Meals · Tamil Nadu

Curd Rice

Tamil Nadu's thayir sadam: soft rice mashed into cool curd with a crackling mustard and curry leaf tadka. The best use of leftover rice.

Prep 5 min · Cook 5 min · Total 10 min · Serves 2

Ingredients

Rice

• 1 ½ cups Cooked rice
• 1 cup Plain curd (yogurt)
• ¼ cup Milk
• ¾ tsp Salt

Tadka

• 1 tbsp Oil
• ½ tsp Mustard seeds
• ½ tsp Urad dal
• 1 Green chilli, finely chopped
• ½ inch Ginger, finely chopped
• 1 sprig Curry leaves
• 1 pinch Asafoetida
• 2 tbsp Coriander leaves, chopped

Method

1. Soften the rice. If the rice is from the fridge, sprinkle it with 2 tbsp water and microwave for a minute until soft and warm. Mash it lightly with a spoon.
2. Mix. Let the rice cool to room temperature, then stir in the curd, milk and salt. It should be loose and creamy; add a splash more milk if it's thick.
3. Temper. Heat the oil in a small pan. Add the mustard seeds and urad dal, and when the dal turns golden, the chilli, ginger, curry leaves and asafoetida. Pour it over the rice.
4. Serve. Stir in the coriander. Eat now or chill for an hour. The milk stops it going sour, so it keeps in the fridge until the next day.

Tips

Mix the curd into rice that's cooled, not hot, or it turns grainy and sour. Pickle on the side is not optional in Chennai.