Curd Rice Recipes

Curd Rice, also known as “Thayir Sadam” in South India, is a simple and comforting dish made with cooked rice and yogurt. It’s a popular dish that is often served as a cooling and soothing meal, especially during hot weather. Here’s the recipe:

Preparation time: 10 minutes 
Cooking time: 20 minutes (for cooking rice) 
Chilling time: 1-2 hours (optional) 
Ready in: 30 minutes (without chilling time)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cooked rice (short-grain rice works best)
• 1 cup plain yogurt (curd)
• 1/4 cup milk (optional, for creaminess)
• 1 tablespoon oil or ghee
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon urad dal (split black gram)
• 1/2 teaspoon chana dal (split chickpeas)
• 1-2 green chilies, finely chopped (adjust to your spice preference)
• 1/2 inch ginger, finely grated
• A few curry leaves
• A pinch of asafoetida (hing)
• Salt to taste

For tempering (optional):

• 1 tablespoon oil or ghee
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• A few curry leaves
• 1 dried red chili, broken into pieces

Instructions:

1. Cook the rice according to the package instructions. Once cooked, spread the rice on a plate to cool down slightly.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk the plain yogurt until smooth. If desired, you can add a little milk to the yogurt for extra creaminess.
3. Add the cooked rice to the yogurt and mix well to combine. You can adjust the quantity of yogurt based on your preference for consistency.
4. In a small pan, heat oil or ghee over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
5. Add urad dal and chana dal to the pan. Sauté until the dals turn golden brown.
6. Add chopped green chilies, grated ginger, curry leaves, and asafoetida. Sauté for a minute until the flavors are released.
7. Pour the tempering mixture over the yogurt rice and mix well to incorporate the flavors.
8. Add salt to taste and mix again.
9. If desired, you can let the Curd Rice chill in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours before serving.

For optional tempering:

1. In a small pan, heat oil or ghee over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
2. Add curry leaves and broken dried red chili pieces. Sauté for a few seconds.
3. Pour the tempering over the Curd Rice just before serving.

Serve the Curd Rice as a main dish or as a side with pickles, papad, or any vegetable dish of your choice. This dish is not only refreshing and cooling but also provides a balance of flavors and textures that make it a favorite comfort food in many Indian households. Enjoy the simplicity and goodness of this classic recipe!