Curd Rice: Thayir Sadam

Honestly I never had curd rice before; it was a year ago when I first ever tried it. My office colleague who is from Chennai introduced me to curd rice and its goodness.  She explained me that curd rice is a solution to any problem-be it bad tummy days, after greasy food to just a lazy meal idea.

Yogurt or curd or dahi as we call it in hindi is one super healthy ingredient. Like all milk or dairy product curd is also rich in calcium which offers us healthy bones and teeth. Curd has ‘good bacteria’ present in it which strengthens your immune system by fighting against several microorganisms that are present in the body. Consuming curd can go a long way in maintaining a healthy heart, it reduces cholesterol levels. Lastly yogurt is great booster for healthy digestion.

Rice as we know when eaten in moderation can be a good source of carbohydrates. It also contains some amount of proteins, folic acid and phosphorus. What I like about rice the most that even little quantity of rice can make you feel full.

So, when these two ingredients curd and rice combines together to form this easy peasy south Indian dish called Curd Rice the outcome is just amazing. Every now then when I want my stomach lining to cool down from the spicy Indian food I only think about curd rice. From the time I have returned back from Dubai my health hasn’t been well, from stomach problems to toothache to headaches to feeling weak-everything is going on; it is only Curd Rice that comes to rescue.

Now, I am not from south India so may be my recipe is different. I would suggest all my non south Indian friends and followers to have curd rice once in their lifetime (if you haven’t, like me ;-). It is a perfect summer meal when you don’t want to slave yourself in the kitchen. Serve it with some pickle or chutney and a papad-just perfect.

Ingredients

1 and 1/2 cups yogurt/curd/dahi

2 cups boiled rice/chawal

5 tablespoons milk/doodh

2 tablespoon oil

1/4 teaspoon asafoetida/hing

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds/sarso/rai

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds/jeera

6 curry leaves/kadi patta

3 green chillies slit

2 tablespoons coriander leaves/dhaniya

Salt to taste

Method:

In a large bowl, add yogurt, milk and rice. With potato masher, mash the rice. Add salt and keep aise.

In a pan heat oil and add cumin seeds, mustard seeds and asafoetida. Let the seeds crackle.

Add in green chillies and curry leaves. Mix.

Pour the oil tempering on curd rice mixture. Give a nice stir.

Add in coriander leaves. Mix and serve.

Notes:

Never ever serve curd rice hot. It should be served at room temperature.

You can add chopped green chillies; I added whole chillies so that I can remove it easily.

You can add channa dal or urad daal in tempering as well. I kept it as simple as possible.

Some people add water instead of milk. Feel free to add water as well.

Tricolour Capsicum Rice, Mumbai Street Food Style - Leftover Magic

Using leftover rice is easy when you have many vegetables in the fridge. Oh yes! All you have to do is chop all the vegetables and simply mix some spices to make Pulav. But lately I was not keeping well and had no strength to go and buy some vegetables. I had some leftover rice and three different coloured capsicums. Thus I made Pulav with it. I have made many kinds of rice on my blog but this one is kind of special.

Different coloured bell peppers or capsicum makes it look very vibrant. I used some pav bhaji masala to bring that authentic street food taste. I was amazed with the taste; I never thought it will be so good that I will blog about it. But trust me, sometimes less is better and this was the case here. Less vegetables and spices did the magic.

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked rice (I used leftover)

2 tablespoon cumin seeds/jeera

1 tablespoon oil

½ tablespoon Pav Bhaji masala

½ cup chopped bell peppers/capsicum/shimla mirch

Salt to taste

3 green chillies chopped

1 teaspoon lime juice

Method:

Heat oil in a pan. Once heated add cumin seeds and let it crackle.

Add chopped capsicum and green chillies. Let capsicum cook to the stage where it is slightly crunchy and yet soft.

Finally mix in rice, limejuice, pav baji masala and salt. Mix well.

Cook covered for 2-3 minutes.

Serve hot with curry, chutney, raita or pickle of your choice.

Notes:

I used leftover rice, but you can add freshly cooked rice well.

One can put any vegetables.

