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Active Time:15 minsTotal Time:15 minsServings:6Jump to Nutrition Facts
Active Time:15 minsTotal Time:15 minsServings:6
Active Time:15 mins
Active Time:
15 mins
Total Time:15 mins
Total Time:
Servings:6
Servings:
6
Jump to Nutrition Facts
Jump to recipe
This Simple Yogurt Rice Is My Ultimate Comfort Food
A bowl of savory, cool yogurt rice, studded with black mustard seeds and fried curry leaves, is my ultimate comfort food. It is the dish that reminds me most of home. My granny’s home, my mother’s home and now my own home after a long trip away. We all have these treasured dishes from childhood, served in bowls on laps, to be devoured on back porches and verandas or simply eaten leaning against the kitchen counter. Ask any South Indian person, no matter how far they’ve wandered from their original roots, and they will tell you that nothing is more transportive or rejuvenating. When my cousin-sister Rajni gave birth, the first thing I did was put a pot of rice to boil and make sure we had enough yogurt and spices so I could take it to her in the hospital that very day.
Yogurt rice can be made for pennies—it’s really just yogurt (usually homemade), rice and salt, all items that are always on hand in an Indian household. You can add a variety of ingredients to embellish it, from pomegranate seeds to diced and fried ginger to cucumber to dried hot chiles refried and added before serving. Some add fresh green chiles, but others swear only red will do. My mother makes dozens of variations, and my granny makes totally different ones. Every family has their preferences, and we all have our favorite achars or pickles to complement our beloved curds and rice.
Cook Mode(Keep screen awake)Ingredients2cupscooked brown or white basmati rice, at room temperature1 ¾cupswhole-milk plain dahi (see Tip) or yogurt½teaspoonkosher salt¾cuppomegranate arils¾teaspoonblack mustard seeds¼teaspoonasafetida powder (see Tip)1/2-1 medium green chile with seeds, preferably serrano, diced5mediumfresh curry leaves1tablespoonwhite gram lentils (see Tip)2tablespoonscanola oil
Cook Mode(Keep screen awake)
Ingredients
2cupscooked brown or white basmati rice, at room temperature
1 ¾cupswhole-milk plain dahi (see Tip) or yogurt
½teaspoonkosher salt
¾cuppomegranate arils
¾teaspoonblack mustard seeds
¼teaspoonasafetida powder (see Tip)
1/2-1 medium green chile with seeds, preferably serrano, diced
5mediumfresh curry leaves
1tablespoonwhite gram lentils (see Tip)
2tablespoonscanola oil
Directions
Combine rice, dahi (or yogurt) and salt in a medium bowl; knead together with your hands or a fork. Stir in pomegranate arils.
Heat oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat until shimmering. Add the lentils and cook until just beginning to turn golden, about 30 seconds. Reduce heat to low. Add the mustard seeds and asafetida powder. Stir until you hear a popping sound, then add the chile and curry leaves. Stir for 30 seconds, then remove from heat.
Pour the mixture over the rice mixture and stir well with a spoon. Garnish with additional fried curry leaves, if desired. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
TipSometimes called “curd” in India, dahi is yogurt that’s fermented at a lower temperature for longer than other yogurts, giving it a rich and silky mouthfeel. Look for it in well-stocked grocery stores.Look for asafetida powder and white gram lentils at Indian grocery stores or online.
Tip
Sometimes called “curd” in India, dahi is yogurt that’s fermented at a lower temperature for longer than other yogurts, giving it a rich and silky mouthfeel. Look for it in well-stocked grocery stores.Look for asafetida powder and white gram lentils at Indian grocery stores or online.
Sometimes called “curd” in India, dahi is yogurt that’s fermented at a lower temperature for longer than other yogurts, giving it a rich and silky mouthfeel. Look for it in well-stocked grocery stores.
Look for asafetida powder and white gram lentils at Indian grocery stores or online.
To make aheadRefrigerate for up to 2 days.
To make ahead
Refrigerate for up to 2 days.
EatingWell Magazine, October 2021
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Nutrition Facts(per serving)199Calories8gFat27gCarbs5gProtein
Nutrition Facts(per serving)
- Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.
