CURD RICE

Curd rice is known to be a staple food in southern India. This is a delicious combination of cooked rice, curd, spices and temperings that can be made anytime and is best enjoyed during the summer season. It is also known Daddojanam in Telugu, Thayir Sadam in Tamil, Mosoranna in Kannada, Dahi Bhaat in Maharashtra and Dahi wale Chawal in Hindi.

Curd rice is often eaten accompanied by pickles, papad & even topped with pomegranate or cucumber or onions. In a South Indian home, it is tradition to eat curd rice at the end of lunch and dinner, as this helps ease the effects of spicy food consumed prior. It is also said to aid digestion. Considered as an integral part of South Indian cuisine, this dish is also offered as prasadam in many temples. This is an easy-to-make dish, which is tasty, healthy and easy to digest. Try it and enjoy with your loved ones!

INGRADIENTS:

• 1/2 cup rice
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon butter
• Salt as per taste
• 1 teaspoon oil / ghee
• 1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon urad dal
• 1/2 teaspoon chana dal
• 6-8 fresh, or dried, curry leaves
• 1 fresh green chili
• 2 dried red chili peppers
• 1 pinch hing or asafoetida 
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
• fresh cilantro, chopped
• 6 - 8 cashew nuts chopped

PROCEDURE:

Preparing the Rice:

1. Add rice to a bowl and rinse it well a few times. Rinsing the rice gets rid of surface starches and helps prevent clumping.
2. Cook the rice. The rice should be mushy and overcooked. You can see PLAIN RICE RECIPE to know how to cook rice in different methods. You can also fluff up & use if you don't like mushy rice.
3. Add warm milk to the rice and mix well. Milk can be skipped if curd is fresh and the curd rice is going to be served within an hour. Then, add butter and mix until it becomes creamy.
4. Let the rice completely cool.
5. Add the yogurt to the rice and mix well to get rid of all the lumps in the rice and set it aside. Don't add yogurt to hot rice. 

Making the Tempering:

1. Heat oil in a pan. Then add the black mustard seeds and cumin seeds in the pan. 
2. When the seeds start to crackle, add the urad dal, chana dal, curry leaves, red chilies, and green chilies. Stir continuously over a medium flame untill the dal turns golden.
3. Now add the hing / asafoetida and turn off the stove. Pour the tempering to the curd rice and mix well.
4. Now add the ginger, cashews, and cilantro. Mix well.
5. South Indian style curd rice is ready to be served. Garnish the curd rice with fruits.
6. Serve the curd rice lukewarm or chilled. This dish works great at the end of a meal. 
7. South Indian pickles, papad or salad compliment this dish very well.

Tips:

• Use as fresh curd as possible.
• Make sure to cool down the rice before adding the yogurt.
• For a tangier taste, add more yogurt. For a creamier taste, add more milk and butter.
• Don't add fruits, vegetables, or nuts in advance. It can change the color of the yogurt rice.
• You can also add the ginger into the saute instead of adding it later if you want.
• Adding a few chopped onions in bigger slices will help the curd rice from fermenting when required to be preserved.
• Garnishing varies with region, and range from grated carrots, cucumber, pomegranate seeds, raisins, seedless green and purple grapes, fried cashewnuts, pineapple pieces, coconut, apple, raisins, grated raw mango and boondi.
• Chill the leftovers. This makes a great lunch to take to work the next day.
• You can replace white rice with brown rice, steel cut oats, rolled oats or millets to add some variations.