Indian Curd Rice with a spiced tadka is the most creamy and comforting dish to spruce up that leftover rice in the fridge. It tastes extra decadent with whole milk Greek yogurt and with a side of potato fry and mango pickle.
Tips to make the best curd rice
Yogurt rice, curd rice, or thayir sadam in Tamil is a creamy and delicious rice dish that is mixed with thick yogurt and topped with a spiced tempering called tadka or thalipu to flavor the yogurt rice throughout. Curd rice is a pretty easy recipe to make but there are a few tips from turning a good curd rice to a great one...
- Overcooked rice is great for this recipe - I know that this may seem unintuitive but overcooked is great for this recipe! The rice for curd rice it is lightly so it melds with the yogurt so overcooked rice works perfectly for this recipe.
- Good quality yogurt makes a difference - Curd rice is fairly simple with just a few ingredients so it is important to choose a good quality yogurt which will make the yogurt rice taste extra creamy. Checkout Straus Family Creamery's Whole Milk Greek Yogurt Plain which you can find in your local grocery store which is so thick and luscious and full of protein.
- Add more milk and yogurt the rice absorbs the liquid - The consistency of yogurt rice should be close to that of a porridge. It should have a high of of yogurt and milk ratio to the rice. What happens as the rice sits with the liquid is that it absorbs a lot of liquid, so make sure to add additional milk and yogurt in order to loosen the curd rice.
- Tadka makes the dish decadent - The tadka or spiced tempering adds levels of depth to this dish.
- Salting the yogurt is important - The biggest mistake folks make when making yogurt rice is not salting the rice and yogurt. It is so important to do this so you can taste all the other vibrant components that get layered in later!
Tadka for Curd Rice
Tadka, thalipu, chhonk, or tempering are all names for the flavor bomb created when spices are bloomed in a fat. The tadka is added to the dish which adds layers of depth and flavor. Here are the ingredients in my tadka and what they add to the dish...
- Vegetable oil
- Fresh chilis - I love using freshly chopped Fresno or Thai chilis for heat in this recipe. You can alternatively use dried arbol chilis which is a more subtle heat. If you don't like spice, use serranos, or remove the seeds from the chilis.
- Ginger - Freshly grated ginger is crucial to a delicious curd rice. The ginger has a peppery and fresh taste that perfumes the oil and the resulting rice.
- Curry Leaves - Curry leaves are an aromatic that is so hard to describe to someone who hasn't tasted them. They make South Indian food taste like South Indian food. It is a deeply nutty, fresh, and earthy leaf that completely transforms the curd rice. Make a trip to your local Indian store to get a packet of these.
- Cumin Seeds - Whole cumin seeds are a nice warmth to the tadka
- Mustard Seeds - Mustard seeds add a complex earthiness and slight bitterness to the dish.
Curd Rice Inclusions
There are so many varieties and additions to make your curd rice special. Here are some of the most popular additions...
- Pomegranate Seeds - Pomegranate seeds in the winter add a pop of color and fresh sweetness to the curd rice.
- Raw Mangoes - Pickled raw mangoes or pickled anything tastes amazing and adds a burst of acid to the creamy dish.
- Cucumbers - Diced cucumbers add crunch and freshness to curd rice
- Shredded carrots - Shredded carrots add a pop of color, slight sweetness, and an extra dose of veggies!
- Sour cream - If you are looking for an extra tangy and decadent curd rice, add a scoop of sour cream!
- Roasted Peanuts - Traditionally, split urud dal pieces are added to curd rice. However, I use freshly roasted peanuts which are easier to find, versatile, and add a bigger crunch.
What to eat with curd rice
Curd rice is one of those dishes that my mom would pack for lunch with side dishes to accompany it. It is the perfect dish that pairs with so many different side dishes. Here are some ideas for what you can pair with curd rice...
