Curd Rice

You must be a bit amazed reading this; yogurt rice? But let me tell you, nothing can beat this comfort food if you feel like having something light yet mesmerizing. It is one of the most favorite cuisines for Indians, especially South Indians, during summer. 

What is Curd Rice?

Curd Rice is a creamy and delicious South Indian rice dish. Curd rice is simply curd (yogurt) combined with cooked rice and seasonings that are tempered. In various South Indian languages, curd rice is also called as thayir sadam, daddojanam, or bagala bath. Curd Rice helps digestion and is an excellent travel and lunch box food.

Curd Rice is a divinely calming combination of curd and butter, rice, and spices. To make it more distinctive and rich, curd rice is decorated with fruits and nuts. Curd Rice always amazes me with how only a few basic ingredients it takes to create a flavorful and satisfying meal. A little butter will help to postpone the souring process as well as make the curd rice creamier and more delicious.

Health Benefits of Curd Rice

Curd rice is also packed with a number of health benefits, such as:

• Curd aids digestion thus, it is the ideal home cure for a bloated stomach because it is easy to digest and helps to relieve bloating and indigestion.
• It is high in probiotics, which help maintain the balance of gut-friendly bacteria and promote digestive health.
• It’s also high in antioxidants, protein, calcium, and omega-3 fatty acids.
• It keeps the body’s internal temperature stable and works as a coolant on hot summer days.

So, curd rice is great comfort food, and you must definitely try it if you haven’t tried it yet. Each household in India probably has its own curd rice recipe, but the recipe I have shared today is the way I make my curd rice. 

Notable Ingredients At A Glance 

Rice – I like to make curd rice using sona masuri or basmati rice. Brown rice, quinoa, and millets are also options. If you are using leftover cooked rice, mash it with a few drops of water until it is mushy. I have used cooked rice in this recipe. 

Curd or Yogurt – Use full-fat homemade curd for the most creamy flavor. You could also use store-bought yogurt. However, choose curd that is both fresh and not very sour.

Tempering – The tempering for the curd rice is typical South Indian in flavor. It is also the main ingredient that imparts flavor to curd rice. For tempering, I have used.

• Ginger
• Curry leaves
• Mustard seeds
• Green chilis (optional)
• Red chilis
• Asafoetida
• Urad Dal
• Chana Dal

Oil – Any kind of neutral oil

How To Prepare Curd Rice?

Heat the oil in a large pan and add the red chilies, asafoetida, urad and chana dal, curry leaves, and green chilies when heated. Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook for a minute. The mustard seeds will splutter.

Once the spluttering has stopped, add in the ginger and saute for a few seconds or until aromatic. Reduce the heat to low and add in the boiled rice. 

In a separate bowl, beat the yogurt with the water to form a slightly thin consistency. Season it with salt as per requirement. 

Turn off the heat, pour the yogurt over the rice, and mix thoroughly. Cover and let aside to allow the aroma and spices to mix. Serve with some roasted papad. 

Some Expert Tips For Preparing Curd Rice 

• Brined yogurt-covered red chilies are the classic red chilies used for yogurt rice. They are widely available in India but may not always be available in other countries, but I can obtain them here in the United States, where I live. So use simple dried red chiles instead, which work just as well.
• Curd rice also tastes nice cold, so you may eat it straight from the fridge after saving the leftovers. If you don’t want to eat cold food, bring it to room temperature instead of heating it, which may cause the yogurt to split.
• I recommend making your own curd. Homemade curd has a completely distinct flavor and taste from store-bought curd. I prefer using homemade curd wherever possible when creating dishes that call for curd.
• You can also include cashews and dry fruits.
• I haven’t used butter in this recipe, but the use of butter instead of oil makes the curd rice tastier.