South India · Main meal
Lemon rice
Also called chitranna, elumichai sadam, nimmakaya pulihora, nimbu rice, lemon pulao
Cooked rice tossed with a tempering of mustard, dals, peanuts, ginger, green chilli and curry leaves, turmeric and fresh lemon juice. A tangy South Indian rice dish often packed for travel.
The short answer
Lemon rice has about 228 kcal in a regular serving (1 plate, about 140 g), with 5.2 g of protein and 2.1 g of fibre. It rates 3.0/5 (moderate fit) for weight management: it is low in calories for its weight and a regular serving is a modest portion, but it is low in protein for its calories and it has little fibre for its calories.
Reviewed by Deepu Oommen on 23 Oct 2026 · How we review
- Calories per serving
- 228 kcal
- 1 plate (about 140 g)
- For weight management
- 3.0 / 5Rated 3 out of 5. Moderate fit for weight management
- Protein and fibre
- 5.2 g · 2.1 g
- per serving
- Brisk walking
- About 45 min
- uses similar energy (70 kg adult)
What's in lemon rice?
Raw weights for one serving (1 plate, about 140 g), from the standard recipe
- Rice, 43 g
- Oil, 4 g
- Peanuts, 5 g
- Chana dal, 1 g
- Urad dal, 1 g
- Green chilli, 1 g
- Ginger, 1 g
- Lemon juice, 6 g
How is lemon rice made?
Preparation 10 min · Cooking 19 min
- 1Cook the rice until the grains are separate and not sticky, then spread it out and let it cool.
- 2Fry the peanuts in a little oil until golden and set them aside.
- 3Fry mustard, urad dal and chana dal in oil until golden.
- 4Add ginger, green chillies and curry leaves, then hing, turmeric and salt, with a few spoons of water.
- 5Cook until the water dries up and the dals are soft, then switch off.
- 6Mix in the cooled rice, then the lemon juice, and top with the peanuts.
Lemon rice nutrition
| Nutrient | Per serving (1 plate, about 140 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 228 kcal | 163 kcal |
| Protein | 5.2 g | 3.7 g |
| Carbohydrate | 36.1 g | 25.8 g |
| Fat | 6.6 g | 4.7 g |
| Fibre | 2.1 g | 1.5 g |
Calculated from a standard recipe (based on a recipe by Swasthi's Recipes: Lemon Rice (Chitranna), serves 4) using IFCT 2017 (ICMR-NIN) and USDA FoodData Central values for the raw ingredients, divided by the weight of the cooked dish (920 g for the whole recipe). Salt and dry spices are left out. The regular serving is the average portion in three chefs' recipes: Swasthi's Recipes, Lemon Rice (Chitranna) 230 g, Archana's Kitchen, Lemon Rice (Elumichai Sadam / Chitranna) 95 g and Sanjeev Kapoor, Lemon Rice 101 g. Food composition: Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K, Venkaiah K. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR), Hyderabad. How we calculate nutrition facts. Home and restaurant versions vary with the oil, rice and portion used.
Is lemon rice good for weight management?
It rates 3.0/5, a moderate fit, because it is low in calories for its weight and a regular serving is a modest portion, but it is low in protein for its calories and it has little fibre for its calories.
- Calories per gram (35% of the rating)1.62 kcal · 70/100
- Protein per 100 kcal (25% of the rating)2.3 g · 23/100
- Fibre per 100 kcal (20% of the rating)0.9 g · 31/100
- Portion (20% of the rating)228 of 550 kcal (main meal) · 100/100
Each part is scored against fixed limits, then weighted. A higher rating does not mean a food causes weight loss. How the rating works
Lighter ways to have lemon rice
- Use 1 spoon of oil in the tempering and fewer peanuts
- Serve with curd or a vegetable raita for protein and fibre
- Add the lemon juice after switching off the heat so the flavour stays fresh
- Add boiled peas or carrot to make the plate more filling
Common questions about lemon rice
How many calories are in lemon rice?
About 228 kcal in 1 plate, about 140 g, or 163 kcal per 100 g.
Is lemon rice good for weight management?
It rates 3.0/5, a moderate fit: it is low in calories for its weight and a regular serving is a modest portion, but it is low in protein for its calories and it has little fibre for its calories. See the lighter ways to have it on this page.
How much protein is in lemon rice?
About 5.2 g in 1 plate, about 140 g, which is 2.3 g for every 100 kcal.
How much walking uses the energy in lemon rice?
About 45 min of brisk walking for a 70 kg adult uses similar energy to one regular serving.
Is lemon rice a light meal?
It is lighter than fried rice, but the oil and peanuts add energy. A plate of about 140 g gives around 230 kcal in this recipe, so serve it with curd or a vegetable.
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Compare it in:Rice dishes
Information, not medical advice. Values are estimates for a typical recipe. Found an error? Tell us.