Step-wise recipe with tips to make creamy South Indian Curd rice or thayir sadam. An easy summer friendly dish that is also popularly known as South Indian Comfort food.
Curd Rice Recipe or Thayir Sadam is a quintessential South Indian Comfort Food made with cooked rice, curd or yogurt, ginger and tempered with curry leaves, mustard seeds and chilies. It is considered as one of the best summer foods and easy to digest meal for an upset stomach.
This is my mothers (or Ma as I called her) curd rice recipe, something she made and ate every single day, like most South Indians do. For her, a meal was incomplete without curd rice.
Curd rice is absolutely easy to make, requires few ingredients and tastes heavenly! Every single morsel of curd rice feels like a hug.
The recipe is naturally gluten free and uses yogurt (natural probiotic). You can use any variety of vegan yogurt and enjoy this classic South Indian dish.
I wrote this post originally in the year 2017 on my Mother's 12th Death Anniversary. I began my blogging journey that year and thought that it would be an apt dedication for her. In fond memory of Mrs. Lakshmi Iyer!
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About Curd Rice
Most South Indians cannot live without Curd Rice. They share similar sentiment about their favorite cuppa of filter coffee too.
Curd Rice is also referred as "Thayir Sadam" in Tamil (thayir - curd, sadam - rice). In Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, it is popular as Daddojanam.
Thayir sadam or dahi chawal is a popular temple food in South India. It is termed as Variety Rice and often made as prasadam for South Indian festivals like Aadi, Navaratri etc.
Curd Rice is number one choice as "travel-food". It stays fresh for couple of days (if make properly). Do read my tips for creamy curd rice and you will never make it any other way.
Tips to make Creamy Curd Rice Recipe for travel
My mother used to pack her lunch box with curd rice at 6.30am in the morning and consume it around 1pm, approximately 6 hours. Not once did the curd rice taste sour.
Let me share some of her tips, that I still follow to the T. I cannot run the risk of ruining her masterpiece.
Thayir Saadam Topped with a tantalizing Tadka or Tempering
Short Grain White Rice – Use Sona Masuri, Ponni, Kolam etc.
For a soft texture, creamy curd rice, the proportion of Rice to Water is 1: 2.5. The cooked rice should be mushy in texture and easily mashed with the back of your spoon.
I highly recommend using freshly cooked rice when packing for long distance travel. For regular use, you can make curd rice with leftover or day old rice too.
Leftover rice can turn dry, especially when stored in refrigerator. Splashing few drops of water and microwaving the rice helps in generating steam, thereby making the rice soft.
Rice can be substituted with Millets or Quinoa.
I would not recommend long grain aromatic rice for this recipe.
Milk - Milk prevents the curd or yogurt from tasting sour, especially when travelling long distance, in summer season or packing in lunch box.
Milk should be at room temperature.
Never add hot milk with rice or Hot Rice with cooled milk. It might interfere with digestion. Both the ingredients (rice and milk) should be room temperature.
Fresh Thick Curd or Yogurt - Quantity of Curd depends on the below factors.
- If the Curd Rice is for immediate consumption – Please add equal portions of milk and curd. (check the recipe below)
- If the Curd Rice is for Travel, Add 2 ½ cups of milk and ½ cup of curd only.
Always use fresh curd or yogurt, preferably not sour.
Salt is added after combining rice with milk, curd and before tempering.
Ginger - Ginger is good for the gut and especially beneficial when you experience nausea, vomiting or have an upset stomach.
I would recommend fresh ginger and not store bought ginger paste for this recipe.
Tempering consists of mustard seeds, curry leaves, chilies, and chana dal. This can be optional for an oil-free recipe.
How to make curd rice or thayir sadam
Pressure cook rice (1 cup rice = 2.5 cups of water).
Once the rice is cooled, mash it gently with the back of your spoon.
Add milk and mix well.
Now add the yogurt or curd, grated ginger, finely chopped green chilies, pink salt and mix well.
Prepare for tempering by heating a small pan, add oil, mustard seeds, chana dal, whole red chilies and curry leaves.
Pour the tempering over the curd rice, mix well and serve.
What to eat with Curd Rice?
Every South Indian loves Curd Rice with home made pickles.
