Indian Lemon rice - spicy, tangy flavored South Indian classic rice pilaf recipe prepared with rice, lemon juice, roasted peanuts, and Indian spices in an Instant Pot Pressure Cooker or stovetop pot. It takes less than 20 minutes to prepare and is perfect for picnics, school, and office lunch boxes.
It is also known as Chitranna in Kannada and Nimmakaya Pulihora in Telugu.
I am from Karnataka, South Indian State from India; we call this lemon rice recipe chitranna or nimbehannu chitranna in Kannada.
This classic south-Indian dish is prepared during all the major festivals at our home. It is also perfect for a busy weekday lunch or dinner. It is so easy to prepare with just a few basic pantry ingredients.
This is a No onion no garlic recipe. Feel free to add onions while sautéing. You may also like this variation of Raw Mango Rice from my blog. You can also replace rice with quinoa to make a Lemon Quinoa recipe for a healthier alternative.
You can make this lemon rice with lemons or limes. Limes are generally tarter and have a more robust flavor than lemons. So adjust the quantity as per your taste. Check out my recipe for Lemon Coriander Soup if you are looking for an immunity booster soup.
I have prepared this dish in my electric pressure cooker, Instant Pot DUO60 6 QT. I have also shared stovetop instructions below.
Jump to:
- What is Lemon Rice?
- Why You'll Love This Instant Pot Lemon Rice Recipe
- Ingredients for Indian Lemon Rice
- How to Make Lemon Rice (Chitranna)
- How to Serve Lemon Rice?
- Storage Suggestions
- Tips to Make the Best Lemon Rice
- Variations and Substitutions
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Instant Pot Rice Recipes
- Lemon Rice Recipe - Instant Pot & Stovetop
What is Lemon Rice?
Lemon Rice is a delicious and tangy rice dish from South India that is perfect for an easy and quick meal. It is made with rice, lemon juice, a few spices, and herbs and packed with flavor.
It is perfect for those days when you are looking for quick, comforting lunch or dinner but doesn't have much time to spend in the kitchen.
Why You'll Love This Instant Pot Lemon Rice Recipe
- Spicy, tangy, and delicious.
- Ready in less than 20 minutes.
- Easy, quicker, and One-pot dish.
- Perfect for festivals, get-togethers, or lunch boxes.
- Vegan, vegetarian, and to make gluten-free use GF asafoetida or skip it.
Ingredients for Indian Lemon Rice
- Mustard seeds, Urad dal, and Chana dal: are a must for South Indian tempering. You can increase the quantity if you desire.
- Green chilies: I have used Thai green chilies for the heat. I also used 1 dry red chili.
- Ginger: use freshly minced ginger for the best flavor.
- Fresh Curry leaves: gives a nice, and distinct flavor, so do not skip it.
- Asafoetida: two pinches of hing. To make it gluten-free, skip it or use GF asafoetida.
- Turmeric: is used for its color and amazing health benefits.
- Oil: You can use any cooking oil.
- Nuts: roasted peanuts and cashews give a nice crunch. So don't skip it. You can roast the peanuts in the air fryer or use store-bought roasted peanuts.
- Water: For making in Instant Pot add 1.5 cups of water for 1 cup of Basmati rice.
- Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice enhances its taste and gives it a distinctive flavor. Do not use store-bought bottled lemon juice. You can also use lime juice, they are usually a bit more tart than lemon, so adjust according to your preference.
- Coriander leaves: for garnish.
How to Make Lemon Rice (Chitranna)
Stovetop Pot Method
Rinse the rice and cook the Basmati Rice Instant Pot Electric Pressure or stovetop pressure cooker. Once cooked, spread it out on a wide plate and let it cool completely, this step helps to achieve separate and non-mushy rice.
In a Kadai, Heat oil. Add in the raw peanuts and fry them until they turn slightly golden brown. Take them out and keep them aside.
