Chitranna (or shall I dare to call it as COLORED RICE literally translating the word to English!!) is probably a food that you must have been eating since years. It can be as simple as rice mixed with salt and lemon juice topped with seasoning or it can be bit complex involving roasting and grinding of spices. However simple or complex it may be, chitranna has the real kick of taste plus tanginess plus sort of spice.
Most importantly chitranna is labelled as travel food since you can prepare it with ease and eat to the full. Today I thought to post an authentic rice recipe from Udupi called masale chitranna which calls for some sort of roasting and grinding.
Essentially you can get the spice powder ready beforehand and stock in airtight container which can last for a fortnight. Spices lined up to roast are sesame seeds, red chillies, chickpea lentils, black gram lentils, coriander, cumin and fenugreek seeds. After roasting the spices they get transformed in to fine powder in a blender or mixer. Masale Chitranna spice mix is ready right away.
As you must have noticed chitranna kind of rice recipes should have a tangy substance in them like, we are using tamarind for this version. Tamarind juice, jaggery and salt get cooked in a mustard seeds seasoning with which the spice powder is combined. It forms a thick paste. As you add cooked rice and gently mix with your fingers, a pleasant colored, feel-good, humble masale chitranna would be whipped up.
In my life this version of rice can happen many a times. Like when I have lots of leftover rice then masale chitranna comes in the form of breakfast. Some times as my vegetables stock gets over amidst of a week and I feel the vegetable shop a long way for the moment, I scheme this colored rice(Can I call like this??!) for lunch too. Finally when all the rice side dish get emptied (on hungry days) in the afternoon itself then masale chitranna arises as a dinner saving my kitchen time. So I say Chitranna => You are versatile.
Masale Chitranna in Udupi Style
Ingredients
- Raw rice- 1 cup
- Peanuts- Handful
- Jaggery- Marble sized
- Tamarind- Marble sized
- Salt- 1 tsp
- Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
To roast and grind
- Split black gram lentils- 2 tsp
- Split chickpea lentils- 2 tsp
- Coriander seeds- 1 tsp
- Fenugreek seeds- 1/4 tsp
- Cumin seeds- 1/2 tsp
- Black sesame seeds- 3 tsp
- Red chillies- 5 to 6 nos.
Seasoning ingredients
- Cooking oil- 2 tsp + 3 tsp
- Split black gram lentils- 1/2 tsp
- Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
Instructions
Preparation
- Pressure cook the rice as you normally do but ensure that the grains are separate and fluffy. Let the rice cool down to room temperature.
- Soak tamarind in 1/2 cup of water for 10 minutes. Squeeze and extract it's juice discarding the residue.
Method
- Heat a cooking pan and add black sesame seeds. Dry roast them stirring continuously till the splutter. Transfer it to a plate.
- Reheat the same pan adding 2 tsp of oil followed by both lentils, coriander, cumin, fenugreek seeds and red chillies. Roast them till the lentils turn little brown and chillies puff up. Put off the flame and let it cool. Then add all the roasted ingredients in to a mixer jar and powder them together finely.
- Next heat the cooking pan with 3 tsp of oil, black gram lentils, mustard seeds and curry leaves. As the mustard seeds crackle include peanuts. Saute for a while and then include tamarind extract, jaggery, turmeric powder and salt. As the jaggery dissolves and tamarind juice starts to boil, add the spice powder prepared in above step.
- When the spice powder cooks in tamarind juice it becomes like a paste then switch off the flame. Include cooked rice and mix well with your fingers. Garnish with coriander leaves and grated coconut.
- Very delicious and popular masale chitranna is ready to serve.
Notes
- Do not over cook the rice which may turn the grains mushy and chitranna will not taste good.
- You can prepare the spice powder in advance and store for a fortnight.
- When you mix the rice with spice mix, make sure rice has cooled down. Otherwise grains may break as you mix.
Dear Madam,
I always look forward for new receipes on your blog.
Very nice to have chitranna rice preparation.
regards
Pkumar
This is one of the best blogs I have come across so far… Keep up the good work… Treasurable recipes…
Anitha, thank you very much.
Split chickpea lentils andare kadle beleyo, (channadhaal)?
Yes, Mohini. It’s Kadale Bele.
Naanu ivatthu belagge masala chithranna maadiddhe. Super aagidhe. Tumbaa tumbaa thanks. Yaakandre nimma udupi recipesge. Same udupi Krishna muttada style itthu.
Mohini, very happy to hear this.
Naanu udupiyavalu. Nanage madhuve yaadha nantara naanu chennai nalli settle aadhe. Aadhare nanage udupi temple style Adige maadalu barutthiralilla. Nimma udupi recipes website nodi thumbaa tarahadha Adige maadalu kalithe. Nimma website nindha recipes nodi Adige maadi nanna husband matthu nanna mother-in-law nannannu thumbaa prashamse maadi nannannu hogalutthiddhaare. E yella credit nimage sallutthadhe. Maduveyaadha aarambhadhalli nanage Adige maadalu got the iralilla. Adige maadalu hedharutthiddhe. Eega nanage swalpa kooda bhayave illa . yaakandre nimma udupi recipe website idheyalla adhakke. Neevu prathiyondhu recipes detail aagi manassige artha aaguva haage vivarisiddhiri. Nimmannu neravaagi bheti aaguva aase idhe. Naanu udupige bandhare khanditha nimmannu bheti aagutthene. Nimage yeshtu thanks dhanyavaadha helidharoo saakaagalla . Nimage thumbaa punya sigutthade. Nimma contact number kodi please . nanna email id ge nimma mobile number kaluhisi kodi.
Hello Jayashree, I am absolutely overwhelmed and have no words to thank you. It’s all because of YOU. When YOU readers visit, cook and come back to leave a positive comment, that moment gives me great pleasure and satisfaction. Happy cooking.
Chitranna recipes nalli Ingredients list nalli turmeric powder idhe aadhare method nalli yaavaga turmeric powder serisabeku yendhu helalilla. Oggaranege turmeric powder serisabeko? Athavaa spice powder nottige haakabekaa?
Thank you Yogitha for pointing it out. I have corrected it now.
Hi arpitha here,all ur recipe r very nice n delicious,,,pls post engai recipe of udipi style,,, waiting for it,,
Arpitha, will try to post the same probably next month
Your recipes,your way of explaning are both interesting and good.i like the way u present n make it interesting
Thank you so much Santoshini