Lemon rice/nimbe hannina chitranna

Mostly prepared on auspicious days such as festivals, marriages or important functions/ceremonies in south India. It can be prepared with left over rice as well in very less time.

Ingredients: -
1 cup raw rice
4 tbsp fresh lemon juice

4 tsp grated coconut or according to desired quantity
½ tsp mustard seeds / saasive
a pinch of asafoetida
1/2 tsp haldi (turmeric)
4 whole dry red chilies
½ teaspoon each of black gram (Udhina bele) and Bengal gram (Kadle bele)
1 tbsp peanuts
2 tbsp Oil
Curry leaves for tadka/ogarne and coriander for garnishing
Salt

Method: -
1. Wash the rice and keep it for cooking.
2. Once the rice is cooked, spread it on a plate and leave it for cooling. (Important: - Cooling is important else the dish would become very soft and rice will get mashed while mixing.)
3. In a pan add the peanuts and roast till brown. Add little oil if required. Keep aside.
4. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds.
5. When the mustard seed cracks/splatters, add red chillies, Bengal gram & black gram.
6. After the grams turn a little brown, add the roasted peanuts & curry leaves.
7. Let the mixture cool down.

8. Mix it with cooked rice & salt.

9. Add lemon juice and mix well. Garnish with coconut & coriander leaves. Fried cashew nuts can also be used for garnishing.

You can fry papads/hapla/sandige and eat with Mango rice.