In the same Kadai, add mustard seeds and let them crackle. Then add chana dal, and urad dal. Sauté for about a minute until they are light brown.
Then add ginger, red chili, green chilies, and curry leaves, and saute for a few seconds.
Turn off the gas and then add turmeric powder and asafoetida. Stir quickly.
Add the cooked rice, roasted peanuts, lemon juice, and salt. Mix well.
Sprinkle coriander leaves and serve immediately.
Instant Pot Method
Roast peanuts in a pan on medium flame until golden brown. Remove and let it cool down. You can also roast the peanuts in the air fryer.
Press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Heat ghee (or oil), and add chana dal and urad dal. Sauté them for about a minute until they are light brown.
Next, add mustard seeds and let them crackle. Then add green chilies, red chili, curry leaves, asafoetida, and ginger, and saute for a few seconds.
Then add turmeric powder and give a quick stir.
Add rinsed rice, water, and salt, and give a stir.
Close the lid securely, and turn the vent to "SEALING". Select the PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL (High Pressure) setting and set the cooking time to 5 minutes.
When the instant pot beeps, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then release any remaining pressure before removing the lid.
Remove the lid away from you. Add roasted peanuts, lemon juice, and garnish with fresh cilantro/coriander leaves. Gently mix everything.
Instant Pot Lemon Rice Pilaf is ready. Enjoy with pickle, papad, and raita.
How to Serve Lemon Rice?
Traditionally lemon rice is served with pickle, papad, raita, or kosambari (a type of salad) in India.
Lemon rice pilaf can also be served as a side dish with plant-based protein and roasted veggies.
You can also pair it with plain yogurt or your favorite dal tadka or curry.
Here is how I pack lemon rice for my daughter's School Lunch box. Skip the nuts for a nut-free option.
Storage Suggestions
Store: Leftover lemon rice will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Let it cool completely, and then store it in an airtight container.
Freeze: You can freeze the leftover lemon rice pilaf in a freezer-safe ziplock or container for up to 2 months.
Reheat: Sprinkle some water and reheat the lemon rice in the microwave or stovetop until it warms through.
Tips to Make the Best Lemon Rice
- Rice-to-Water Ratio: Be careful about the rice-to-water ratio since you want lemon rice with each grain separate and fluffier.
- Add Lemon Juice after turning off the heat: It helps to preserve the bright and fresh flavor of the lemon. If you add the lemon juice when the heat is still on, then, the lemon flavor can become dull and bitter.
Variations and Substitutions
- Rice: You can use either sona masuri, basmati, or jasmine rice in this recipe. Rice to water ratio will vary for each rice type. For example, for Basmati (1 rice:1 ½ water), sona masuri short grain (1:2), and jasmine rice (1:1 ¼).
- Onions: You can also add onions while sauteing, it gives a nice flavor to the lemon rice.
- Mangoes: If mangoes are in season, you can add ¼ cup of grated raw mango during tempering, which adds a tangy twist to the rice. Here is the detailed recipe for Raw Mango Rice.
- Lemon Zest: You can also add a little lemon zest to the lemon rice. It adds a great flavor.
- Other Grains: You can replace rice with quinoa or millets to make a healthier option.
- Add Vegetables: You can also add vegetables like carrots, green beans, bell pepper, and peas.
- Don’t have roasted peanuts? You can roast them in the instant pot before starting the recipe. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and roast the peanuts until they turn light brown and start crackling. Take them out, keep them aside, and continue with the recipe. You can also use roasted cashews.
Frequently Asked Questions
Traditional South Indian lemon rice is cooked using sona masuri (medium grain) rice in South India. However, you can use basmati rice, brown rice, and jasmine rice to make lemon rice.
I think the best results are with Basmati rice. Each grain is separate when cooked, plus it's lighter and fluffier.
Yes, If you want to use brown basmati rice, cook it on High Pressure for 20-22 minutes.
