Curd Rice (Thayir Sadam)
Curd Rice (Thayir Sadam) is a delicious South Indian rice recipe where cooked rice is mixed with yogurt and tempering is done to it. Make it using my easy recipe.
If you love South Indian Rice recipes, here are some you can make for everyday meals: Raw Mango Rice, Pepper Rice, Ghee Rice, Lemon Rice, and Ellu Sadam.
About Curd Rice
Curd Rice is a South Indian rice dish in which cooked rice is mixed with fresh yogurt and then seasoned with a tadka of white urad dal, mustard seeds, and curry leaves. It is also called Daddojanam, Perugu Annam, Yogurt Rice, or Thayir Sadam.
It keeps you full for a long time, so you don’t snack on unnecessary things.
Yogurt rice is a staple in South Indian homes for everyday meals. Each home has its own recipe. I am sharing the perfect curd rice recipe I learned from a neighbour during my Bangalore days.
Ingredients
You will get all the ingredients to make this recipe at Indian grocery stores.
Yogurt – For the best taste, use homemade plain yogurt (dahi, curd). If not, buy dahi from an Indian store. Indian yogurt has a very mild sour taste that complements the taste of yogurt rice.
Rice – I use Sona Masoori rice to make this recipe. You can use any white rice. White rice can also replaced with brown rice, however, the amount of water used to cook the rice and the cooking time will differ.
Carrot – This is optional, but I like the texture, taste, and color carrots give.
Others – You will also need milk, salt, and cilantro (fresh coriander leaves).
For The Tempering – You will need oil, brown mustard seeds, curry leaves, white urad dal, ginger, and dry red chilies.
Use sesame oil for a traditional taste.
You can also add some chana dal to the tempering.
Pomegranate – Adding pomegranate seeds adds a nice crunch and slightly sweet taste.
You can also top curd rice with fried cashews for extra crunch.
Add a teaspoon of chopped green chilies for a spicy kick.
How To Make Thayir Sadham
Cook The Rice
Rinse ½ cup white raw rice with water and add it to a pan. Add 1 and ½ cups of water and stir gently.
Cover the pan and cook the rice on low heat for 20-25 minutes until it is cooked well.
Remove the pan from the heat and bring the rice to room temperature.
Note – To cook the rice in a pressure cooker, cook for 2 whistles on high heat. Then remove the cooker from heat and let the pressure release naturally. Open the lid and use the cooked rice in the recipe.
To cook the rice in an instant pot, add rice with 1 cup of water to the instant pot. Press PRESSURE COOK and set the timer to 5 minutes. Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally and then open the lid.
Mix Curd and Rice
Transfer the cooled rice to a bowl.
Add ½ cup chilled plain yogurt, ¼ cup chilled milk, 2 tablespoon grated carrot, and 1 teaspoon salt and mix well.
Slightly mash the mixture using your clean hands.
Temper The Curd Rice
Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a tadka pan over medium-high heat.
Once the oil is hot, add ½ teaspoon brown mustard seeds and 10-12 curry leaves and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds.
Add 1 teaspoon white urad dal, ½ teaspoon grated ginger, and 1 dry red chili (broken into small pieces) and fry until the dal turns slightly brown.
Pour the tempering over curd rice and mix well.
Garnish with 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro and 2 tablespoon pomegranate pearls. Serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
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, the term curd is often used for yogurt, so if any Indian recipes call for curd, you can use yogurt instead.
Pro Tips By Neha
To make thayir sadam recipe, the rice is cooked with slightly more water so that it turns out mushy. Follow the measurements given in my recipe.
Cool the rice completely before mixing it with yogurt and milk. Otherwise, milk and yogurt might be curdle.
The consistency of yogurt rice is like that of a porridge. If it looks thick, then add a little milk to it.
Do not use ghee or coconut oil for tempering. It will solidify once the curd rice is cooled.
You can add cooked grated beetroot or grated cucumbers instead of carrots.
You can make this recipe using leftover rice as well. Just soak it in some water before using.
The North Indian variation of curd rice is called dahi bhat or dahi chawal. The only difference is that in North India, mustard oil is used to temper the curd rice and cumin seeds are used in place of mustard seeds. Do try this variation too.
Serving Suggestions
Curd rice is a comfort food for south Indians. It is also made for special occasions and is also served as prasadam at South Indian temples.
Serve this delicious dish chilled or at room temperature with avakaya, mor milagai, and appalam (rice papad) for a light meal.
I love to eat it on hot summer days when I want something very light and refreshing.
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Curd Rice Recipe (Thayir Sadam)
Ingredients
For The Curd Rice
- ½ cup white rice
- 1 and ½ cups water
- ½ cup chilled plain yogurt (dahi, curd)
- ¼ cup chilled milk
- 2 tablespoons grated carrot
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
For The Tempering
- 2 tablespoons oil
- ½ teaspoons brown mustard seeds
- 10-12 curry leaves
- 1 teaspoon white urad dal
- ½ teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 dry red chili (broken into small pieces)
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro (fresh coriander leaves)
- 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
Instructions
Cook The Rice
- Rinse rice with water and add it to a pan. Add water and stir gently.
- Cover the pan and cook the rice on low heat for 20-25 minutes until the rice is cooked well.
- Remove the pan from the heat and bring the rice to room temperature.
- Note – To cook the rice in a pressure cooker, cook for 2 whistles on high heat. Then remove the cooker from heat and let the pressure release naturally. Open the lid and use the cooked rice in the recipe.
- To cook the rice in an instant pot, add rice with 1 cup of water to the instant pot. Press PRESSURE COOK and set the timer to 5 minutes. Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally and then open the lid.
Mix Curd and Rice
- Transfer the cooled rice to a bowl.
- Add yogurt, milk, carrot, and salt and mix well.
- Slightly mash the mixture using your clean hands.
Temper The Curd Rice
- Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds and curry leaves and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds.
- Add urad dal, ginger, and dry red chili, and fry until the dal turns slightly brown.
- Pour the tempering over curd rice and mix well.
- Garnish with cilantro and pomegranate seeds. Serve.
These curd rice look so inviting just like a gourmet meal to me
Thnx 🙂