Curd is an essential part of Indian cuisine. In the north, you have your lassi or chaas, in the south, the love of curd rice. According to food historian K T Achaya, the importance of curd in our culinary history goes back to prehistoric. Curd rice as a dish actually had a mention in the Rig Veda, Shrikhand was around before the birth of Buddha and by 1000 AD it was regularly used in cooking. Curd-based marinades for meat are also used by people from all backgrounds and were even mentioned in the Arthashastra. Where so many staples of Indian cuisine are actually imports from medieval invaders, curd is a part of India.
Curd Rice originated in the Southern part of India, most probably in the state of Tamil Nadu, where it is called “Thayir Sadam“. It is offered as to devotees in temples as well as enjoyed as a staple meal. In Telegu it’s known as ‘Daddojanam’ in Telugu and Orissa has a similar dish named “Pokhalo”. Similarly in Bengal, there is ‘Doi-Bhaat’, in which chilled sour curd is served with cooled rice, along with a generous helping of sugar and a dash of salt.
While Curd Rice in any form is usually touted as a summer dish that helps beat the heat, curd rice has health benefits that can be taken advantage of year-round. It has probiotic properties that help with digestion. It also provides a lot of energy without feeling heavy on the stomach. This adaptation with fresh cucumbers is a great midday snack to fuel you up for the day without causing discomfort. It’s also best to make it with leftover rice, which makes this recipe really easy to whip up quickly.
Ingredients
- 1 cup leftover rice
- 2 tbsp Yoghurt
Tadka
- Oil
- 1 tsp chana dal
- ½ tsp urad dal
- ½ tsp mustard seeds and Jeera
- ¼ tsp hing
- 1 green chilly
- 5-7 Curry leaves
- ½ grated cucumber
- 1 tbsp freshly chopped coriander leaves
- Salt as required
- Pinch of sugar
Method
- In a bowl add rice and yoghurt and mix
- In a pan heat oil add chana dal and urad dal, and let it fry for a minute
- Add mustard seeds and hing, green chilly followed by curry leaves
- Add grated cucumber and coriander leaves.
- Sauté it for 30 secs.
- Add this tadka over rice and curd
- Sprinkle some sugar and dig in!