Try The Comforting Bowl Of Goodness With Curd Rice Recipes By Chef Kaviraj Khialani

The Rig Veda mentions a curd rice dish. In Vedic times, curds were eaten as an accompaniment to rice. The first references to shrikhand came around 500 BC (or even before the birth of the Buddha.) By 1000 AD, curd was regularly used in cooking. Curd rice, also called yogurt rice, is a dish originating from India. The word "curd" in Indian English refers to unsweetened probiotic yogurt. It is most popular in the South Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh; and also in Maharashtra. Consuming curd rice helps to restore healthy microbial balance which, in turn, helps in better digestion. Rice helps bulk up stools and relieve diarrhoea as well.” Curd is a good source of protein. It is also a good antioxidant and has high contents of calcium. Consuming curd rice on a daily basis helps fight disease-causing bacteria and also keeps your digestive and intestinal tract safe. All credit goes to the live active cultures found in the curd. Some also ask, Is curd rice a brain food? Well, now you can say that eating curd rice actually boosts your brain activity and makes you happier! See, curd has this unique amino acid called tryptophan, which is an essential compound for the human body.

Curd Rice cools the body: Curd rice should ideally always be eaten cold. Curd is a natural fire extinguisher that cools the body and helps maintain internal body temperature. Thus if you're feeling feverish or if it's simply a very hot day, try some curd rice. Recommended by dieticians and nutritionists, curd rice is one of the healthiest lunches that you can eat to lose belly fat quickly. Curd rice is extremely light, easy to make, and delicious and works as a great dish for weight loss. The good bacteria in the curd help in aiding digestion and keep the stomach light.

Tryptophan is an amino acid that promotes sleep and is found in small amounts in all protein foods. It is a precursor to the sleep-inducing compounds serotonin (a neurotransmitter), and melatonin (a hormone) which also acts as a neurotransmitter). While there are varied stories which talk about the first existence of curd as well, how was curd first prepared? According to a popular legend, while travelling across a desert, some Turks kept milk in a goatskin bag and slung it across the back of a camel. On opening the bag a few hours later, they found that it had been transformed into a thick, tangy custard. And while every coin has two sides, there are a few side-effects too of consuming curd rice too often in some people which include, Curds can be heavy for some people, which can lead to constipation. The problem occurs with heavy intake only. Curds provide strength to bones and teeth, but people who already have arthritis should avoid eating curds on a regular basis. It increases joint pain. Curd contains high amounts of calcium which helps in keeping the BMI levels in check. Probiotics present in curd keeps the digestive system in check and improves metabolism, thus facilitating the weight loss process. One more query asked quite often is can we eat curd rice at night time? First one, don't eat curd at night. Yes, the Ayurveda medicines teach us that consuming curd at night is not good because it leads to mucus development. In general, and especially if you are suffering from a cough and cold. Then, say No to Curd at night.

The American Dietetic Association believes that curd works as an excellent fat burner. According to various researches, dahi helps in losing weight due to the high amount of calcium present in it. Being a very rich source of calcium, curd helps in keeping BMI at healthy levels and body weight in check. A lot of people believe that starting a day with a bowl of curd rice works well, for those who want high energy but low calories in their breakfast, this health option will definitely fit the bill. According to experts, one bowl of flattened rice along with curd has just 300 calories along with other essential nutrients. Curd rice is extremely healthy, especially if consumed during the summer months. Its rice is protein, calcium and minerals, and it has good fats from the curd, milk and tempering.

Here are a few easy to make my version of curd rice recipes with a little twist of taste to try out by our readers:

Recipe-1] FRUITY CURD RICE

Ingredients:

Rice – 2 cups boiled, white/ brown.

Oil/ ghee- 2 tsp

Hing- ¼ tsp

Mustard seeds- ½ tsp

Chana dal- 1 tsp

Slit green chilies- 2-3 no

Ginger juliennes- 1 tsp

Curry leaves- 10-12 no

Salt to taste

Sugar- ½ tsp

Curd- 2- 3 cups, beaten.

Assorted seasonal fruits- pomegranate/ strawberries/ chickoo/

Peaches/ plums/ mangoes etc

Mint leaves- 8-10 no

Coriander leaves- 2 tbsp. chopped

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the curd rice recipe as listed and choose the variety of fruits to be used, we can also use dry fruits like raisins, cashews, almonds, dried apricots etc as well.

2. Cook the rice well, allow it to cool, ideally I prefer the draining method of cooking rice by which the unwanted starch is drained out once the rice is cooked, it makes the rice lighter as well.

3. In a bowl, combine together the beaten curd, salt, sugar and mix well, add in the cooked cooled rice and mix, add in little cold milk if needed to adjust the texture of the mixture, also add in the cut fruits as desired, fresh and dry can be combined as well, allow to rest for 10-15 mins in the fridge ideally.

