Name: Instant Pot Lemon Rice
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 6 min
Total time: 26 min
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 2 cup – Basmati rice; 2 tbsp – Urad dal; 2 tbsp – Chana dal; 3 tbsp – Lemon juice; 2 tbsp – Peanut; 2 tbsp – Cashew; 3 to 4 – Green chilies (slit); 10 to 12 – Curry leaves; 2 tbsp – Refined oil/ sesame oil/ coconut oil; 1 tsp – Hing; 1/2 tsp – Turmeric powder; 1 tbsp – Mustard seeds; Salt to taste

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Chitranna Rice, also called Lemon Rice, is a traditional South Indian Rice recipe made with lemon juice and Instant Pot Lemon Rice is fluffy, soft, and tender as it is cooked using an Instant pot within 10 minutes.

Nowadays Couples or members of a family are so busy that this Instant pot comes to the rescue. A gluten-free, soy-free, vegan rice recipe. Instant Pot and stovetop instructions included. Make it in the instant pot or stovetop.

There is nothing better than a quick bowl of lemon rice for a meal or combined with curd, raita, curries, or chutney and this dish is great for using up leftover rice.

It’s easy to prepare this Indian lemon Rice Instant pot recipe in a hurry. It has a bold and delicious taste, and it comes to the table in an instant.

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Chitranna Rice, also called Lemon Rice, is a traditional South Indian Rice recipe made with lemon juice and Instant Pot Lemon Rice is fluffy, soft, and tender as it is cooked using an Instant pot within 10 minutes.

Did you ever try lemon rice? One of my first lemon rice experiences was at an Indian restaurant many years ago in Udupi restaurant in Toronto. Trust me when I say that this dish is a very popular one in south India – a favorite among younger people and adults alike.

I had come to the conclusion some years ago that South Indian food meant only Idli, Dosa, and Uttapam some years ago. I was surprised when I moved to Toronto to see the variety of food! I found in the Gerrad street south Indian restaurants a lot of food specially Udipi. I liked it a lot it had so many varieties with that food my mouth is watering now just thinking about it.

This spicy and tangy lemon rice recipe comes from south India and is suitable as a side dish or a light meal. There are only a handful of ingredients and only 6 minutes needed to make this lemon rice in an Instant Pot.

I usually use Basmati, but you can use any rice you have in the pantry. Brown rice works well too. Vegan Lemon Rice can be done with freshly cooked rice or leftover rice.

About Instant Pot Lemon Rice Recipe

Cooking is time-consuming in some recipes but my instant pot has solved this problem since the day I purchased it. All I have to do is add the rice and the other few ingredients to the Instant Pot, switch it on, and the dish is ready in a few minutes.

You can add onions to this recipe while sautéing, however, the recipe is recommended to be prepared without onions and garlic.

These fragrant Lemon Basmati Rice are spiced with turmeric, curry leaves, green chilies, and a little ginger kick, while the lemon gives it a fresh summery taste. A warm oil temper imparts a fine aroma to this simple rice delicacy.

Long-grain white rice can be cooked in just six minutes of pressure with a ten-minute natural pressure release. To learn more about natural pressure release and how to do it, watch the video given below.

Having enjoyed the North Indian Pulav recipes, I was particularly interested in this South Indian recipe for spicy and tangy spiced mixed rice.

This Instant Pot Lemon Rice is,

Delicious
One-Pot Recipe
Vegan
Gluten-Free
Flavourful
Perfect for everyday meals

What is Lemon Rice?

Lime juice and mild spices are tempered with cooked rice that is flavored with lime. When you have steamed rice on hand, preparation is even easier.

It’s made with a tempering of curry leaves, mustard seeds, and urad dal that’s added to cooked rice, roasted peanuts, and cashew.

Turmeric and lemon juice become mixed to this lemon rice, for its beautiful yellow hue. Lemon juice and turmeric powder are added at the end to give the lemon rice a slightly tangy flavor.

Check out the Instant Pot Lemon Rice Video Recipe :

Ingredients

2 cup – Basmati rice
2 tbsp – Urad dal
2 tbsp – Channa dal
3 tbsp – Lemon juice
2 tbsp – Peanut
2 tbsp – Cashew
3 to 4 – Green chilies (slit)
10 to 12 – Curry leaves
2 tbsp – Refined oil/ sesame oil/ coconut oil
1 tsp – Hing
1/2 tsp – Turmeric powder
1 tbsp – Mustard seeds
Salt to taste

Rice – Any kind of basmati rice can be used in this recipe. You can even use brown basmati rice since it is a healthier alternative. It is best with basmati rice only.

Urad Dal/ Lentil – Urad dal, also called Split Black Gram, is a famous lentil used in the southern part of Asia, specifically in Indian cuisine.