Limes and lemons are from the same citrus fruit family, rich in vitamin C but different in color. Lemons are yellow and big, whereas; Limes are green and smaller.
Limes are sourer than lemons because limes contain more citric acid, and lemons have less.
No. They are more acidic than fresh lemon juice and do not taste that great.
Yes.
More Instant Pot Rice Recipes
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Lemon Rice Recipe - Instant Pot & Stovetop
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2-3 tablespoons oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon split urad dal
- ½ tablespoon split chana dal
- 1 teaspoon ginger minced
- 1-2 dry red chili (optional)
- 2 green chili finely chopped
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing) skip for gluten-free
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 1.5 cups water
- salt to taste
- juice of one lemon
- 2 tablespoon roasted peanuts
- 2 tablespoon roasted cashews (optional)
- 2 tablespoon coriander leaves (cilantro) finely chopped
Instructions
Instant Pot Method:
- Press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Heat ghee (or oil), add chana dal and urad dal. Sauté them for about a minute until they are light brown.
- Next, add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Then add green chilies, red chili, curry leaves, asafoetida, and ginger and saute for a few seconds.
- Add turmeric powder and give a quick stir .
- Add rinsed rice, water, salt, and give a stir.
- Close the lid securely, and turn the vent to "SEALING". Select the PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL (High Pressure) setting and set the cooking time to 5 minutes.
- When the instant pot beeps, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then release any remaining pressure before removing the lid.
- Remove the lid away from you. Add roasted peanuts, lemon juice, and garnish with fresh cilantro/coriander leaves. Gently mix everything.
- Lemon Rice is ready to be enjoyed with pickle, papad and raita.
Stovetop Method
- Rinse the rice and cook the Basmati Rice Instant Pot Electric Pressure or stovetop pressure cooker. Once cooked, spread it out on a wide plate and let it cool completely, this step helps to achieve separate and non-mushy rice.
- In a Kadai, Heat oil. Add in the raw peanuts and fry them until they turn slightly golden brown. Take them out and keep them aside.
- In the same Kadai, add mustard seeds and let them crackle. Then add chana dal, and urad dal. Sauté for about a minute until they are light brown.
- Then add ginger, green chilies, red chili, and curry leaves, and saute for a few seconds.
- Turn off the gas and then add turmeric powder and asafoetida. Stir quickly.
- Add the cooked rice, roasted peanuts, lemon juice and salt. Mix well.
- Sprinkle coriander leaves and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Tips to Make the Best Lemon Rice
- Rice-to-Water Ratio: Be careful about the rice-to-water ratio since you want lemon rice with each grain separate and fluffier.
- Add Lemon Juice after turning off the heat: It helps to preserve bright and fresh flavor of the lemon. If you add the lemon juice when the heat is still on, then, lemon flavor can become dull and bitter.
Variations and Substitutions
- Rice: You can use either sona masuri, basmati, or jasmine rice in this recipe. Rice to water ratio will vary for each rice type. For example, for Basmati (1 rice:1 ½ water), sona masuri short grain (1:2), and jasmine rice (1:1 ¼).
- Onions: You can also add onions while sauteing, it gives a nice flavor to the lemon rice.
- Mangoes: If mangoes are in season, you can add ¼ cup of grated raw mango during tempering, which adds a tangy twist to the rice. Here is the detailed recipe for Raw Mango Rice.
- Lemon Zest: You can also add a little lemon zest to the lemon rice. It adds a great flavor.
- Other Grains: You can replace rice with quinoa or millets to make a healthier option.
- Add Vegetables: You can also add vegetables like carrots, green beans, bell pepper, and peas.
- Don’t have roasted peanuts? You can roast them in the instant pot before starting the recipe. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and roast the peanuts until they turn light brown and start crackling. Take them out, keep them aside, and continue with the recipe. You can also use roasted cashews.
Anonymous says
Such an easy one pot dish
bhavana says
thank you
Anonymous says
nice!
bhavana says
thank you
Anonymous says
easy