South Indian Rice with Yogurt, Mustard Seeds and Curry Leaves

Name: Rukmini Iyer South Indian Rice with Yogurt Recipe | Curd-Rice Dish
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: Serves 3–4
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 200g basmati rice; 400ml water; 500g Greek yogurt, at room temperature; 100ml warm milk; 6–7 fresh curry leaves; 1 tsp chopped ginger; 1 tbsp neutral or olive oil; ½ tsp mustard seeds; 2 dried red bird’s eye chillies; A pinch of asafoetida; sea salt flakes, to taste; shop-bought lime pickle, to serve

by Rukmini Iyer from India Express: Simple and Delicious Recipes for Every Day

Creamy and simple, but packed with subtle spice, this easy curd rice dish is perfect for a comforting midweek dinner.

Vegetarian Gluten-Free One-pot Quick

Serves 3–4

Total 30 min

Prep 10 min

Cook 20 min

Easy

Introduction from Rukmini Iyer

This recipe for curd-rice is what every South Indian mother or grandmother would make for you if you were feeling under the weather – the cultural equivalent of chicken (or indeed Heinz tomato) soup. It’s the perfect foil for a rich, spicy lime pickle (shop-bought is fine, though my great-aunt Leela makes a fantastic homemade one). A really soothing rice dish – I craved it at university and kept a jar of lime pickle in my room on the off-chance that there’d be rice on the menu in halls.

Ingredients

200g basmati rice

400ml water

500g Greek yogurt, at room temperature

100ml warm milk

6–7 fresh curry leaves

1 tsp chopped ginger

Storecupboard:

1 tbsp neutral or olive oil

½ tsp mustard seeds

2 dried red bird’s eye chillies

A pinch of asafoetida

sea salt flakes, to taste

shop-bought lime pickle, to serve

Method

Put the rice and water into a saucepan and bring to the boil, then cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid, turn the heat right down and simmer for 13 minutes. Let it cool down for 10 minutes, then gently stir through the yogurt and milk with a big pinch of salt. You want a nice porridgey consistency: not too dry, so add a little more milk and yogurt as you wish.

Heat the oil in a small frying or seasoning pan; when hot, add the mustard seeds. As soon as they start to splutter, turn down the heat and add the curry leaves, dried red chillies, asafoetida and chopped ginger. Fry over a low heat for a minute, then add to the yogurt and rice. Stir it through and serve warm with the lime pickle alongside.

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