurous you may add the following:

• ¼ cup peanuts or any other additional ingredient of choice.
• 2 tablespoons grated of coconut (taste)
• ¼ teaspoon asafetida (hing)
• A pinch of sugar – Its important to balance the tanginess in the dish for wonderful taste

Preparation of Rice

Any recipe requires a good quality cook rice and it is even truer for the lemon rice recipe. It is recommended that you use rice which has been cooked either immediately before or a day before preparing the food because the rice should not be sticky or soft.

Choosing the Right Rice

For lemon rice preparation, short or medium grains rice is the most recommended type of rice. Katrin found that, although basmati rice smells delightful, it may not cling to the flavour as some other types of rice do. That means individual rice grains should each be loosely packed and cooked through.

Cooking Rice Perfectly

Wash the rice under running water until the water that you are draining out is clear of any deposit. This get rid of excess starch and ensures that the rice do not stick together. Cook the rice with the right water-to-rice ratio (generally 1:2), with the remaining one kept aside for making lemon rice after it has cooled down thoroughly.

Here is the step by step way through which the lemon rice mixture is prepared.

As such, the main part of the recipe is the tempering process that remains for us. This makes it easier to bring out the best of the flavors and every piece to have that perfect combination of sour and tasty.

Tempering Process

• In a large pan medium flame should be set for oil.
• After this pour in the mustard seeds and allow them to pop.
• If you are using, add cumin seeds, black Gram (urd) Dal, Bengal Gram (chana) Dal, dried red chilies & peanuts. Deep fry the dals to a golden brown colour and, roast the peanuts.
• Now add curry leaves,green chilly and a pinch of Crumble asafoetida. Stir for a few seconds.

Adding Spices and Lemon Juice

• Finally add the turmeric powder and salt to the mix and then stir up the content in the tempering mixture.
• Remove from heat and immediately NERVOUSLY trickle fresh lemon juice over the mixture. Stir it well, and make sure the turmeric and lemon juice is distributed through out the tempering.

Adding the Rice with the Mixture

When tempering is ready turn off the flame and add the cooked rice and mix gently. What should not be done is that don’t over process the rice for example mashing it. Instead of allowing the tempering mixture to sit on top add it in such a way that every grain in the rice has the yellow color and good flavours.

Flavor Variations

Of course it is true that the plain lemon rice has a distinctive taste of its own; however, there are other ways that the flavor can be built up on to the recipe.

Coconut Lemon Rice

For those who ate coconut with the rice, the grated coconut should be poured in the tempering which is to be poured on the rice. The coconut gives a very mild sweetness to the dish and to the sourness of the lemon, it is heavenly good.

Peanut Lemon Rice

The peanuts give crustiness to soften rice which in most dishes is not a feature that is found. To produce a crisper tempering all there is to do is add more roasted peanuts to the mixture that is used at any time in the preparation.

Vegetable Lemon Rice

In its healthier version, the meat is replaced by vegetables like carrots, peas or bell peppers, for example. Stew it with the tempering until the vegetables are soft then add rice.

Tips for Perfect Lemon Rice

• Do not use freshly cooked rice because the rice grains become firm when refrigerated.
• The raw sourness of lemon juice is mildered as soon as it comes into contact with hot liquid; therefore, it is preferable to add it, when the dish is no longer hot.
• You should be very cautious on how many green chilies you use depending on how hot you want your delicacy to be.
• Just two grains of sugar could adjust with the bitterness of the lemon if it existed in its taste.

Health Benefits of Lemon Rice

Besides being delicious to consume and easy to prepare, lemon rice does come with health benefits which qualify it as a healthy meal.

Rich in Vitamin C

Lemons contain vitamin C that increases the body’s immunity and facilitates iron consumption from other products. It’s a perfect dish to include in your diet during seasons where colds flu, and other sicknesses are dominant.

Light and Easy to Digest

Lemon rice is a light meal that’s easy on the stomach. It’s perfect for when you want a simple, comforting dish without feeling too heavy. It’s also a great option for those recovering from illness or dealing with digestive issues.

Some Possible Accompaniments to Lemon Rice

As a main dish lemon rice is served well with other dishes of your selection. Some popular combinations include:

• Papad or crispy fried snacks
• Mango or lime pickle if pickles are to be consumed
• Some of these are; Raita – yogurt, vegetable or spice.
• Fried or grilled vegetables

Lemon Rice – Recipe and Ideas on How to Store It and Reheat It

Lemon rice can also be made in advance, and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two consecutive days. In the first case, pour a little water to the rice and heat it in the microwave or reheat it on the stovetop. The water in the process makes the rice stay moist and does not end up getting the rice too dry.

Conclusion

Lemon rice is quite popular, delicious, can be prepared at any one point in time. Lemon rice is another dish that you can try simply because it is tasty and it will not take much of your so time to prepare it either for your own consumption of that of your guests. It is highly advisable for the souls who who would like to find the South and especially the cuisine taste right now.

FAQs

1. Can I use brown rice instead to prepare lemon rice?
   Yes brown rice can be used but the texture of rice would differ and its taste also may differ little bit. It will increase the proportion of the fiber content; it will also make the dish healthier.
2. What should one do to make the lemon rice less sharp?
   For instances where the lemon rice is too acidic, you can put a pinch of sugar or serve it together with a yogurt based accompanying course.
3. Is it possible to prepare lemon rice with out including curry leaves?
   It will also make the curry dish tastier if you can get hold of curry leaves but if you can’t then omit them, food will be fine all the same.
4. Can lemon rice be taken by kids?
   Indeed, the spice that is added into the lemon rice is not s0 much because in preparing the dish we use lemon as our main ingredient. If preparing this for children then it is even possible to reduce the measure of green chilly used.
5. Can Garlic be added while preparing lemon rice?
   Garlic is not often used in lemon rice, but if wished you can add it while tempering the spices.