Curd Rice

 How often do you have the kids groaning about eating? 'I am tooo tired to eat', ' cant eat, braces hurting', ' not feeling like any dinner', 'canker sores , cant eat' Innumerable excuses and problems. One answer 'Curd Rice' , its nutritious, light, easy to cook and digest. Since the rice is squishy and soft , its over in a few gulps. This was also a staple in our packed lunches for picnics.Mum's simple recipe was to temper the semi liquid milky rice preparation and by afternoon the curd would have set the rice well. That way it would not get sour and would not be too dry.

The classic curd rice , Thair Sadam ( tamil) , Dahi Bhaat ( Marathi) Taakka Sheeth ( Konkani)
This works out best with rice that has been overcooked. So lets begin with the cooked rice

2 cups of overcooked rice( if using leftover rice, just add 1/4 cup water and cover and cook for 5 mins)
1 1/2 cups yoghurt
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp grated ginger
2 dried red chillies broken
a pinch of mustard seeds, asafoetida,
5-6 curry leaves
salt to taste
1/2 cup milk ( optional)

cool the rice. Mix in the yoghurt, milk, salt .Heat oil , when hot , add mustard seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves and red chillies. Add to the rice and mix well. You can add finely chopped cucumber and chill in in the summers.
In winter add the curd-rice mixture to the hot oil tempering and stir gently on a very slow flame ( This variation is courtesy Kala).
The konkani's like to make the yoghurt-milk ratio 50:50 which is my favourite.
Enjoyed best with Pappad ( roasted or fried udad dal pappads, or roasted red chilli pappads, smeared with a little coconut oil) , stuffed green chillies , lemon pickle.