Curd rice – food for the soul.
Curd rice, Dahi Chawal, Dahi Bhaat, Thayir Saadam, Mosaranna, call it anything – it only screams comfort and bliss. When one wants to have something simple and fulfilling, it has to be curd rice. This is also a perfect dish when one is nursing an upset stomach.
Curd rice to South Indians, especially Tamilians is a part of their daily diet. Curd rice to South Indians is what rajma chawal is to a North Indian. Curd rice can be made by mixing some rice, curds and salt. But the South Indian style of adding a tempering (tadka) to curd rice elevates its taste. I like to add some grated cucumber and carrots to my curd rice. For me, this south Indian style curd rice served with some pickle is pure bliss.
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About Curd Rice
Curd rice is a simple dish made with rice, curds and some spices. It is a staple dish in almost all parts of India. Every region of India has its own way of preparing curd rice. It is known by different names in different regions of India. It is known as Thayir Sadam in Tamil Nade, Dahi Bhat in Maharashtra, Mosaranna in Karnataka and Thayir Choru in Kerala.
The simple way of making curd rice is by mixing cooked rice, curds and salt. However you can make different variations of this dish by adding a tempering (tadka) or by mixing some veggies alongwith curds and rice, like I have done in this recipe. Addition of veggies and tempering makes the dish tastier.
List of ingredients
Cooked rice
Curds : Read here to see how to make curds.
Veggies : grated cucumber, grated carrots
Salt
For tempering : oil, mustard seeds, chopped green chilly, chopped ginger, dry red chilly and curry leaves. You can also add cashew nuts here. However I have not used cashew nuts.
For garnishing : chopped coriander leaves and fresh pomegranate seeds.
How to make curd rice
Firstly we need to cook rice. Leftover rice can also be used to make curd rice. Rice can be cooked in 3 different ways – 1) cooking rice in pressure cooker 2) cooking rice in a pot by following the draining method 3) cooking rice in a pot by following the absorption method. Detailed recipe on how to cook rice is given here. For making curd rice, the rice has to be softer than what we regularly cook.
In a mixing bowl, add cooked rice. Mash the rice with the help of a spoon. Add curds, salt, grated cucumber and grated carrots. Mix well. Keep aside.
For the tempering, heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, chopped chilly, chopped ginger, dry red chilly and curry leaves. When they start spluttering, turn off the heat and pour the tempering into the rice mixture.
Garnish with chopped coriander and fresh pomegranate seeds.
Serve with papad and pickle.
Notes:
- Leftover rice can be used to make this dish.
- Milk can also be added to the rice though I have not added.
- For the tempering, udad dal (split black gram) and chana dal (split gram) can also be added.
Recipe Card
Curd Rice
Ingredients
- 2 cups of cooked rice (pake hue chawal)
- 2 ½ cups curds (dahi)
- ½ cup grated cucumber (kheera/kakdi)
- ½ cup grated carrots ( gajar)
- salt as per taste (namak)
For tempering
- 1 tbsp oil (tel)
- 1 tsp mustard seeds (rai / sarso)
- 1 green chilly, chopped (hari mirch)
- ½ tsp chopped ginger (adrak)
- 1 dry red chilly (sookhi laal mirch)
- few curry leaves (kadi patta)
For garnishing
- ¼ cup fresh pomegranate seeds (anaar ke daane)
- 1 tsp chopped coriander leaves (hara dhaniya)
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, add cooked rice.
- Mash the rice with the help of a spoon.
- Add curds, salt, grated cucumber and grated carrots. Mix well. Keep this aside.
- For the tempering, heat oil in a pan.
- Add mustard seeds, chopped chilly, chopped ginger, dry red chilly and curry leaves.
- When they start spluttering, turn off the heat.
- Pour this tempering into the curd rice.
- Garnish with pomegranate seeds and chopped coriander leaves.
- Serve curd rice with pickle.
Notes
- Leftover rice can be used to make this dish.
- Milk can also be added to the rice though I have not added.
- For the tempering, udad dal (split black gram) and chana dal (split gram) can also be added.
More South Indian Rice recipes here
Recipe Video
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