Curd Rice Recipe

Method9 steps · about 35 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Rinse the half cup dry rice a few times in fresh rinse water and drain. Add 1½ cups measured cooking water and ½ tsp initial salt. Choose one pressure-cooker route: cook in a bowl inside the cooker to three whistles, or directly in the cooker to two whistles, until the rice is soft. Use your cooker instructions for any required water outside the bowl. Brown rice needs its few-hours soak beforehand and its appropriate cooking time.

   Uses 0.5 cup dry rice · 1.5 cup water · ½ tsp initial salt ONLY if not deferred until 3 · ample fresh rice rinse water, discard

   
2. 2

   Step 2: Let pressure release naturally and open according to cooker instructions. Mash the cooked rice lightly while hot, or fluff if you prefer less-mushy rice. If choosing the optional ¼ cup preboiled hot milk, mix it into this hot rice now. Cool the rice completely and promptly before adding yogurt.

   Uses 0.25 cup milk · rice cooked in selected pressure route, pressure released

3. 3

   Step 3: Mix 1–1½ cups yogurt into the completely cooled rice to desired consistency. If the initial ½ tsp salt was omitted from cooking, add that same dose now; do not add it twice. If using particularly thick yogurt, loosen with a little separate water or yogurt whey.

   Uses 1–1½ cup plain yogurt · ½ tsp initial salt ONLY if omitted from rice cooking · water (small extra amount only if yogurt too thick; or yogurt whey) · same cooked rice mashed/fluffed, optional preboiled milk added and cooled completely

4. 4

   Step 4: Stir in optional coriander leaves (1 tsp), grated carrot (2 tbsp) and cucumber. If choosing bottle gourd instead of cucumber, omit the raw cucumber here and cook that same vegetable quantity in 7. Taste and add separate extra salt only if needed.

   Uses 2 tbsp carrot · 2 tbsp cucumber ONLY if bottle-gourd alternative omitted · 1 tsp coriander leaves · salt (extra only to taste after combining) · cooled rice mixed with yogurt and any deferred initial salt

5. 5

   Step 5: Heat the teaspoon oil (1 tsp). Add mustard and optional cumin; when popping, add the broken red chili, optional chana dal (¾–1 tsp) and urad dal (¾–1 tsp) and optional roasted nuts. Fry gently until the dals are golden without burning the already-roasted nuts.

   Uses 1 tsp oil · 0.5 tsp mustard seeds · 0.5 tsp cumin seeds · ¾–1 tsp chana dal · ¾–1 tsp urad dal · 1 dried red chili · 6–8 roasted cashews

6. 6

   Step 6: Add ginger (0.5 tsp), green chili (1) and curry leaves (1 sprig). When the curry leaves turn crisp, add hing (1 pinch).

   Uses 1 sprig curry leaves · 1 pinch hing · 0.5 tsp ginger · 1 green chili · mustard/optional cumin, red chili, dals and optional nuts fried in oil

7. 7

   Step 7: If you prefer softer lentils, add the separate optional 2–3 tablespoons water and cook until slightly softened, adding a small extra splash only if needed. Let this water evaporate. If choosing the grated bottle-gourd alternative, add it here and sauté until cooked and its raw flavor is gone. Turn off and let the tempering cool slightly.

   Uses 2–3 tbsp water (optional dal-softening) · water (extra small splashes only for dals still too firm) · 2 tbsp bottle-gourd alternative ONLY instead of raw cucumber 4; sauté until cooked · ginger/chili/curry leaves crisp with hing

8. 8

   Step 8: Pour the finished, slightly cooled tempering over the yogurt rice and mix gently. Serve promptly; refrigerate leftovers within two hours.

   Uses same tempered spices/dals, optional bottle gourd cooked and softening water evaporated · yogurt rice mixed with optional raw carrot/cucumber and coriander, seasoning adjusted

9. 9

   Step 9: Optionally garnish the finished curd rice with pomegranate seeds.

   Uses pomegranate seeds (optional unmeasured garnish) · yogurt rice and cooled finished tempering combined