Curd Rice Recipe (Restaurant Style)

In South India, Curd Rice is considered to be a true comfort food. 

It is simple in essence; all you need to do is mix vegan milk and yogurt with rice. Then, you temper it using a combination of sharp spiciness from sweet ginger, mustard seeds, tangy fresh curry leaves, crunchy urad dal, and the pungent heat of dried red chilis. 

The dish is then topped with bursts of flavor from zesty fresh cilantro and pomegranate. 

This dish goes by many different names, including Mosaranna in Kannada, Dahi Bhaat in Marathu, Yogurt Rice in English, and Thayir Saadam in Tamil.

Even though the recipe can vary considerably depending on the location and the specific family, each one shares common characteristics of similar methods and ingredients. 

With this in mind, this article will explore everything you need to know about Curd Rice and how to make your own at home. 

Let’s get started. 

Ingredients

Cooking the Rice

• 1.5 cups of water (for pressure cooking) 
• ½ cup of rice (100 grams of any short-to-medium-grained rice 

Other Ingredients 

• ¼ cup vegan milk (optional) 
• 1 cup (250 grams) Curd (vegan yogurt) 
• 1 teaspoon ginger, finely chopped 
• 1 green chili (½ teaspoon), finely chopped 
• 1 tablespoon cilantro leaves, chopped 
• 1 teaspoon curry leaves, finely chopped 

For Tempering

• ½ teaspoon mustard seeds 
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil (gingelly oil) 
• 5 to 6 curry leaves, chopped or kept whole 
• ½ teaspoon urad dal (split and husked black gram dal) (optional)
• ⅛ teaspoon asafoetida (hing)

For Garnish

• 1 tablespoon cilantro leaves, chopped 
• 1 to 2 tablespoons pomegranate arils (optional, you can use sweet grapes, too)

Instructions 

Cooking the Rice

• Using water, rinse the rice grains a couple of times. Then add your rice to a 2-liter stovetop pressure cooker or Instant Pot. 
• Add 1.5 cups of water and mix well. 
• On medium heat, pressure cook the rice for 5 to 6 whistles (8 to 9 minutes) or until the rice has cooked and softened. 
• Once the rice has naturally settled, remove the lid and check its consistency. 
• The rice should be softer than what you’re used to cooking; it should be more on the mushy side. 
• Using a vegetable mashed or a spoon, mash the rice. Then, close the cooker and allow the rice to cool to lukewarm or room temperature. 

Making the Curd Rice

• Once the rice has completely cooled or come to room temperature, you can then add the fresh vegan curd and milk. 
• Mix everything together and break up any lumps. Here, you can either use a masher or spoon to help you. 
• Add the finely chopped curry leaves, finely chopped ginger, chopped cilantro leaves, and chopped green chilies. 
• Here, instead of adding the curry leaves and ginger, you can opt to fry them in the tempering stage. 
• Add a pinch of salt and mix well. Then, set it aside for later. 

Tempering 

• In a small pan or Tadka pan, heat the pot before adding the sesame oil. Here, you can use sunflower oil or peanut oil instead of sesame oil. 
• Once the oil is hot, reduce the heat. Then toss in the mustard seeds – allowing them to heat until crackling. 
• Then you can add the urad dal. This step is optional and can be skipped if desired. 
• On low heat, fry the urad dal until it becomes golden. 
• Then, you can add the asafoetida and curry leaves. Mix thoroughly. 
• Turn off the heat and pour the tempering into the curd rice mixture immediately. Then mix well. 
• Serve the curd rice with pomegranate arils, cilantro leaves, or grapes. 
• Store any leftover curd rice in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. It is best eaten on the same day.

Our Tips For Making Curd Rice

• Use leftover rice – This is the perfect recipe to make the most of your leftovers. Before you add the vegan milk and yogurt, your rice has to be cool. Therefore, leftover rice is perfect for achieving this. 
• Use short-grain rice – Ponni or Sona Masoori rice works perfectly here. You should avoid using long-grain rice, such as Basmati. 
• Ensure the rice is cool – It is very important to make sure the rice is completely cool before you add the vegan milk or yogurt. 
• Serve chilled – While you can eat curd rice straight after tempering, it tastes best when left to be chilled in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. 
• Use oil for tempering – Instead of using a boring sunflower oil or vegetable oil, opt for something more flavorful to achieve maximum flavor. For instance, you can use coconut oil, groundnut (peanut), or gingelly oil.

How to Store Your Curd Rice

You can store your curd rice in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Make sure you store it in an airtight container. Plus, keep in mind that it isn’t suitable for freezing. 

Curd Rice Variations

• Make it creamier – Some people like to add additional ingredients to make this dish even more creamier. While this recipe only uses vegan milk and yogurt, you can opt to add vegan cream or butter to the rice for some extra indulgence. 
• Add vegetables – Add finely chopped or grated vegetables to the recipe, such as beetroot, carrots, cucumbers, onions, or bell peppers. Not only does this add more nutrition, but makes for a delightfully colorful dish. 
• Add nuts – During the tempering stage, you can add some nuts to the mixture. They provide the dish with a nice crunch while adding some extra nutritional value, too. Here, peanuts and cashews work well. 
• Use a different grain – While short-or-medium-grain rice is the traditional option, you can mix up your curd rice by adding Poha (Flattened Rice), Cauliflower Rice, or Brown Rice. 
• Add some spice – In addition to adding dried red chilies, you can add some finely chopped green chilis to increase the heat. 

Final Thoughts

Curd Rice is the ultimate comfort food in India and can be made with a few simple ingredients. Not only does it taste delicious, but it’s simple and nutritious too. 

So, the next time you want a creamy bowl of goodness, follow our recipe and whip up a batch of vegan curd rice for the family.