Hearty and delicious curd rice is made by mixing cooked rice with yogurt, salt, and seasoning. This traditional dish is a South Indian staple and is a part of almost every meal.
Jump to:
Curd rice or mosaranna is a simple, comforting dish made with rice and yogurt. Mosaru means yogurt, and anna means rice in Kannada. In Indian English, curd actually means plain yogurt.
It is called mosaranna in Kannada, thayir sadam in Tamil, daddojana in Telugu, dahi bhaat in Marathi, and dahi chawal in Hindi. This dish is also an important part of festivals and celebrations. It is also offered in South Indian temples as 'prasadam' (food offered to the deity).
Why you will love this recipe
- Curd rice is a popular South Indian dish known for its cooling and soothing properties, making it perfect for hot days or as a side dish in a spicy meal.
- This recipe is incredibly easy to prepare, requiring minimal effort and ingredients.
- Curd rice can be prepared in advance, stored in the refrigerator, and served cold or at room temperature, making it convenient for meal prep.
Ingredients
Rice: Any Indian variety of rice works for this dish.
Yogurt: I use plain yogurt to make this dish.
Tempering (seasoning/tadka): The tempering is prepared with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, chili, ginger, curry leaves, chana dal, and urad dal.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Wash the rice well in a saucepan and add fresh water. Bring it to a boil and let it cook (images 1 and 2). The rice for this dish should be slightly overcooked than the regular steamed rice. Let it cool completely (images 3 and 4).
Step 2: Heat ghee and add mustard seeds. Add cumin seeds, chana dal, urad dal, curry leaves, ginger, and green chili. Stir fry briefly (images 5 and 6). Add cashew and fry until it is lightly golden - about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the tempering cool completely (images 7 and 8).
Step 3: Once the rice is cooled, add yogurt, salt, and water (images 9 and 10). Mix well (image 11). Add the cooled tempering (image 12).
Step 4: Next, add coconut, pomegranate seeds, grapes, and cilantro. Mix well and serve (images 13-16).
Expert Tips
Let the rice overcook. The softer the rice is, the creamier the curd rice will be.
It is best to use freshly cooked rice. Do not use leftover or cold rice that is sitting in the fridge.
Make sure both the rice and tempering are cooled completely.
Don't cut the grapes, as they will fall apart in the curd rice. Add them as a whole.
You may add some milk to add more richness. You can also use cooked red rice or millet to make this dish.
Serving suggestions
This dish tastes very good with papadam and any Indian pickle of your choice. Here are some side dishes that pair really well with it. I love to serve it with this delicious tomato pickle, curd chilli, smashed potatoes, or stuffed okra. They also taste so good with these Bombay potatoes or air fryer baby potatoes.
Recipe FAQs
In India, curd actually refers to unsweetened plain yogurt. Making yogurt at home is a ritual in most South Indian households. Curd/yogurt is a part of breakfast, lunch, dinner, and lunch boxes. Be it summer or winter, this is an important part of daily food. Curd is made by bacterial fermentation of milk. Typically, lukewarm milk is mixed with some curd starter and is left to ferment. If a curd starter is not available, a stem of green chili is used to begin the fermentation process.
To store curd rice, transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to two days. However, it's best enjoyed within a few hours of preparation to maintain its ideal texture and flavor.
More South Indian rice recipes
If you tried this Curd Rice Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Recipe card
Curd Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup rice
- 2 cups yogurt
- Salt to taste
Tempering:
- 2 teaspoon ghee (use store-bought or homemade ghee)
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 2 dried red chili
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon split black gram urad dal
- 1 teaspoon Bengal gram chana dal
- 6-7 curry leaves
- 1-2 green chili finely chopped or as per taste
- ½ teaspoon ginger paste
- 2-3 tablespoon cashew
Everything else:
- 2 tablespoon fresh coconut grated
- ¼ cup pomegranate seeds optional
- 8-10 grapes optional
- 2 tablespoon cilantro chopped
Instructions
Cook the rice:
- Wash the rice well in a saucepan and add fresh water. Bring it to a boil and let it cook until it is completely done.
- The rice for this dish should be slightly overcooked than the regular steamed rice. Let it cool completely.
Make the tempering (seasoning/tadka):
- Heat ghee in a frying pan. Add mustard seeds and let it splutter
- Add cumin seeds, chana dal, urad dal, curry leaves, ginger, and green chili. Stir fry briefly.
- Add cashew and fry until it is lightly golden - about 2 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and let the tempering cool completely.
Mix:
- Once the rice is cooled, add yogurt, salt, and water. Mix well.
- Add the prepared tempering, coconut, pomegranate seeds, grapes, and cilantro. Mix well and serve.
Comments
No Comments