Channa Dal/Lentil – They have a sweet and nutty flavor. Channa dal comes from black chickpeas (Kala channa). When split, the outer husk is removed. Then the lentils are powdered to give besan or gram flour.

Lemon Juice – It’s an important ingredient in this recipe as we are preparing lemon rice.

Green chilies and curry leaves – The leaves of the curry tree (Murraya koenigii) may be used for both medicinal and culinary purposes. They are highly aromatic and contain a distinct flavor with distinct citrus notes (1Trusted Source). Green chilies give the required spiciness to this dish, but if you are making it for kids then omit it.

Spices – You will need just turmeric powder to add the beautiful color to the rice because it gets its spiciness from green chilies. Hing/Asafoetida gives a beautiful aroma to this rice. Along with this, you will need mustard seeds for tempering and salt to taste.

Peanuts and cashew – Nuts are packed with protein, fat, and a variety of vitamins and minerals. So feel free to use them.

Oil – You can prepare Lemon Rice using canola oil or canola butter, or even vegetable oil or vegetable oil.

Water – The water to rice ratio in an Instant Pot is 1:1, but I like to add a little more water to keep the rice moist and soft, so I add 2 tablespoons extra water. I also add salt to the taste.

How to make on the stovetop?

Peanuts and cashews dry roast until they are golden brown, then set aside. Put oil in a pan and heat it.
Put the mustard seeds, urad dal, and channa dal into the hot oil and cook until they are slightly browned. Cook for 10 seconds. Add green chili and dry red chili. Cook for 10 seconds.
Cook for 10 seconds. Add the salted cashew nuts, peanuts, and turmeric powder. You can continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes by mixing the rice with lemon juice.

How To Make Instant Pot Lemon Rice Recipe Step By Step With Photo:

Wash rice thoroughly in water. Soak rice for 30 minutes and then drain excess water.
Turn on saute mode for 30 minutes. Wait till hot mode gets started.
Pour sesame oil. Add soaked and drained urad dal. Add soaked chana dal. Keep stirring. Add mustard seeds, hing/ asafoetida, and mix.
Add grated ginger. Saute till the raw smell is gone.
Add peanuts, cashew, curry leaves, green chilies slit, turmeric powder.
Add soaked basmati rice. Give it a nice mix.
Add water, salt, lemon juice. Stir well. Close the lid.
You must click on the CANCEL button, then close the lid of the Instant Pot and set the valve in the sealing position.
Turn on the pressure cook button. Pressure cook for 6 minutes.
Once done press cancel. After 10 minutes turn the valve to venting for natural release.
Let the pressure release completely and the red plug goes down.
Open the lid. Serve in a bowl.

Important Suggestion To Keep In Mind

This dish must be cooked with short-grain rice. Although there’s no official recipe for this dish, it traditionally is prepared with sona masuri rice.
The amount of chili and lemon juice in the recipe can be adjusted based on your taste.
These rice are good in the refrigerator for three to four days.
You can pack this recipe in your lunch box.
Additionally, to adding flavor to the rice, you can also add a tsp of ghee. It will improve its flavor. However, if you’re vegan, feel free to skip that step.
This rice can be further enhanced with vegetables such as carrots, beans, etc.

Serving Suggestions

The Lemon Rice pairs well with some kind of Raita and Papad. You can also serve some pickles and chutney with this dish.

Coconut Chutney is also wonderful.

Storage Suggestions

Rice is also good for meal prep in individual containers. Let the rice cool to room temperature. Then transfer it to an air-tight container and place it in the refrigerator.

Rice can be frozen for up to 3 months by transferring cooled rice to freezer-safe containers and freezing. When ready for use, defrost for 4 to 5 hours. Then rewarm and serve.

Frequently Asked Questions

This dish can be made with what kind of rice?

The best type of rice for doing lemon rice is Basmati Rice, as it comes out fluffy and the grains separate easily. In addition, Basmati Rice is full of flavor and aroma, so it goes well with the lemon rice recipe ingredients.

This rice recipe works with any kind of rice.

Can it be made with Brown Rice?

Cooking brown rice in the Instant Pot requires more water because it requires more liquid to cook in comparison to white rice. Instead of adding a 1:1 ratio of liquid to rice, add 3 times that amount instead. Time will increase to 20 minutes including pressure build-up and natural release.

What is the water to rice ratio in Instant Pot?

The liquid in white or brown rice is evaporated when it is cooked in a pan or in a rice cooker. However, in an Instant Pot, steam is caught in the pot and we need much less water while cooking.

I use a cup and a quarter cup of water for every cup of rice. When cooking this recipe, I guarantee that if you follow this measurement you will get the perfect result.

Note: A rough estimate of nutrition is provided.

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