4. Lastly to add the tadka/ tempering heat up some oil /ghee in a pan add in the tempering ingredients one by one allow them to splutter/crackle and pour that mixture into the curd rice mixture and give it a light mix, chill for another few mins and enjoy the bowl of goodness.

Recipe-2] COCO NAKA CURD RICE

Ingredients:

Rice – 2 cups boiled, white/ brown.

Oil/ ghee- 2 tsp

Hing- ¼ tsp

Cumin seeds-1/2 tsp

Dried red chilies- 2-3 slit

Sliced shallots/ onion-1 small

Salt to taste

Sugar-1/2 tsp

Ginger -1 tsp juliennes

Fresh grated coconut- ½ cup

Thick coconut milk/ cream-1/4 cup

Curd- 2 and a half cups, beaten.

Mint leaves- 10-12 no

Coriander leaves- 2 tbsp. chopped

Roasted/ fried – crushed peanuts- 2-3 tsp.

Fresh pomegranate seeds- 2-3 tbsp. for garnish

Assorted fresh fruits can be used like sliced ripe banana/ kiwi/ dragon fruit etc.

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the curd rice recipe.

2. Cook the rice well, allow it to cool, ideally I prefer the draining method of cooking rice by which the unwanted starch is drained out once the rice is cooked, it makes the rice lighter as well.

3. In a bowl, combine together the beaten curd, salt, sugar and mix well, add in the cooked cooled rice and mix, add in little coconut milk /cream along with fresh grated coconut, some fruits, if needed to adjust the texture of the mixture, allow to rest for 10-15 mins in the fridge ideally.

4. Lastly to add the tadka/ tempering heat up some oil /ghee in a pan add in the tempering ingredients one by one allow them to splutter/crackle and pour that mixture into the curd rice mixture and give it a light mix, add in the crushed peanuts, coriander, mint and chill for another few mins and enjoy it.

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Recipe-3] GULSHAN- E- BAHAR CURD RICE

Ingredients:

Rice – 2 cups boiled, white/ brown.

Oil/ ghee- 2 tsp

Hing- ¼ tsp

Fennel seeds- ½ tsp

Urad dal- 1 tsp

Ginger- 1 tsp juliennes

Green chilies- 2-3 slit

Salt to taste

Sugar- ½ tsp

Mint leaves- 2-3 tbsp.

Coriander leaves- 2-3 tbsp.

Carrots- 1/3 cup grated

Capsicum-1/4 cup chopped

Raisins-2-3 tsp

Almond flakes- 2-3 tsp

Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp

Chaat masala-1/4 tsp

Golden fried onions- 2-3 tbsp.

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the curd rice recipe.

2. Cook the rice well, allow it to cool, ideally I prefer the draining method of cooking rice by which the unwanted starch is drained out once the rice is cooked, it makes the rice lighter as well.

3. In a bowl, combine together the beaten curd, salt, sugar, spices to taste and mix well, add in the cooked cooled rice and mix, add in little milk along with the prepped veggies and adjust the texture of the mixture, allow to rest for 10-15 mins in the fridge ideally.

4. Lastly to add the tadka/ tempering heat up some oil /ghee in a pan add in the tempering ingredients one by one allow them to splutter/crackle, add in the turmeric as well and pour that mixture into the curd rice mixture and give it a light mix, add in the crushed nuts, coriander, mint and chill for another few mins and enjoy it.

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Recipe- 4] TADKEDAAR CURD RICE

Ingredients:

Rice – 2 cups boiled, white/ brown.

Oil/ ghee- 2 tsp

Hing- ¼ tsp

cumin seeds- ½ tsp

chana dal- 1 tsp

Ginger- 1 tsp juliennes

Red chilies- 2-3 slit

Salt to taste

Sugar- ½ tsp

Mint leaves- 2-3 tbsp.

Coriander leaves- 2-3 tbsp.

Carrots-1/4 cup grated

Mango-1/2 cup cubed

Kiwi- ½ no cubed

Sultanas-2-3 tsp

Cashews- 2-3 tsp

Dates- 2-3 tsp chopped.

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the curd rice recipe.

2. Cook the rice well, allow it to cool, ideally I prefer the draining method of cooking rice by which the unwanted starch is drained out once the rice is cooked, it makes the rice lighter as well.

3. In a bowl, combine together the beaten curd, salt, sugar, spices to taste and mix well, add in the cooked cooled rice and mix, add in little milk along with the prepped veggies, fruits/nuts and dates and adjust the texture of the mixture, allow to rest for 10-15 mins in the fridge ideally.

4. Lastly to add the tadka/ tempering heat up some oil /ghee in a pan add in the tempering ingredients one by one allow them to splutter/crackle and pour that mixture into the curd rice mixture and give it a light mix, add in the crushed nuts, coriander, mint and chill for another few mins and enjoy it.