Curd Rice

Warm cooked rice stirred through cool yoghurt and tempered with mustard seeds, curry leaves and dried chilli: the definitive South Indian comfort food, eaten last in a meal to cool the body after spiced dishes

Origin: Tamil Nadu, Karnataka & Kerala, South India

From the journey of Rice.

Curd rice is one of the oldest preparations in South Indian cuisine, referenced in ancient Tamil Sangam poetry. In the Hindu tradition it is considered the most auspicious food, offered to deities, served as temple prasad, and always eaten last in a South Indian meal to cool the digestive system after spiced dishes. Known as thayir sadam in Tamil and mosaranna in Kannada, it is the food of convalescence, of comfort, of homecoming. In Karnataka it is traditionally finished with pomegranate seeds and grapes; in Kerala it often accompanies a banana leaf meal as the final, cooling course.

Ingredients

Base

  • 300 g cooked short-grain or sona masuri rice, slightly warm
  • 250 ml plain full-fat yoghurt
  • 3 tbsp whole milk
  • salt, to taste

Tempering

  • 1 tbsp neutral oil
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 2 dried red chillies
  • 10 fresh curry leaves
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
  • 1 green chilli, finely chopped

To serve

  • pomegranate seeds and fresh coriander, to garnish (optional)

Method

  1. Mash the warm cooked rice lightly with the back of a spoon; you want it slightly broken down but not completely smooth.
  2. Whisk the yoghurt with the milk until completely smooth. Stir into the warm rice. Season generously with salt.
  3. Heat oil in a small pan over medium-high heat. Add mustard seeds and cover; let them pop for about 30 seconds.
  4. Add dried red chillies and curry leaves; they will crackle and splutter. Add grated ginger and green chilli and stir for 30 seconds.
  5. Pour the tempering immediately over the curd rice and fold through gently. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and fresh coriander if using. Serve at room temperature or slightly cool.
The Gastrographer

The Gastrographer

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