Lemon rice is a traditional South Indian rice dish made by mixing cooked rice with a fragrant tempering of mustard seeds, curry leaves, peanuts, turmeric, and fresh lemon juice. It is also known as Chitranna.
Even if you've cooked cumin rice in the rice cooker, you can easily transform it into tangy yellow lemon rice in just a few simple steps!
This recipe is a great way to use leftover rice, but you can also make it using freshly cooked and cooled rice without any change in taste.
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🧐Why you'll love this lemon rice with leftover rice?
- Zero waste: The best way to reuse leftover rice smartly.
- Fail-proof: The flavor stays just right, whether it's your first try or your tenth.
- Gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan, safe for everyone.
- Ready in 10 minutes: Just temper, mix, and serve!
- Perfect for lunchboxes: Light, aromatic, and travel-friendly.
- Vibrant and refreshing: A burst of lemony goodness in every bite.
⭐ Quick & easy lemon rice hack
Whenever I'm in a hurry or juggling a busy day, lemon rice with leftover rice is my go-to solution. Originally a clever way to use up leftover rice, it's now my favorite quick fix - bright, tangy, and ready in just minutes with minimal effort!
In a rush? If you've got some lemon rice paste ready, this tangy lemon rice comes together in just 2 minutes! Don't have a mix yet? You can make your own super-easy homemade lemon rice premix for a quick shortcut whenever you need it!
📋Ingredients
To make lemon rice from leftover rice, you need cooked rice along with these ingredients:
Leftover rice - Any leftover cooked rice works perfectly for this recipe. It should be preferably at room temperature.
If you cook your rice in a rice cooker, make sure to check out my 8 Tips to perfect rice in rice cooker - it'll help you get perfect results every time.
Lemon juice - Use freshly squeezed lemons for the brightest, freshest flavor when preparing lemon rice.
For those who can't resist a zesty lemony punch, this lemon mint tea is a must-try!
Oil - Sesame oil. Tempering spices and lentils in oil is the secret step that makes the lemon flavor pop in this Indian rice recipe.
Using sesame oil in lemon rice is authentic South Indian cuisine, especially in states like Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Sesame oil adds a distinct, nutty, aromatic flavor that is traditional in South Indian lemon rice.
If you use any other oil, the dish is still tasty, but sesame oil gives it that authentic South Indian touch.
See the recipe card for quantities.
👩🍳How to make Indian lemon rice
Heat oil in a pan. Add chana dal (split bengal gram) and fry it for a few seconds. Next, stir in peanuts and fry until they turn slightly reddish-brown.
Add mustard seeds, ginger, green chillies, and curry leaves. Fry until aromatic. Mix in asafoetida, turmeric powder, and salt. Turn off the heat to avoid burning the spices.
Take your leftover rice out of the fridge and let it warm up to room temperature. Drizzle the flavorful tempering over the rice and gently fold it in until every grain is coated.
Next, squeeze in some fresh lemon juice and toss everything well. For a spicy twist, drizzle my 2-ingredient chilli oil or stir in a bit of red chilli chutney. Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves and serve warm or at room temperature.
✨Serving Ideas
- Pair well with plain yogurt or raitas such as cucumber raita, boondi raita, onion, and mix-veg raita.
- Chutneys such as tomato onion chutney, coconut chutney, garlic chutney, and green cilantro chutney perfectly enhance the aroma and flavor.
- Serve with pan-roasted fenugreek potatoes, air-fryer potato-carrots, air-fried roasted frozen potatoes, steamed vegetables, or stir-fry vegetables for a crisp and crunchy twist to the rice.
- Tangy sides like chilli pickle, mango pickle, pickled cucumber, or pickled cauliflower make a perfect match.
- Pair with spicy boiled egg fry masala and bhuna chicken masala for a protein boost!
- Along with a bowl of sambar or rasam for a homely touch.
❓FAQs
Yes, but make sure the rice is completely cooled before mixing. Warm or hot rice can turn mushy when combined with the tempering and lemon juice.
Sesame oil is traditionally used for authentic South Indian flavor. You can also use coconut oil, sunflower oil, or any neutral cooking oil as an alternative.
Lemon rice keeps well in the fridge for 3 days. Store it in an airtight container and bring it to room temperature before serving
Absolutely! But turmeric lends that signature golden glow and subtle earthy flavor. Skip it, and while the taste remains delicious, you'll miss that bright, sunny look.
📝Tips
- Fry the lentils and peanuts on medium-high heat, stirring continuously so they turn golden and crisp without burning.
- Turn off the heat before adding lemon juice to the rice.
- Add freshly squeezed lemon juice gradually, tasting as you go. Too much can overpower the dish.
- No lentils on hand? Simply skip them. This lemon rice recipe will still taste great.
- Lemon rice tastes best warm or at room temperature.
More Indian Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
🧾Recipe
Lemon Rice with Leftover Rice
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Ingredients
- 2 cups Cooked white rice (cooled rice)
- 4-5 tablespoon Oil
- 1 tablespoon Split Bengal gram (chana dal)
- 2 tablespoon Raw peanuts
- 1 inch Ginger
- 2 Green chillies (+ optional dried red chillies)
- 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
- 10-12 Curry leaves
- ½ teaspoon Asafoetida
- 1-2 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric
- 2-3 tablespoon Lemon juice
- Cilantro optional
Instructions
- Heat oil in a pan. Add chana dal (split bengal gram) and fry it for a few seconds.
- Next, stir in peanuts and fry until they turn slightly reddish-brown.
- Add mustard seeds, ginger, green chillies, and curry leaves. Fry until aromatic.
- Mix in asafoetida, turmeric powder, and salt. Turn off the heat to avoid burning the spices.
- Take your leftover rice and drizzle the flavorful tempering over the rice and gently fold it in until every grain is coated with deliciousness.
- Next, squeeze in some fresh lemon juice and toss everything well.
- For a spicy twist, drizzle my 2-ingredient chili oil or stir in a bit of red chilli chutney.
- Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves and serve lemon rice with leftover rice warm or at room temperature!
Video
Notes
- Fry the lentils and peanuts on medium-high heat, stirring continuously so they turn golden and crisp without burning.
- Turn off the heat before adding lemon juice to the rice.
- Add freshly squeezed lemon juice gradually, tasting as you go. Too much can overpower the dish.
- Skip lentils if unavailable - it won't affect the flavor much.
- Lemon rice tastes best warm or at room temperature.
- For a spicy twist, drizzle 2-ingredient chili oil or stir in a bit of red chilli chutney.
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Nutrition
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Football predictions says
This lemon rice recipe is absolutely *brilliant*! Turning mere leftover rice into a bright, tangy, and flavorful South Indian style lemon rice is sheer magic, especially with the authentic South Indian touch of sesame oil. The FAQ section is a lifesaver – who knew leftover rice needed such careful handling? (Warm or hot rice can turn mushy!) And the serving suggestions are *insane* – who needs just plain yogurt when youve got chutney, pickles, and maybe even spicy boiled eggs? Honestly, the only downside is that now I *have* to make lemon rice every time I have rice leftovers. Thanks for the brilliant inspiration! ✨ #tipsnrecipes
Abhi says
Thank you so much for such a thoughtful and enthusiastic comment! I'm so glad the lemon rice recipe hit the mark and that the FAQ helped. Your excitement is contagious!