Sunday 13 April 2014

Curd Rice / Plain rice in seasoned Yogurt

Curd Rice / Yogurt Rice is a popular rice dish in South India. Unsweetened natural yogurt is called as Curd in India. Curd rice is prepared by mixing plain yogurt to the steamed mushy paste like rice and then seasoned. It is served with pickle and it is part of the south Indian everyday meal. Most of the families end their lunch and dinner with a cup of seasoned curd rice. Curd rice is comfort food for many.



Curd rice can be served plain or you can add grated carrots, pomegranate , grapes to it. I have been to a close friend's wedding. They serve authentic south Indian Meals for weddings here. I love fruit pachadi and curd rice they serve at the wedding. Curd rice I tasted at this particular wedding was awesome. It was not sour, it was very creamy, melt in mouth texture, perfect seasoning. Inspired by the wedding curd rice, here is a recipe from a close friend of mine.

Ingredients 

  • 1 Cup Raw Rice
  • 3 and 1/2 Cups water to cook rice
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 Cup Thick natural curd / Plain Yogurt (homemade curd tastes always best )
  • 1 Cup Milk
  • 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter

Tempering

  • 1/2 Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Urad Dal
  • 1/2 Teaspoon finely chopped ginger
  • 1 Teaspoon finely chopped green chillies
  • 1 Teaspoon or more finely chopped cilantro leaves
  • 5 to 6 Curry Leaves
  • a big pinch of Hing
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Sesame seed oil

Directions : 

1. Pressure cook 1 cup rice along with 3 and 1/2 cups of water and 1/2 Teaspoon salt. Cook on low flame for 5 to 6 whistles. The goal here is to cook rice totally mushy , almost like a cooked rice paste

                                   

2. Let the rice cool completely. You can spread the rice on a wide large plate and allow it to cool completely
3. Using a fork break all the lumps in cooked rice. At this stage, the cooked rice should look like a pudding with no lumps at all
4. Prepare tempering : Heat oil in a pan. Keep the flame on the lowest heat settings. When the oil is hot, add mustard seeds. Let them splutter. Then add urad dal and fry until they just start changing color

                              

5. Add ginger, green chillies, cilantro leaves, curry leaves and fry until the curry leaves are crispy. Add hing and switch off the flame
6. Add the prepared tempering to the mashed rice


                                 


7. Add curd, milk and butter to the rice and mix well

                                 


8. Check for salt and adjust according to your taste

9. Serve immediately with pickle. If you are going to serve it later, do not add milk at this stage. Add milk only at the time of serving. If you are going to pack curd rice for lunch box, then add 1/4 cup Curd and 1 and 1/2 cup milk instead of the original milk, curd quantity. This is done to ensure that the curd rice doesn't turn sour by lunch time
 

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