Meals · Karnataka

Lemon Rice (Chitranna)

Karnataka's bright yellow everyday rice: cooled rice tossed with a crackling tadka of mustard, dals, peanuts, chillies and curry leaves, and plenty of lemon.

Prep 10 min · Cook 25 min · Total 35 min · Serves 4

Ingredients

Rice

• 1 ½ cups Raw rice
• 1 ¼ tsp Salt

Tadka

• 3 tbsp Oil
• 1 tsp Mustard seeds
• 1 tsp Chana dal
• 1 tsp Urad dal
• ¼ cup Raw peanuts
• 2 Dried red chillies
• 2 Green chillies, slit
• 1 inch Ginger, finely chopped
• 2 sprigs Curry leaves
• ¼ tsp Turmeric
• ¼ tsp Asafoetida

To finish

• 2 Lemons, juiced
• 2 tbsp Coriander leaves, chopped

Method

1. Cook the rice. Cook the rice so the grains stay separate, using a little less water than usual. Spread on a plate, sprinkle with the salt and leave to cool completely.
2. Fry the peanuts. Heat the oil and fry the peanuts on medium until they crackle and turn golden. Lift out with a slotted spoon.
3. Tadka. In the same oil, add the mustard seeds and when they pop the chana dal and urad dal. When the dals turn golden add the red and green chillies, ginger and curry leaves.
4. Turmeric. Turn off the heat and stir in the turmeric and asafoetida; the hot oil cooks them without burning.
5. Mix. Pour the tadka over the rice, add the lemon juice and peanuts and fold gently with your fingers or a fork so the grains don't break. Taste for salt and lemon.
6. Serve. Scatter with coriander. It tastes even better after 30 minutes and travels well in a lunchbox.

Tips

Add the lemon juice off the heat. Cooked lemon turns bitter.