- Mango, lime, or garlic pickle - Great way to add spice and tang to your curd rice
- Appalum, papad, or fryums - These Indian crunchy cracker that acts as a crunchy side.
- Potato fry - Who doesn't love fiery masala coated potatoes to eat with a cooling curd rice. You can checkout the recipe for masala roasted potatoes here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Refrigerating curd rice is the best way to keep it from souring too quickly. In addition, adding milk will reduce the amount of sourness in curd rice.
Make sure that the rice is cooled before adding yogurt to the curd rice. This helps prevent any curdling that may occur.
Almost any variety of rice like basmati or a short grain rice will be great for curd rice. However, overcooked rice is preferable for this dish to achieve a porridge-y consistency.
A good quality yogurt is must for curd rice as it is the star of the dish. My preferred yogurt is whole-milk Greek yogurt which is rich, thick, and provides the extra protein needed in my diet.
Curd rice pairs really well with spicy Indian pickles like mango or lime pickle or crunchy appalam or papad snacks. In addition, it goes well with Indian potato fry or spiced vegetable dishes.
Include a combo of mustard seeds, cumin seeds, grated ginger, and curry leaves for the tadka. In addition, you can add freshly chopped chilis for extra heat in your curd rice. You can checkout the exact recipe and quantities down below.
As the curd rice sits in the fridge, the rice absorbs more of the liquid causing the curd rice to be dry, hard, or too thick. Simply mix in more yogurt and milk to the rice to refresh it to your preferred consistency before enjoying.
Indian Curd Rice with Tadka
Ingredients
- ½ cup basmati rice uncooked
- ¼ cup peanuts preferably with skin on and toasted
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup whole milk
- ½ teaspoon sea salt plus more to taste
- cilantro as garnish (Optional)
Tadka Ingredients
- 1 ½ teaspoons ginger freshly grated
- 1 fresno or Thai chili finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ¾ teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 5-10 curry leaves
Instructions
Prep Ingredients
- If you are starting with cooked rice skip this step and proceed to step 2! Rinse ½ cup basmati rice in a bowl. Use your hands to swish the rice around and help release the starches which will rise to the top of the water. Drain the starchy water and repeat this process until the water is nearly clear while rinsing. Add rice and 1 ½ cups water to an Instant Pot or rice cooker and cook on the rice setting for 10-12 minutes. We intentionally add excess water to yield a rice that is slightly “overcooked” and is easily mashable.
- Grate 1 ½ teaspoons ginger using a microplane or finely crush ginger using a mortar and pestle.
- Chop 1 fresno or Thai chili.
- Dry toast ¼ cup peanuts on the stovetop on medium heat. Constantly stir until peanuts are golden brown. Sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt while the peanuts are still warm.
Main Steps
- Transfer cooked rice to a bowl and allow it to cool. Add 1 cup Greek yogurt, ¼ cup whole milk, and ½ teaspoon sea salt to the rice and lightly mash and mix rice with other ingredients.
- Make tadka: In a small saucepan heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil on medium heat. Add ¾ teaspoon mustard seeds and 1 teaspoon cumin seeds to the oil and sauté for ~1 minute or until the seeds start sizzling and popping in the oil. Add grated ginger and chopped chilies and sauté for another 30 seconds or until the ginger gives off its aromatic scent. Add the 5-10 curry leaves which will pop in the oil and immediately turn off the heat.
- Pour the tadka over the yogurt rice and thoroughly mix. Taste the yogurt rice and add additional salt to taste.
- Garnish with finely chopped cilantro and toasted peanuts and enjoy.
Notes and Tips
- Curd rice goes great with mango pickle as well as masala roasted potatoes.
Nutrition
*This post is a sponsored post by Straus Family Creamery.
Ilmu Forensik
Is it good if added with corn, sliced beans, sliced carrots?
Shri Repp
Adding carrots is something folks typically add but not corn or beans. I would say go for it and see what you think 🙂
Shri Repp