"When life gives you lemons, make lemon rice for breakfast, lunch, snack time, or even dinner! It's a simple, naturally vegan and gluten free blend of rice, lemon juice, spices, and nuts."
South Indian Lemon Rice (Chitrannam)
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Prep time 5mins
Cook time 15mins
Serves or Makes: 2
Recipe Card
ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked rice
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons yellow split peas or split Bengal gram
- 1/4 cup peanuts
- 1/2 cup cashews
- 1 pinch asafoetida
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 2 dried red chillies
- 12 curry leaves
- juice of one lemon
- Salt, to taste
Method
Step 1
Cook your rice as per package instructions, or use 3 cups of precooked rice. Leftover rice works very well for this.
Step 2
Place the yellow split peas to soak in a bit of hot water while you get started on the rest.
Step 3
In a large pan, heat 1 tbsp of oil. Keep heat on medium and if using raw peanuts, add them in. If using roasted peanuts, skip this part. Let the peanuts roast for 5 - 10 minutes, and as they begin to deepen in color, add in the yellow split peas. Stir constantly to prevent them from burning.
Step 4
Add in the cashews and once they begin to turn golden, transfer the contents of the pan to a separate bowl.
Step 5
Heat up the second tbsp of oil on medium heat and when warm, add in the asafoetida, mustard seeds, chillies, curry leaves, and turmeric. When the mustard seeds start to splutter and the turmeric looks like it's beginning to bubble in the oil a bit, it's ready.
Step 6
Add in the cooked rice, the nuts you set aside earlier, the lemon juice, and a generous sprinkle of salt, and mix it all together. I like to use my hands so that I can be gentle and not break the grains too much, but a spatula or rice paddle works too.
Step 7
Serve hot with fried potatoes, sambar, mango pickle, or masala chai on the side!