Try other massala like chola masala, sambhar masala, rajma masala instead of pav bhaji masala

Tatse:

Hot, crunchy and authentic Mumbai street food

Sending this for Independence Day Event at Cooking With SJ for Hudson giveway

Mexican/ Spanish Rice

A Mexican inspired dinner is not complete without a heaping side of Mexican Rice. I love the aroma of oregano and the beautiful color that kidney beans add to the dish. Oh by the way…in Mexico, this delicious rice recipe is called just rice or “arroz”.

Ingredients:

Oil – 1 Tbsp
Long Grain Rice/ Basmati Rice – 2 cups
Onion/ Pyaz – 1/2 large, chopped
Kidney Beans/Rajma – 1 can, washed and drained
Bell Pepper/ Capsicum/ Shimla Mirch – 1 medium, chopped
Garlic  Crushed/ Lehsun – 2 tbsp
Oregano – 1/2 tsp
Salt – to taste
Tomato Sauce – 1/2 cup
Water – 3 cups
Cilantro or Green Onions for garnishing

Method:

1. Heat Oil in a non-stick pan on medium heat.
2. Add Rice and saute until the rice turns a light golden brown.
3. Add Onion and saute for 1-2 minutes.
4. Add Kidney Beans, Bell Pepper, Garlic Powder, Oregano, Salt, Tomato Sauce and Broth. Mix well.
5. Allow the mixture to come to a boil, stir gently, turn the stove down to a simmer, cover the pan and cook for 15 minutes.
6. Turn off stove and fluff up rice gently with a fork.
7. Garnish with chopped cilantro or green onions.

Tip: If you do not want to use canned beans then soak beans overnight and then next day boil beans in the pressure cooker.

South Indian Flavoured Rice

South Indian Flavoured Rice is a light rice delicacy, enriched with nutrients of curd and south Indian spices. This dish is simple with the infusion of spices like curry leaves and mustard seeds. The flavour intensifies with the use of curd and the thus the taste is great.

Ingredients:

• Rice: 1 cup(cooked/leftover)
• Curd/Dahi- ½ cup
• Dry Red Chilli- 4
• Oil : 2 tblsp
• Turmeric powder/Haldi : ½ tsp
• Red chilli powder : 1-2 tsp.
• Salt to taste
• Curry leaves : 5-6
• Asafoetida/ Hing- a pinch
• Grated Coconut: - 4 tbsp
• Mustard seeds/Rai/Sarso: - 1 tsp.

Method :

1. Clean, wash and soak rice in three cups of water for twenty minutes. Drain and cook in three cups of salted boiling water till done, taking care that the rice grains remain separate.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add asafoetida, mustard seeds, curry leaves and dry red chilli.
3. Add turmeric and red chilli powder into curd and mix well.
4. When seeds start to splutter add the curd mixture in it and mix for 2 minutes. Then add the cooked rice. Mix well.
5. Garnish with coconut.

Serve with curry or chutney.        

Patties From Leftover Rice

Do you have leftover rice and do not know how to use it? Whether it's white rice or brown, don’t throw it away! Turn leftover rice into easy starter. You'll be surprised, because you won't even recognize it as leftovers. I made patties/dumplings using leftover rice and it turned out to be awesome. 

Ingredients:

·1 cup cooked rice(Chawal)

·1/2 cup chickpea flour (besan)

·1 tbsp ground peanut (moongfali)

·A pinch of turmeric powder (haldi)

·1/2 tsp green chili paste or adjust to your taste

·1/4 tsp garlic paste(Lasan)

·1/4 tsp ginger paste(Adrak)

·5 tbsp oil

·Salt if needed only as rice is cooked with salt

·1 tbsp finely chopped cilantro (dhaniya)

·1 tsp finely chopped curry leaves

·1 tbsp lime juice

·A pinch of sugar

Method:

1.Take a bowl and combine all ingredients in it (add only 2 tbsp oil)

2.Sprinkle water (if needed only) and mix all well. Keep mashing rice while mixing.

3.Make small balls or patties of the shape and size you desire.

4.Heat remaining oil in non stick pan and cook them on medium heat on both sides till golden brown.

5.Crispy ,Tasty rice patties is ready.

Serve hot with tomato-garlic chutney or mint-chilli chutney

Linking this for Leftover Makeover And Giveaway event at Cutchi Kitchen