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Lemon Rice Recipe | Lemon Sadam Recipe | Chitranna

Lemon Rice Recipe also known as chitranna, elumichai pazham sadam or lemon sadam is a popular South Indian rice dish. This spiced tangy rice is an easy recipe to make for lunch box and taste great with potato poriyal, pickle and papad. Learn how to make lemon rice and instant lemon rice mix that can be stored for long time with step by step pictures and video. 
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian, South Indian
Servings 6 servings
Calories 364 kcal

Ingredients
  

Lemon Rice Tempering

  • ¼ cup Oil
  • 2 tablespoon Split Urad dal
  • 2 tablespoon Split Channa Dal
  • 15 no Cashews
  • 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
  • 3 no Dry Red Chillies broken into small pieces
  • 2 sprig Curry leaves
  • ½ teaspoon Asafoetida
  • 1 tablespoon Ginger peeled & chopped finely
  • 2 no Green chillies chopped finely
  • 1 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
  • 1 tablespoon Salt
  • ½ cup Lemon juice

For Cooking Rice

  • 2 cups Rice (I used ponni) for basmati rice, check notes
  • 5 cups Water

Instructions
 

  • Cooking Rice - I am using ponni rice in this recipe. Wash and soak rice for 15 minutes. Take rice in a pressure cooker. For 1 cup of rice, I use 21/2 cup to 3 cups of water. Pressure cook for 3 whistle. Take it off the heat and let the steam escape by itself. Open the cooker and gently fluff the rice.
  • Tempering Spices - Heat oil in a kadai. Add channa dal, urad dal and let it turn golden. Add in cashews, mustard, dry red chillies, curry leaves and fry for 30 seconds. Add in asafoetida, ginger, green chillies and mix well. Add turmeric powder and mix. Now take it off the heat.
  • Making Lemon Rice - Add lemon juice, salt and mix well. This is your lemon rice mix. Now add cooked rice in and mix well. You can taste and add more lemon juice and salt to taste. Serve hot or put in lunch box along with potato poriyal.

Video

Notes

  • Heat oil on medium before adding in the lentils. Cook the lentils till lightly golden in colour.
  • Take the pan off the heat before adding in the lemon juice. 
  • You can taste the lemon juice and add more lemon juice and salt to taste. 
  • You can add in finely chopped dill leaves, mint leaves or coriander leaves for refreshing taste.
  • Cashews can be skipped. 

Serving & Storage

You can make the lemon rice mix and store in a clean dry glass bottle in fridge upto a week. This spiced tangy rice is an easy recipe to make for lunch box and taste great with potato poriyal, pickle and papad. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingsCalories: 364kcalCarbohydrates: 58gProtein: 7gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.04gSodium: 1178mgPotassium: 128mgFiber: 3gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 32IUVitamin C: 22mgCalcium: 44mgIron: 2mg
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