After a long, tiring working day, coming home and savouring a bowl of delicious curd rice can bring sheer joy and comfort. Curd rice or thayir sadam as it is known in southern India is a dish that brings together rice and fermented yoghurt into a healthy and filling dish. This simple recipe is full of protein and carbohydrates and is a complete and nourishing meal in itself. Curd rice can be paired with pickles and papad but most times, it is gobbled down as a one-dish dinner or a side at lunch that becomes a way to close a sumptuous meal.
Mixing curd and rice together carries a history of local and regional culinary evolution that is generations old. Curd rice has been a staple food in Indian cuisine for years and has been advocated by our ancestors as a nourishing and healthy soul food. This is because, its culinary delights notwithstanding, curd rice is also extremely nutritious and has numerous health benefits. One of these is the role that a curd rice dish can play in cutting down on excess fats.
A meal that can be had any time during the day, curd rice increases metabolic rate which can quicken the process of fat burning and help you to shed those stubborn excess calories. Moreover, curd rice is also a very fulfilling meal which induces satiety and prevents the risk of overeating that can put further pressure on the body and induce weight gain. The cooling properties in the curd blend well with the starchy rice to provide the body with adequate energy without overdoing on calorific intake. Here are some ways in which curd rice can help to burn away excess fat stores:
1. Improves Gut Bacteria: Curd is rich in probiotics which means that the live bacteria in the curd work on gut flora to strengthen the internal lining of the intestines. This not only smoothens the digestive process but also ensures an increased metabolic rate that can help to enhance the speed of fat burning, leading to a shedding of those excess kilos.
2. Increases Energy: Curd rice is a complete meal that provides the body with a good dose of energy. This means that a bowl of curd rice contains carbohydrates that break down into glucose in the body and pump it with energy. Without overdoing on other foods and simply eating a bit of curd rice can work wonders on the body, helping it to remain energetic while cutting down on intake of extra calories.
3. Reduces Stress: Curd rice has cooling properties which help to relax the body. It is light on the stomach which means it is digested quickly without overloading the system. These relaxing properties also help to reduce overall stress levels in the body, keep mental health in order and reduce the risk of rising kilos due to stress or anxiety-induced binge eating.
4. Aids Detoxification: Curd rice not only helps to keep blood pressure in check due to its high content of magnesium and iron but its antioxidant content also helps to detox the body. Curd rice can reduce oxidative stress and rid the body of harmful materials that could be causing bloating or flatulence. When these aggressors are inhibited, it helps to quickly drop excess kilos.
5. Reduces Inflammation: If you are experiencing too much body heat or internal inflammation as a result of lowered immunity, eating curd rice can act as a cooling agent that soothes tissue swelling. Reduced inflammation also means a strong immune system which helps to protect the body against infections. A healthy body can work towards improving its metabolic rate, thereby aiding a weight-loss regime.
Along with eating right and exercising regularly, adding certain foods to your diet can then help to boost fat loss while ensuring that the stomach is satiated and full. Curd rice is one such dish that can get rid of your hunger pangs without inducing a feeling of heaviness. It requires little effort to make a bowl of curd rice and you can even use some leftover rice to make this delicious dish. Mixed with a tempering of curry leaves, dried red chillies and some mustard, it also becomes a comfort food that is too tempting to resist. There are varied recipes to make the curd rice, each one developed over the years to suit the preferences of every household. Read on below for a simple recipe for making curd rice:
Ingredients:
1 cup steamed rice
½ cup curd
1-2 tbsp milk
3-4 curry leaves
½ tsp mustard
½ tsp cumin
1-2 tsp urad dal
2 small dried red chillies
Salt to taste
Oil for tempering
Method:
1. In a bowl, add steamed rice and separate it to avoid any lumps. Add curd, salt and milk and mix well with your hands.
2. In a small kadhai, add some oil. Once it is heated add mustard seeds.
3. When the mustard begins to pop, add cumin, curry leaves, red chillies, urad dal and let the mixture sizzle until the dal turns brown.
4. Pour this tadka over the curd rice and slowly mix it in. Your curd rice is now ready to be savoured.