Craving a light and comforting dish after a long day? South Indian yogurt rice turns simple leftover rice into a creamy, tangy bowl that feels like home. I often make this dish when I want a quick dinner that doesn't take much effort but still brings comfort. My kids especially love it when I add grated carrots or a cucumber for a colorful twist.
If you'd like to cook basmati rice that stays soft and fluffy even after refrigerating, check my Basmati Rice 101 guide for soaking and water ratio tips.
Simple Steps, Big Comfort
For me, this recipe is more than just a quick fix. It's the dish I turn to when I want something soothing and balanced. The tempering makes it aromatic, while yogurt brings cooling comfort.
The magic of yogurt rice lies in how quickly it comes together using leftover rice. If you are new to cooking rice, my Instant Pot Basmati Rice or rice cooker basmati rice recipes can help you get the perfect texture.
Soft, well-cooked grains are key to creamy yogurt rice. You can also refer to my basmati rice water ratio guide to adjust the water for the rice variety you use.
Happy Cooking!
-Sravanthi
Detailed Steps
Here are the detailed steps to make this simple curd rice recipe.
Step 1: In a bowl, gently mash the cooked rice to break up the lumps. Add yogurt and salt.
Step 2: Add milk and water(if needed) and mix well to form a creamy base.
Step 3: In a small pan, heat the oil and add the mustard seeds.
Step 4: Add cumin seeds, asafoetida (hing), and let them splutter.
Step 5: Now add peppercorns and fry until aromatic.
Step 6: Then comes the red chili, slitted green chili, and cashews (if using). Reduce the quantity of green chili to make it less spicy.
Step 7: Finally, add the curry leaves and let them fry till aromatic.
Step 8: Pour this tempering over the rice-yogurt mixture and mix gently. Adjust consistency with water or milk if needed and serve immediately.
Serving Tips
I often serve yogurt rice as a simple dinner with just pickle and papad, but when I want to make it more wholesome, I add sides like steamed veggies or curries. Here are a few ideas:
- Pair with any of these Indian vegetable curry recipes for a complete meal.
- Add steamed veggies to make it filling. Try my Instant Pot steamed veggies method to steam the veggies of your choice quickly.
- Mix in raw or steamed sprouts for a protein boost. I prefer steaming sprouts in an Instant Pot.
- Serve with crunchy papad or pickle for a quick comfort food.
- I sometimes grate a carrot and a cucumber and mix them with the curd rice.
Recipe
South Indian Yogurt Rice - Curd Rice using Leftover Rice
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Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked rice Basmati rice or any short grain rice also works here.
- 1 cup yogurt
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup water
- 1 teaspoon oil
- ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon asafoetida hing, optional
- 10 curry leaves
- 1 green chili slit
- ¼ teaspoon whole peppercorns
- 5 cashews optional
Instructions
- Lightly mash cooked rice in a bowl to remove lumps.2 cups cooked rice
- Add yogurt, milk, water, and salt. Mix until creamy.1 cup yogurt, ½ cup milk, ½ cup water, ½ teaspoon salt
- Heat oil in a small pan. Add mustard seeds, cumin, hing, curry leaves, chili, peppercorns, and cashews. Fry until aromatic.1 teaspoon oil, ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds, ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds, ⅛ teaspoon asafoetida , 10 curry leaves, 1 green chili, ¼ teaspoon whole peppercorns, 5 cashews
- Pour tempering over the rice mixture and mix gently.
- Adjust consistency with milk or water as needed. Serve immediately.
- Pair yogurt rice with Indian vegetable curry for a balanced and satisfying meal.
Notes
- Add an extra ½ cup of milk or yogurt if packing for lunchbox to keep it creamy until lunchtime.
- Add grated carrots, cucumber, or boiled sweet corn to make it more colorful and filling.
- Steamed sprouts or vegetables can also be added for an extra nutritional boost. Check out my Instant Pot steamed veggies and Instant Pot steamed sprouts recipes for quick steaming using an Instant Pot.
Nutrition
Do you also make yogurt rice at home? I'd love to hear how you serve it, plain, with veggies, or alongside a curry. If you're looking for more inspiration, check my leftover rice ideas post to use your leftover rice and make a delicious meal out of it. You might also enjoy my Lemon Rice or Indian Spinach Rice (Palak Pulao); both are quick, flavorful ways to use leftover basmati rice in a different way.
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Su says
Hi thanks, I wanted to know if I could add yoghurt to leftover cooked rice and your site popped up. I add the yoghurt and a bit of cinnamon and honey to make a nice dessert.
Sravanthi Chanda says
Thank you for sharing the feedback! And I loved the idea of adding honey and cinnamon, I will try it this time and I think my kids would love this.