Curd rice | Thayir saadam | Dhein pongal

Curd rice is such a staple dish in most homes and most South Indians love to finish off their hearty meal with this hearty buttery curd rice. Some love it simple with the plain curd mixed with rice. Some like it the buttermilk way. But many love this tempered curd rice. I have seen many kids and even many adults who can live for days with just the curd rice!

You can enjoy your curd rice to your hearts content with just a simple lemon or mango pickle. Or even mango thokku. Curd rice with mor milagai vathal is another combo I go crazy for. Buttery curd rice with spicy melt in mouth potato roast is just heaven. Curd rice with mango slices, slurp! Enough said! So much yummy combinations.

To ramp up the healthy content, you may add grated carrot, cucumber or chopped raw mango pieces to this curd rice. You may also add fruits like pomegranate, grapes and small pieces of apple, pineapple. 

(The curd vs the buttermilk debate! Elders often suggest you to have buttermilk rather than the thick curd. Buttermilk is low in fat and is digestible more easily.Also you are advised not to have curd rice later after the evening but buttermilk can be had. Thick curd is said to produce body heat after consuming, but buttermilk cools your body. As a sign of hospitality, still it is a tradition in most places to offer buttermilk to guests rather than water as buttermilk can cool them down from the scorching heat outside!) 

A bowl of buttery curd rice with some pickles is just what I want for a lazy weekday lunch :)

Ingredients

1 cup rice

2 cups water, 2 cups milk

Lots of coriander leaves (I will never attempt to do curd rice if I'am not stocked with enough coriander leaves!)

1 ts finely grated ginger

1/2 cup thick yoghurt

For tempering

1 ts mustard seed, 1/2 ts urad dal

2 green chillies (slit opened), 2 red chillies (broken)

Pinch of hing, pinch of pongal perungayam (very essential)

Few curry leaves

Preparation

- In a pressure cooker add a cup of rice with 2 cups of water and 2 cups of milk. Add little salt. Pressure cook for a whistle in high flame and cook for three more whistles in simmer. Let the air subside by itself. After the air is released open the lid of the cooker. (Cooking rice with milk rather than adding later enhances the taste of the curd rice)

- While the rice is still warm add the finely chopped coriander leaves and grated ginger. Give a good mix.

- While the rice cools down prepare the tempering.

- Heat oil in a small kadai. While the oil is hot add mustard seed, urad dal, and curry leaves. After they sizzle add green chillies, red chillies, hing and pongal perungayam.
(There are three varieties of hing/ asafoetida/ perungayam - the regular perungayam, katti perungayam and pongal perungayam. Pongal perungayam has more flavor than the regular hing/ asafoetida and is used in the seasoning for the preparation of South Indian pongal varieties)

- After the rice cools down add the thick yoghurt. (Never add yoghurt to the hot rice) Add 2 cups of water. Also add the tempering. Add little salt if needed. Give everything a good mix.

- Allow the rice to get heated up in simmer for around 5 minutes. (This is my mom's tip. The final heating of the rice makes the curd rice stay fresh even for a day and doesn't turn sour. This way, you can pack your curd rice for your travel and be rest assured that your rice will stay good for the rest of your travel)