Curd Rice Recipe | Thayir Sadam

Every family has a curd rice recipe and this is ours – simple, soothing and very sumptuous. Cooked rice is mixed with curd/yoghurt and is tempered with mustard seeds, crunchy urad dal, curry leaves, chilies and asafoetida to make this creamy curd rice.

Curd rice brings back fond memories of my childhood. It was always a part of lunch and dinner. I remember carrying two tier tiffin boxes to school and one tier would always carry this humble curd rice. We usually had tiffin for dinner. Yet, amma would always save some rice from our lunch and serve us a mandatory scoop of curd rice post our dinner. Paired with pickle or any leftover sambar, rasam or kootu, I’ve always loved curd rice. I particularly love it with this lemon pickle (Click on the link for the recipe)

Why do Indians eat curd rice?

• Most South Indian meals end with a ladle of soothing curd rice. Curd rice cools the palate and the system after an intake of spicy food.
• It is also rich is probiotics and aids in digestion after a meal
• It’s protein rich and is a mandatory part of every vegetarian South Indian’s meal to meet the everyday protein needs

I must mention that curd rice is always made in this ostentatious fashion. On most days, it’s just cooked rice mixed with curd with a side of pickle. It’s really that simple. However, this curd rice recipe requires tempering which take the plain humble curd rice to a dish fit for a feast! The flavors from asafoetida, green chili and red chilies blend beautifully with curd and the crunchiness from mustard seeds and urad dal makes eating curd rice a beautiful experience.

I came up with this curd rice recipe after a lot of tries. I kept refining it every time and finally stuck to this recipe which came with a seal of approval from not just my family but friends and guests also. I’m never going back. I don’t always add carrots and cucumber but when I do, the freshness does intensify two folds.

Check out other South Indian recipe from my blog

Lemon Pickle

Tomato Thokku

Akkaravadisal

Keerai Masiyal

Idli Upma

 Ingredients for this Curd Rice Recipe

Rice

I prefer using a white rice when I’m making this curd rice recipe as it calls for mashing the rice and tempering it. White rice mashes easily. Ponni, Sona Masoori or Basmati rice would work well.

Curd or Yoghurt

Curd is traditionally used in Indian households. However, you can use yoghurt with no difference in taste. I generally prefer curd or a combination of yoghurt and kefir to give a sour edge to my curd rice.

Cucumbers and Carrots

Cucumbers and carrots are optional, but they give a burst of freshness to this curd rice recipe. I skip it when I’m in a hurry or run out of them.

Milk

Milk is almost always used while packing curd rice for lunch or travel in India. Using just curd will make the curd rice very sour if you are not going to eat it immediately. Milk helps in balancing the sourness to the right level.

Green chili

I love the taste of fresh green chilies in my curd rice. Green chilies and curd create magic, in my opinion. Skip it if you’re making it for children.

Ginger

Another super food that aids in digestion. Adjust the quantity of ginger according to your liking. Chop it finely for a better sensual experience while eating the curd rice.

Coriander leaves/Cilantro

Always use fresh coriander leaves to garnish the curd rice. It’ll taste like the ones served at restaurant.

Mustard seeds and Urad Dal

Mustard seeds and ural dal are mandatory for any South Indian tempering. You can soak the urad dal for 10 minutes before using if you don’t want to have crunchy urad dal in your curd rice. I always like mine crunchy!

Asafoetida

Another super hit combination is curd with asafoetida. It makes this curd rice very addictive while also aiding in digestion.

Curry leaves

Use fresh curry leaves for best results. Again, it’s another staple in all South Indian tempering. They taste amazing and are very good for hair health.

Red chilies

You can either use red chilies or Curd Chilies for this curd rice recipe. Curd chilies are also called as Moar Molaga in Tamil (I’m drooling as I’m typing about Curd chilies.).

Step by Step Method to make this Curd Rice Recipe

Wash rice at least two to three times in running water till they run clear. Cook the rice with 2 cups of water in a pressure for 4-5 whistles (Every pressure cooker is different and judge the number of whistles accordingly). I had to do 5 whistles in my pressure cooker.

Meanwhile chop cucumbers finely and grate the carrots. Keep them aside. Finely chop the green chilies and coriander leaves.

Once the pressure subsides, open the cooker, and mash the rice lightly. Skip mashing it if you don’t like your curd rice mushy. I’m used to eating it well mashed, thanks to amma.

Add milk and mix well. Set aside to cool.

Once it has cooled down completely add curd and mix well. Never add curd to hot rice. It’ll split and the texture won’t be very pleasant. You’ll also end up killing all the good probiotics in the process. Adjust the quantity of curd to suit your preference. Some like it dry and some runnier. Add a little at a time. You can always add more but can’t take it back.

Add the chopped cucumber, grated carrot, chopped ginger, green chilies and coriander leaves. Mix well.

In a tempering ladle, add oil. Once it’s hot add mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds splutter, add urad dal and fry till they turn golden brown.

Add red chilies and asafoetida. Fry for 10 seconds and add curry leaves. Turn off the heat and let the curry leaves fry for sometime in the hot oil.

Add this tempering to the curd rice along with salt and mix well. Adjust salt to suit your taste preference.

Garnish it with pomegranate and serve it alongside a pickle or fried Moar Molaga (Curd Chili)

What is the difference between Curd and Yoghurt?

• Curd is made at home by curdling the milk using leftover curd as the fermentation starter. Every household will have their own curd as a starter to set new pots od curd.
• Curd only has several types of Lactic acid bacterial strain called Lactobacillus
• Yoghurt is prepared commercially by fermenting milk with two types of bacterial strains called Lactobacillus Bulgaris bacterium and streptococcus thermophilus

What is the best way to eat Curd rice?

Curd rice can be eaten with a side of pickle, chutneys, thokku, papad, curries and podis.

How to make curd rice quick?

The easy version of curd rice involves mixing cooked cool rice with curd or yoghurt. You would skip the tempering and rely on the sides to add some flavor. Some people like to add salt to this simple version of curd rice but my family doesn’t

Can I use this Curd rice recipe to pack lunchbox or for travelling?

Yes, you can increase the quantity of milk depending on how long you’ll store the curd rice at room temperature. Growing up in India, I’ve noticed my mom making curd rice mostly with milk and adding just a spoonful or two of curd to it when she packed our lunch boxes. When we ate it in the afternoon it would be perfect without tasting too sour.

Is curd rice healthy or not?

• Curd rice is very healthy! It has the all important probiotics which improve your gut health. Gut health is very important for a good health, as we all know.
• Curd rice is also rich in protein and keeps you full for longer.
• Curd rice is also rich in Calcium and supports bone health.