As a South Indian, I love rice based dishes. They are easy to make and so comforting. They can be Indian flavored like this tamarind rice or this African flavored jollof rice. So here is another delicious South Indian yogurt rice that I absolutely love. It is known as thayir sadam in tamil or daddojam/ perugannam in Telugu. This is an easy to make dish that is cooling on the system and filling. So what is curd rice? It is exactly what it sounds - rice mixed with tempered and spiced yogurt/ curd. My non-Indian friends are always surprised to see this combination. But I assure you, it is absolutely delicious.
Ingredients
Rice - any medium or long grain rice can be used in the recipe. I use sona masoori rice. Basmati or jasmine can also be used. I find freshly cooked, slightly soft white rice works best. Plain Curd/ yogurt - homemade or store bought. Greek yogurt will work but make sure to add water to thin it out. Flavoring Ingredients - fresh ginger, green chilies, curry leaves Tempering Ingredients - these add nice crunch to the dish. You need chana dal (split peas), urad dal, curry leaves, dry red chilies, hing and turmeric. Optional add-ins - pomegranate arils, blueberries, grapes etc can be added for both added taste and color. Grated carrot, finely chopped cucumber and/ or raw mango also make the dish refreshing and extra tasty.
Instructions
Cook rice until quite soft. I pressure cook with 1:2 (rice: water) ratio. Lightly mash the rice with the back of a spoon. Add turmeric, salt, and yogurt. Mix well and set aside. Heat oil in a small pan, add chana and urad dal and once they turn golden, add mustard seeds. Add dry red chili and hing once the seeds start to splutter. Stir in ginger, green chilies and curry leaves. Fry for 30 seconds~1 minute or until it starts to smell fragrant. Add the tempering to the rice mixture. Mix well. Check the seasonings and adjust accordingly. Add the optional add-ins and mix well. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Tips
Any medium or long grain rice can be used in the recipe. Sona masoori, basmati, jasmine will work.Make sure to use plain, unflavored yogurt. If using Greek variety, add water and whisk well to thin it out.Try to use fresh curd that is not too sour. If you only have sour curd on hand, then use half yogurt & half milk in the recipe to balance it.If you are making this dish ahead of time, then add ½ cup of milk along with yogurt. Also store curd rice in the refrigerator. Sometimes rice soaks up all of the moisture from the yogurt and dish might look dry, stir in some milk and/or water to thin it out.Pomegranate arils, blueberries, grapes etc can be added for both added taste and color. Grated carrot, finely chopped cucumber, chopped mango also make the dish refreshing and extra tasty.Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Few more South Indian dishes to try
Kohlrabi CurryIyengar Bakery Khara BreadPotato Curry leaf CurryJonna Rava Kesari with fruitsPindi MiriyamThiyya Pulusu
I love hearing from you!! If you’ve tried this and liked it, then don’t forget to let me know. Give a star rating and let me know in the comments below. Also tag me in your creations on Instagram @cooks_hideout. I love sharing photos when people make my recipes. You can use the hashtag #cookshideout too.
