“The sound of curds falling on a heap of rice is the loveliest sound on the planet,” wrote the Indian creator R.Ok. Narayan of curd rice, a dish so easy that its identify doubles because the recipe. Narayan, a staunch vegetarian, referred to as his favourite dish a “cleaning meals,” and in 1956 made himself a bowl after by chance consuming pepperoni, which he mistook for tomatoes.
Named thayir sadam in Tamil Nadu, mosaranna in Karnataka, and dahi chawl in North India, together with infinite different monikers, the humblest expression of curd rice incorporates the recipe in its identify: leftover rice and chilled curd or prebiotic yogurt are mixed, salted, and promptly eaten. However lashings of tadka, the torrent of spices and curry leaves bloomed in oil, remodel the combination right into a deeply savory dish. Due to its probiotic and cooling properties, curd rice is a salve for intense warmth and digestion, and is as important to Indian summer time as kesar mangoes.
A Southern Indian proverb affirms that no meal is full with out a minimum of a chunk of curd rice.
The dish originated within the area between the sixteenth and ninth century B.C. Historical Vedic texts regarded the dish as becoming for the gods, as a temple providing, and for man. Initially, although, solely the aristocratic Brahmins, or the ruling class, had entry to dairy. The plenty settled for a humbler model, changing the curd with water, which softened the rice right into a soup and prevented it from going rancid. As yogurt grew to become extra accessible, individuals started including curd to the combo. At this time, curd rice in its numerous types crosses all class divides and is loved equally in road stalls and high-end eating places.
Whereas it’s not as ubiquitous in different elements of India, Northerners took on the deal with as an antidote for sweltering climate. In my Northern Indian dwelling, my mom reserved it for days that referred to as for additional consolation, like once I had a abdomen ache or received braces and couldn’t chew. Nonetheless, a bowl of curd rice felt like a scrumptious comfort prize for having a tooth extracted — I’d feign discomfort for days after I healed for a repair.
Within the U.S., curd rice is more durable to return by, largely present in properties and Southern Indian eating places. In 2020, when Vice President Kamala Harris mentioned in a second of diasporic unity that she, too, grew up consuming curd rice, I promptly went to the kitchen and made myself a bowl.
The practically no-cook dish comes collectively simply at dwelling and works with most something. The Tamil iteration of the dish — zapped with tempered mustard seeds, white lentils, dried chiles, and curry leaves — is the most well-liked type, however there’s no improper technique to make curd rice.
I combine equal elements cooked white basmati (day-old rice works greatest) with Greek yogurt and salt earlier than including grated uncooked greens like cucumber, carrots, or beets. I then warmth a tablespoon of canola oil in a small pot and add 4 to 5 curry leaves with dried chiles and a pinch every of turmeric and mustard seeds. Any type of chile works, as do purple pepper flakes, and you too can go for ghee, coconut oil, or avocado oil as an alternative of canola.
Curd rice is a superb vessel for pomegranate seeds, coleslaw combine, or roasted broccoli. Cashews, walnuts, peanuts, and pepitas give the dish much-needed texture and a crown of kale chips, fried onions, dried coconut, fried okra, or crushed papadums present extra crunch. Whereas mango, lime, or inexperienced chile pickles dripping with mustard oil are historically added in South Asia, I’ve opted for harissa for warmth. For added zing, I’ve chopped pickled jalapeños, kimchi, and giardiniera into my curd rice and completed it with herbs like cilantro, mint, and dill.
Though the dish has rice in its identify, you may skip rice altogether by utilizing grains and greens to make a distinct iteration of this consolation meals. I’ve served farro blended with roasted tomato and purple pepper curd at a cocktail party. Sauteed, riced cauliflower makes a hearty base for a carb-free curd “rice” studded with masala peas. For mix-ins, nearly something goes — from braised beans to gobi aloo, or cumin-laced cauliflower and potatoes, to a jar of chickpeas. Çılbır, or Turkish poached eggs, evokes my favourite rendition: I combine the garlicky yogurt with rice earlier than including the runny eggs, herbs, and a beneficiant drizzle of Aleppo butter.
The naturally lumpy texture of curd rice might invoke uncertainty, however fried curd rice is bound to transform even the largest skeptics. The recipe requires cooking whipped yogurt, which frivolously lacquers every grain of rice very similar to egg or mayonnaise in fried rice. For tahdig-inspired curd rice, pan fry chilled, pressed cubes of basmati or sushi rice till golden and slather with a peppery, dill-specked yogurt. This showstopper of a aspect pairs superbly with fatty roast salmon, meaty tomato-based braises, and extra.
Sure, curd rice is thought for the reprieve it supplies from summer time warmth, however it’s a dish that may be loved yr spherical. As we head into fall, I can’t wait to eat curd rice served over heat butternut squash daal or tangy pumpkin sabzi.
Mehr Singh is a meals and tradition reporter based mostly in New York. Her work seems in Bon Appétit, Food52, and different publications.
