Curd Rice: A Sense Of Satisfaction

Curd Rice is a bowl of comfort food that is made with cooked rice which is mixed with yoghurt and tempered with spices. It is a popular South Indian delicacy which is wholesome food in a bowl. Curd Rice is popularly known as thayir sadam or daddojanam or bagala bath in South Indian languages. It is a very simple and tasty food which can be enjoyed at lunch or dinner with pickle and crunchy papad.

It is one of the healthiest dishes which you can enjoy at any time because it is packed with proteins, calcium, good fats and minerals. It consists of curd which has probiotic bacteria in it which helps in easy digestion. Curd also helps in bloating, constipation, and diarrhea. It also helps in reducing stress and anxiety. It helps to cool the stomach after any hot meal. South Indians prefer eating curd rice because it has a hot climate throughout the year which helps them to bring down their body temperature.

These hot summers are the perfect time to eat curd rice because in this tremendous heat people prefer light food and which keeps them cool so a bowl of curd rice is a perfect option for lunch. Making curd rice is very simple but the tempering part was actually an art that needs to be proper and it only gives richness of flavor to the bland curd rice. The tempering has black mustard seeds with a pinch of asafoetida, red chill, curry leaves with some chickpea pulses and lastly top it with crushed rock salt for more flavors.

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But in the last few years it image has been changed in the minds of millennial as they feel it is gloopy and heavy which does not look stylish and does not consist of any fancy sort of vegetables. But it has a lot of childhood memories of thousands which are loved by many 80s and 90s kids during their lunch till today. This dish does not strict to the borders of South Indian as it has been spread from North to West and every part of India.

For making this comfort dish people has various recipes some temper the curd and then mix it with rice while my variation in the recipe is adding frying peanuts and cashew nuts in the curd rice which adds crunch and flavors to the simple recipe. Even I don’t prefer garnishing with pomegranate as they give a sweet flavor to the rice which I don’t like but many people have a sweet and pungent flavor. While making curd rice I prefer using leftover rice but try to use fresh curd which gives freshness to the dish.

Curd Rice Recipe

Ingredients

• Rice 1/2 cup
• Water 1.2 cup
• Yogurt (curd) 1 cup
• Salt as needed

For Tempering

• Oil 1 tbsp
• Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
• Chickpeas pulses (chana dal) 1/2 tsp
• Curry Leaves 5-6
• Red Chili 1
• Asafoetida (hing) 1/8 tsp

For Garnish 

• Pomegranate 1-2 tbsp
• Coriander Leaves 1 tbsp

Method

1. In a bowl add rice and rinse it thoroughly in the water for few times.
2. Take the pressure cooker add water, salt and rice and cook it for 3-4 whistles. After the pressure releases let the rice keep aside to cool down.
3. Add curd to the rice. Mix it well.

For Tempering

1. In a pan add oil and heat the oil.
2. Add mustard seeds, red chili, chana dal and fry till it becomes golden brown.
3. Now add curry leaves and hing and switch off the flame.
4. Pour the tempering into the curd rice and mix it well.
5. Garnish it with coriander leaves and pomegranate seeds.