Curd Rice Recipe (Thayir Sadam)
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Curd Rice, also known as Thayir Sadam, is a comforting South Indian dish made with cooked rice and yogurt (curd), tempered with spices like mustard seeds, curry leaves, and green chilies. It is a staple in states like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh, often served as the final course to cool the palate. 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.
Table of Contents
Growing up in North India, yogurt was a staple in our home, whether it was served with aloo paratha, whipped into chilled lassi, or made into cooling raita during the hot summers.
My mom also used to make dahi bhaat, which is a comforting mix of yogurt and rice often enjoyed in the summer. After moving to Bangalore post marriage, I came to know about a variation of our dahi bhaat, curd rice.
At first, I thought it might be similar to what I already knew, but one bite at my neighbour’s home changed my mind completely. The soft, creamy rice, blended with tangy yogurt and tempered with curry leaves, mustard seeds, ginger, and green chilies, was simple yet layered with flavor and texture.
Since then, it has become one of my favorite comfort dishes, humble, nourishing, and deeply satisfying. For me, it beautifully bridges the familiar flavors of my North Indian childhood with the irresistible warmth of South Indian cooking.
Curd rice is also called Daddojanam, Perugu Annam, Yogurt Rice, or Thayir Sadam. It holds a special place in South Indian homes and even in temples, where it’s offered as prasadam.
This 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 days in Bangalore.
Ingredients
You can find all the ingredients for this recipe at Indian grocery stores.
- Yogurt (Dahi, Curd) – 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 be replaced with brown rice; however, the amount of water needed to cook it 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 seeds add a nice crunch and a 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 Curd Rice
Cook The Rice
Step 1: Rinse ½ cup of raw white rice with water, then add it to a pan. Add 1 and ½ cups of water and stir gently.
Step 2: Cover the pan and cook the rice on low heat for 20-25 minutes, until it is fully cooked. Remove the pan from the heat and bring the rice to room temperature.
To cook the rice in a pressure cooker, cook for 2 whistles on high heat. Then remove the cooker from the 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 1 cup of water to the pot with the rice. 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
Step 3: 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.
Step 4: Slightly mash the mixture using your clean hands.
Temper The Curd Rice
Step 5: 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.
Step 6: 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.
Step 7: Pour the tempering over the curd rice and mix well.
Step 8: Garnish with 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro and 2 tablespoon pomegranate pearls. Serve.
Curd Rice FAQs
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 (dahi) is often used for yogurt, so if any Indian recipes call for curd, you can use yogurt instead.
If kept for long periods, the rice absorbs moisture and appears dry. Add some milk and mix well, and it will be back to creamy and moist.
Store curd rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1-2 days. Since rice absorbs moisture over time, mix in a little milk before storing to keep it soft and creamy. Always use fresh yogurt to prevent excessive sourness. Before serving, stir well and adjust consistency with milk or water. Avoid leaving it at room temperature for long, especially in warm weather, as it can turn sour quickly. Do not freeze, as the texture of rice and yogurt changes significantly after thawing, making it grainy and watery.
Pro Tips By Neha
To make the thayir sadam recipe, the rice is cooked with slightly more water to make it mushy. Follow the measurements given in my recipe.
Cool the rice completely before mixing it with yogurt and milk. Otherwise, milk and yogurt might curdle.
The consistency of yogurt rice is similar to that of porridge. If it looks thick, add a little milk.
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.
Serving Suggestions
Curd rice is a comfort food for South Indians. It is also made for special occasions and is served as prasadam at South Indian temples. I like to serve it at room temperature, but you can also serve it chilled.
Serve it with avakaya (mango pickle), mor milagai (curd-soaked dried chilies), and appalam (rice papad) for a light meal. You can also serve rasam and sambar on the side.
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.
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 🙂