Curd Rice is a delicious easy south Indian rice recipe where cooked rice is mixed with curd and tempering is done to it. Also known as Thayir Sadam, Yogurt Rice or Daddojanam, it is a fabulous recipe to use leftover rice. It is a full meal in itself and can be had at any time of the day. Here is how to make it at home.
When things become routine, you start to take them for granted. Isn’t it?
The same happened with curd rice. This dish is so regular in my house yet it never struck me to blog about it.
Also called as daddojanam, yogurt rice, or thayir Sadam, it is another rice dish from South India where cooked rice is mixed with curds and then seasoned with a tadka of urad dal mustard seeds, green chillies, and curry leaves.
My sister is visiting us with her family and her son eats nonspicy food, just like mine.
To keep the kids happy, I make sure one of the meals is either curd rice, khichdi or stuffed parathas.
So when I planned to make it for yesterday’s lunch it struck me that I haven’t posted it yet on the blog and with Sankranti coming soon, it will fit in my theme too.
Win-win right? So without thinking twice, I got on about making the dish.
You can cook the rice for this in a pressure cooker and let it cool before mixing it with curd or use leftover rice.
I like to cook my rice with little extra water so that it becomes a little mushy.
And then while mixing curd, I use my palms and slightly mash the rice with the curd.
This is one of the best Indian leftover rice recipes which you can make in no time if you have curd at home.
Serving Suggestions
The best side dish it is papad, pickle, or chutney.
I like to garnish mine with chopped coriander leaves and pomegranate seeds but since I was in a hurry to serve it to kids, I forgot to sprinkle pomegranate seeds on top.
But they do make a difference in taste and looks so please add some 🙂
Also, applam or fried rice papads go very well with it and I make sure to fry a few whenever I make this dish.
You can skip adding green chilies if making it for kids as I did. It tastes great when served chilled but you can pack it for lunch box too.
Are curd and yogurt the same?
Technically Curd and yogurt are two very different things.
Yogurt is made by fermenting milk using bacteria and curd is made by curdling milk.
However in India, term curd is often used for yogurt and so if any Indian recipes say curd, you can use yogurt instead.
How to make Curd (Yogurt) at home?
Making curd at home is quite an easy process and with just some starter at hand, you can make a batch regularly.
The starter is usually curd from the previous batch or else for the first time, you can buy a pack of curd (Yogurt) and use some of it as a starter. You can read a detailed post to make curd (Yogurt) here.
To make curd, heat milk until it is lukewarm. Add a tsp of starter and mix well.
Cover the bowl and keep undisturbed for 6-8 hours or until the curd is set.
Sometimes I also add a dried red chilli to my milk. I have heard it helps in setting the curd even without the starter.
Pro Tips by Neha
I like to overcook my rice a little bit with some extra water. It makes it mushy and the curd nicely mixes with the rice.
You can add any vegetable of your choice or even skip adding any if you wish.
It taste best with a side of spicy mango pickle and fried apalam.
You can make this rice in advance and refrigerate it. Before serving, just put the fresh tadka and it is ready to serve.
I like my curd rice chilled with a fresh warm tempering.
You can also make it using leftover rice but I prefer freshly cooked rice as it’s easy to mash it up.
Health Benefits
It is one of the best things to eat when you have an upset stomach and eating it daily definitely improves digestion.
It is easy to digest and the probiotic helps in the growth bacteria which aids in digestion. It cools the body and helps in maintaining internal body temperature.
Thayir sadam is quite filling and keeps you full for a long time so you don’t snack on unnecessary things. It indirectly helps to maintain body weight.
It is rich in antioxidants and helps the body fight the infection.
Common Questions about Curd Rice
Does it cause acidity?
Curd has slight acidic nature and it might cause heartburn to some. If you are prone to acidity, then avoid eating it.
Does it cause a cold?
Curd is considered as mucus-forming food and it triggers mucus formation and can worsen the cold.
So I would suggest avoiding it for a few days while you have a cold and cough, especially at night time.
Does it make you fat?
Eating curd and rice in moderation cannot make you fat. In fact both the ingredients have health benefits when taken in moderation.
When to start yogurt rice for babies?
It’s best to start giving curd rice to babies when they turn a year old but you should still consult your doctor before starting to give it your kid.
Each kid is different and can react to the thing which other kids might not.
So consulting your doctor before starting anything new to them is should be a must.
Can Thayir Sadam be heated?
It tastes best when refrigerated for a few hours but you can eat it at room temperature as well.
It is not advised to heat it as the curd may separate due to heat and the taste will alter because of that.
If you do not like chilled curd rice either do not refrigerate it and eat it just after making or if you has already refrigerated it, leave it on kitchen counter for a few hours before eating.
Can Thayir Sadam be eaten at night?
Avoid eating it at night if you are prone to cold and cough.
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Step By Step Recipe
Wash the rice and cook with 1 and 1/2 cup of water until cooked and most of the water is absorbed.
Rice should be mushy. Bring the rice to room temperature.
Add curd, milk, carrot and salt in the rice and mix well. Slightly mash the rice using using your hands.
Heat oil in a pan. Once the oil i shot, add mustard seeds and curry leaves and let them crackle for a few seconds. Add urad dal , ginger and dry red chillies and fry until dal turns slightly brown. Pour the tempering over curd rice and mix well. Garnish with fresh coriander and pomegranate seeds. Serve chilled.
Curd Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Short Grain Rice
- 1/2 cup Curd
- 1/4 cup Milk
- 2 tbsp Carrot (Grated)
- Salt to taste
- 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
- 10-12 Curry Leaves
- 1 tsp Urad Dal
- 1/2 tsp Ginger (Grated)
- 1 Dry Red Chilli (Broken)
- 1 tbsp Fresh Coriander (Chopped)
- 2 tbsp Pomegranate Seeds
Instructions
- Wash the rice and cook with 1 and 1/2 cup of water until cooked. Rice should be mushy.
- Bring the rice to room temperature.
- Add curd, milk, carrot and salt and mix well.
- Slightly mash the rice using using your hands.
- Heat oil in a pan.
- Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds and curry leaves and let them crackle for a few seconds.
- Add urad dal, ginger and dry red chillies and fry until dal turns slightly brown.
- Pour the tempering over curd rice and mix well.
- Garnish with fresh coriander and pomegranate seeds.
- Serve chilled.
Notes
Ritu Tangri
These curd rice look so inviting just like a gourmet meal to me
Neha Mathur
Thnx 🙂