Any seasonal pickle works - Instant Amla Pickle, Narthangai Pickle (Citron) and Mango Thokku are crowd favorites.
My personal preference is Curd Rice with Puli Inji.
You can pair Curd Rice with Thogayal - Thengai Thogayal (Coconut), Pudina Thogayal (Mint) and Vepampoo thogayal (Neem Flower) are great options to try.
A side of potato roast can create magic beyond words!
Frequently Asked Questions
South Indians can eat Curd Rice for all 3 meals. Some people experience cold and cough when they consume curd or yogurt at night and hence it can be easily avoided. During an upset stomach, this is one of the best dish to consume as the probiotics in curd help relieve gas, bloating and other digestive issues.
This recipe can be easily made vegan by simply substituting regular yogurt with a suitable vegan variety.
You can add finely chopped shallots (pearl onions) on top, while serving. If you don't prefer raw onions, sauté onions with the tempering and add to curd rice. I would not recommend this for travel.
Add pomegranate pearls or arils as garnish. It lends a sweet bite to the dish. Pack it separately if planning for lunch box or travel.
Other South Indian Variety Rice Recipes
Manga Sadam (Raw Mango Rice)
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Curd Rice Recipe | Thayir Sadam
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 cup Rice Ponni Rice or use any short grain rice variety
- 2 ½ cups Water For pressure cooking
- 2 cups Milk Read Notes Below
- 2 cups Fresh Thick Yogurt or Curd Read Notes Below
- 1 tblsp Ginger grated or finely chopped
- 2-3 Green chilies finely chopped
- Pink Salt or use regular table salt
For Tempering
- 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
- 1 tsp Chana Dal
- 3-4 Dry Red Chillies broken into 2 pieces
- 2 tsp Oil Use any neutral oil or Sesame oil
- A sprig of Curry leaves
- A pinch of Hing or Asafetida avoid this ingredient for GF Recipe
Instructions
- Rinse the rice couple of times and Pressure cook (1 cup rice = 2.5 cups of water) for 3-4 whistles or until the rice is soft.
- Once the rice is cooled, mash it gently using the back of your spoon.
- Add milk and mix well.
- Now add the yogurt or curd, grated ginger, green chilies, salt and mix well.
- Prepare for tempering by heating a small pan, add oil, mustard seeds, chana dal, whole red chilies.
- Once mustard crackles, add curry leaves and asafetida or hing. Switch off the stove and add the tempering to curd rice. Mix well and Serve.
Notes
- If the Curd Rice is for immediate consumption – Please add equal portions of milk and curd.
- If the Curd Rice is for Travel, Add 2 ½ cups of milk and ½ cup of curd only.
Lovely tribute to a strong woman !
Thank you so much dear 🙂
Our meal is incomplete without Curd rice.Thanks for the tips.
Absolutely. Most welcome my dear.
That looks soo divine dear!!!!
Thank you so much !!
love it
thank you so much!
Woow nice recipe and great tribute to your mom
Thanks so much... It means a lot!
my most fav comfort food!
same here !! Thank you!
Dear Vidya,
This post touched me on so many levels! When I was growing up, my Aai (mom) always made curd rice for me as I did not feel full or satisfied until I had my curd rice. I would even eat some after having dinner at a restaurant. Thank you so much for sharing your Ma's recipe and her memories with us. I know how precious these are as I treasure my Aai's recipes and memories too. She taught me how to cook, share the knowledge with others and so much more.
Love
Sandhya
Dear Sandhya Tai, Thank you so much for taking the time & going through the post. It means a lot to me especially since it was a dedication to my ma. Mothers are tremendously special, growing up we don't realise that but when we are older or when they are no more, we realise their true value & worth, their advice, suggestions & also loads of scolding which by the way is the reason we are doing well by the grace of God! Glad we both had amazing mothers who shaped us into who we are today including the love for food & cooking. Loads of love n hugs, Vidya
So true about our mothers, Vidya. Sending you love and hugs too!
Mouth watering recipe.
Thank you
Made your curd rice recipe and it was delicious. Loved it. Thank you ever so much!!
Thank you so much for your kind feedback and glad you loved the recipe.