Curd rice (Thayir Sadam)

Curd rice is a type of rice dish that is prepared with curd, a traditional Indian cheese. The basic technique for curd rice is similar to the preparation of the more popular dish of rice with vegetables. However, curd rice differs mainly in that this dish is prepared by mixing 1 to 2 tablespoons of curd with rice and other ingredients such as boiled vegetables, green peas, boiled eggs, etc.

This simple dish has a rich history. Though the name might suggest that it is a dish of curd, it is actually made from rice that is cooked with curd. The dish has been in existence from time immemorial and is one of the most popular dishes of Maldives. Now, you can try this simple yet delicious dish with a hint of this colonial culture by clicking the link below. Enjoy!

This is one of those dishes that I absolutely love. By the way, please don’t consider it a traditional Tamil dish because it is not. I prepared it on a weekday as I had planned to make a quick snack of cornflakes and curd rice. Not a very sensible idea, I know. But I was in a hurry and didn’t have time to go to the market. I was so thrilled to find a packet of cornflakes at home. I had to use them right away—no time to heat them in the microwave.

Curd rice, a popular south Indian dish, is also one of my go-to comfort meals, particularly in the heat. Curd rice is simple, fast, and easy to make, but it offers people who like curd rice a lot of pleasure when they eat it. This famous curd rice is known by many names in Chennai and other parts of south India, such as Thayir Sadam in Tamil (Tamil Nadu), Perugu Annam in Telugu (Andhra), Mosaranna or Bagalabath in Kannada (Karnataka). Curd rice is best served with lime pickles or potato chips; it’s a simple dish that’s extremely tasty.

Most households in South India like to finish their meal with rice and curd (yoghurt) or simple butter milk. Apart from these, it is extremely popular and often used for lunch boxes and lengthy trips to avoid eating outside food and save time – since it is simple to pack and, most importantly, it can be eaten cold. This simple rice and curd (yoghurt) is seasoned and eaten at home, in lunch boxes, or on long trips throughout the summer, or any time of the year for that matter. There are many variants, and each family chooses the one that best suits their needs and tastes.

Curd rice, which is simple and fast to make and consume with only pickle or potato fry, was always in my lunch box when I was a kid. When we used to travel by train, I remember the pantry guy going to each carriage and collecting orders for supper, which might be dinners, curd rice, lemon rice, or other dishes. Aside from that, sellers will be shouting out thayir sadam, thayir sadam, which means curd rice, at train stations so that people can hear him and purchase. The curd rice is served with pickle and salt, although it may be sour due to the fact that we don’t know when it was made. As a result, most families choose to prepare this simple meal at home for vacation or lunch. If you’re packing for a trip or a picnic during the summer, use more milk and less curd, since curd will develop after a few hours. If just curd is utilized, storing it for a prolonged period of time will result in sour curd rice.

Time to prepare: 10 minutes

Time to cook: 30 minutes

Tamil Nadu cuisine

Medium spiciness

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• • 1 cup rice (ponni rice)
  • 4 cups water
  • a pinch of salt (to taste)
  • 2 cups curd (thick)
  • 1 cup of water
  • 1 cup of milk

Tadka/Seasoning

• • 1 1/2 tbsp oil/ghee
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon urad dal (optional)
  • 1/4 teaspoon hing (asafoetida)
  • 1 teaspoon ginger (chopped)
  • 15 curry leaves
  • 3 green chilies (chopped, if desired)
  • 4 to 5 dry chilies
  • a few coriander leaves (chopped)

Ingredients not listed

• 1 1/2 tbsp raisins
• 10 to 15 cashew nuts
• 2 to 3 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
• 1/3 carrot (grated)
• 3–4 tablespoons cucumber

Method

• • Soak the rice for half an hour after washing it. Rice may be pressure cooked with 4 cups of water in any pot. Cook the rice until it is extremely soft and mushy (creamy texture), akin to risotto or rice pudding, or until it reaches your desired consistency. Allow time for cooling.
  • In a mixing dish, combine curd, 1 cup of water, and milk. Make certain there aren’t any lumps. Set it aside for now.
  • Heat the pot and pour in the oil. Add mustard seeds, dried chilies, green chilies, and curry leaves when the pan is heated and let them sputter for a few seconds.
  • Finally, add the ginger and hing (asafoetida) and turn off the heat. Allow time for cooling.
  • In a large mixing dish, combine the rice and curd mixture. Mix thoroughly.
  • Mix in the spice mixture and coriander leaves well.
  • This is a basic seasoned rice recipe that is simple, fast, and convenient to make since all of the components are easily accessible, and it is suitable for lengthy trips.

Curd rice variations

• Cucumber and carrot may be added as veggies before seasoning.
• While seasoning in ghee, add the cashews and raisins. It has a nice crunch and a sweet flavor.
• Fruits like grapes and pomegranate should be added just before serving to avoid changing the color of the curd rice. Mosaranna is a dish made with raisins, cashews, and pomegranate seeds that is popular in Karnataka.
• I’ve tweaked the recipe to suit my preferences. Before flavoring the rice, I added carrot and cucumber.
• I added raisins to the ghee/oil when seasoning, but forgot to include the cashews, which I seasoned separately.
• Season the curd rice with the seasonings and chopped coriander leaves, mix well, and serve in a serving dish.
• Serve with a garnish of grated carrot, pomegranate or raisins, and green chilies.
• Your delectable curd rice is now ready to eat. Serve with a pickle of mango or lime.

Notes

• Curd (yoghurt) should never be added to hot rice since it will curdle.
• When you add enough curd to the rice, it should be extremely soft and mushy.
• If it gets hard or dry when serving, just add additional curd or milk, or a little water, to taste.
• If going on a long trip or packing a lunch, add enough warm milk to the cooked rice in the morning, along with a little amount of curd (yoghurt), and mix thoroughly. It will turn like curd rice before lunchtime, but without the sour flavor. For example, mix 1 1/2 cup warm milk with 1/2 cup cooked rice and 2 tsp yoghurt until thoroughly combined.
• Even though I’m in the UK for hot or cold weather (since my curd rice never turns sour here), if I’m going on a long trip for a picnic with friends, I make curd rice the night before, chill it, and then simply carry it. If the dish is dry while serving for lunch, just add water until it reaches the desired consistency and serve.

 

I visited a small village in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu a few months ago and was amazed by the quality of curd rice (Thayir Sadam) served at the Alangar house. The house is run by an elderly woman named Shanmugam who is a master at making curd rice. So, I decided to come up with a recipe for the dish which I would share with you all.. Read more about curd rice andhra style and let us know what you think.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Thayir Sadam meaning?

Thayir Sadam is a phrase that means I am sorry in Arabic.

How many calories are there in curd rice?

There are approximately 100 calories in a cup of curd rice.

Is curd rice good for weight loss?

Curd rice is not good for weight loss. It is high in calories, and it has a lot of sugar.

Related Tags

This article broadly covered the following related topics:

• curd rice benefits
• curd rice andhra style
• curd rice
• curd rice tadka
• curd rice recipe video