Chitranna
Cooked rice tossed in a bright turmeric-lemon tempering with peanuts, curry leaves and green chillies, a quick everyday and festival rice of Karnataka.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 25 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 260 kcal
Equipment
- •Pan
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 260 kcal
- fat
- 8 g
- carbs
- 42 g
- fibre
- 3 g
- protein
- 5 g
- calories
- 260 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Heat oil in a pan. Fry the peanuts until golden and crisp, then remove and set them aside.
- 2
In the same oil, let the mustard seeds pop. Add chana dal and urad dal, and fry until golden.
- 3
Add the slit green chillies, curry leaves, and asafoetida.
- 4
Add turmeric and stir briefly. Turn off the heat so it does not burn.
- 5
Add the cooled cooked rice and salt. Gently mix everything together until the rice turns evenly yellow.
- 6
Stir in the fried peanuts.
- 7
Add lemon juice just before serving. Mix well, then taste and adjust the sourness.
Chef's tips
Add lemon juice only off the heat once the rice cools slightly, as direct heat makes it bitter. Use cool, dry rice so grains stay separate.
Ingredient substitutions
- peanuts → cashews for a richer, less traditional version
Storage
Refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Reheating
Best served at room temperature or lightly warmed; avoid overheating as it dulls the lemon flavour.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Cooking the lemon juice over high heat, which makes the dish bitter.
Serving suggestions
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