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Lemon rice, lemon rice recipe, how to make lemon rice, easy south Indian lemon sadam, elumichai sadam, easy south Indian variety rice, chitrannam, chitranna, Indian lemon rice recipe, nimmakaya pulihora, nimmakaya annam. Check out the lemon rice video and If you like the video pls SUBSCRIBE to my channel

Lemon rice

Easy and tasty Lemon Rice is a popular variety rice dish from South Indian cuisine. With cooked rice, flavorful tangy lemon rice can be prepared within 5 minutes. Tangy rice with authentic Indian flavors. Lemon rice is popularly known as elumichai sadam in Tamil, Chitranna / chitrannam in Kannada, and nimmakaya pulihora in Telugu.

South Indian lemon rice recipe

If you are looking for a quick beginner-friendly recipe this chitranna is perfect. It is a famous temple prasadam / kovil prasadam. Be it a quick simple weekday meal or travel food or lunch box/tiffin box recipe for kids school or office this elumichai sadam is perfect. It is also widely served in restaurants. The aroma of freshly squeezed lemon with tasty crunchy tempering.

Can I use leftover rice for Elumichai sadam?

Elumichai sadam is also one perfect way to finish leftover rice/ cold rice. If you are using leftover rice make sure you keep the rice at room temperature for some time. Warm the rice, spread the rice on a plate then use it for chitrannam. If you are making Elumichai sadam with freshly cooked rice make sure you spread the rice on a plate till the steam goes off

Will lemon rice turn bitter if I cook lemon?

Cooking the lemon juice makes the Elumichai sadam very flavorful. Make sure the flame is kept to the lowest setting before adding lemon juice. Most importantly cook the lemon juice only till you see a frothy boil(it generally comes in few seconds), then turn it off immediately. Also, add a pinch of salt to the squeezed lemon juice if are not going to add right after squeezing.

What kind of rice should I use for chitranna?

I generally use Sona masoori rice/ raw rice. You can also use basmati rice, brown rice or hand point rice, or millet. Quinoa lemon is my husband's favorite. Elumaichai sadam is dry We prefer cooking the rice well but not mushy. Avoid al dente cooking for better digestion.

What tastes best with lemon rice?

Lemon rice tastes best with poriyal varieties like potato fry, vazhakkai varuval, podi curry, arbi fry, curd based recipes, pickle varieties, vadam varieties, savory bakshanam, masala vada or pakoda

South Indian style Lemon Rice

🍋 easy to make

🍋 flavorful

🍋 crunchy and nutty

🍋 vegan

🍋 can be made gluten-free by skipping the hing (asafoetida)

Variety rice recipes in TMF

Lemon rasam

Lemon rice

quick 5 minutes variety rice

5 from 3 votes

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Ingredients

2 + 1/2 cup cooked rice loosely packed
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Peanut oil
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 tablespoon urad dal
1 tablespoon channa dal
2 tablespoon roasted peanuts
8 cashew slit
few curry leaves
2 Green chilli deseeded
1 red chilli
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
Hing generous pinch
2 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt as needed
Pinch of sugar

Instructions

Firstly on the plate spread the cooked rice and add sesame oil
Mix gently and keep it aside
In a wide pan add oil and turn on the stove in low- medium flame
Warm the oil little for about 30 second
Add mustard seeds, urad dal, Channa dal, roasted peanuts, and cook
Roast till the mustard seeds splutter and dal turns golden brown
Turn down the flame and add curry leaves, green Chill, red Chilli, and ginger, give a good mix
Furthermore, add turmeric powder and required salt, mix well
Add hing and turn down flame to lowest
Furthermore, add lemon juice and let it come to one frothy boil
Turn off the stove immediately and add rice
Mix gently and make the all the ingredients are well combined
Add rice and mix gently
Finally, add a pinch of sugar and few coriander leaves and give a good gentle mix
Mix gently and tasty lemon rice is ready

Video

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Notes

If the rice is hot mix the rice gently with a fork
Avoid mixing the rice when it is hot as lemon rice might turn mushy
While measuring cooked rice,pack loosely to avoid rice turning mushy
If you are using leftover rice, heat the rice, spread them on a plate after they turn warm use it
I have used peanut oil. Instead, use sesame oil or any cooking oil
Usually, we add the tempering after the oil turns hot. For lemon, rice add the tempering when oil is warm so that dal and nuts turn brown evenly
If dal and nuts are added one after another, they might burn
Adjust green and red chilli according to your spice. I have used deseeded chillies
I have used grated ginger.Instead, you can use ginger powder
To get roasted curry leaves,you can add them along with dal. make sure curry leaves don't have moisture
Adjust cashew and peanut quantity according to your taste
I have used roasted peanuts hence added directly
Adjust the lemon juice quantity according to the sourness of the lemon you use
Always add the lemon juice after turning down the flame to the lowest setting
Also avoid cooking lemon juice for long time. Turn off after you see frothy boil
Sugar is optional but it enhances the flavor
Prepare and eat lemon rice after few hours for the best flavor
While preparing any variety rice,always keep extra rice handy. If variety rice turned spicy/ salty, it will be easy to fix
Also, add a pinch of salt to the squeezed lemon juice if are not going to add right after squeezing.