South Indian Curd Rice | Thayir Sadam (Yogurt Rice)

Learn how to make authentic curd/yogurt Rice, South Indian style by following this easy recipe. Also known as Thayir Sadam or Dahi Bhaat, it's a delicious dish made with yogurt and rice that's easy to digest. The tempering or tadka elevates the flavors. Make it in just 10 minutes if you have cooked rice ready!

South Indian staple food

Curd Rice is one of the staple foods of South Indian cuisine. It is a simple delicious meal made with rice and yogurt with or without a tempering on top. It is also made in other parts of India and it has various names - Thayir (curd) Sadam (rice) in Tamil, Daddojanam in Andhra Pradesh, and Dahi (curd) bhaath/chawal (rice) in Hindi.

The consistency of yogurt rice is like a loose porridge. The gains are not separate like one would want for biryani or pulao. It's more like one homogenous mixture. It's a comfort food that's easy and light on the stomach which is why it is safe for babies as well as elderly people.

My parents and grandparents would have this towards the end of the meal. The cooling yogurt helps counteract the spice and heat from the other dishes consumed before like sambhar rice and rasam rice.

Trichy memories

Being a Tamil Brahmin, I have been a fan of thayir sadam all my life! I feel my grandmom made the best curd rice - slightly runny, salty, and refreshing, paired with the tangiest homemade mango pickle! During our summer vacations, we would always visit my mom's maternal house in Trichy and stay there for nearly a month. We would look forward to this trip all year.

I would accompany my aunt (mom's younger sister) who was a teacher, to her school. My granny would pack Thayir sadam with homemade mango pickle and roasted papad. Sitting with her under the shade of a tree, listening to a story as she fed me curd rice is one of the most precious moments that I have shared with my favorite aunt.

Why make this

Indian-style yogurt rice is one of the most preferred meals to pack for lunch, especially during summer.

• Quick, easy, and simple to make
• Great way to use leftover rice
• Safe to eat for toddlers (with reduced spice) as well as the elderly
• Can easily be made vegan and gluten-free
• Packed with flavors
• Calcium, vitamins, and carbs make it a complete meal
• Can be made ahead of time

Many health benefits

Consuming dahi bhaat regularly aids in digestion because it contains probiotics, antioxidants, and beneficial fats. It also helps cool down the body, especially in summer. Ending a meal with a small portion of curd rice every day can work wonders for you. It's generally considered healthy, and safe to consume when you have stomach upset, acidity, or digestion problems. It also helps with weight loss and induces sleep.

Curd, Dahi, or yogurt - Use homemade plain and unsweetened curd for this recipe. You can also use the Desi Dahi brand that you get at Indian grocery stores. Homemade Indian curd is the best for this recipe. It should be fresh and not taste sour. You can also use regular or Greek yogurt. Just thin it down a bit by adding little water.

Buttermilk can also be used. Read my notes below to see what to use if you are vegan. Note - While both Curd and Yogurt contain probiotic bacteria, the quantity of bacteria in Yogurt is higher as compared to Curd. You can use either of them in this recipe. The curd or yogurt can be made using full-fat milk or you can use fat-free or 2%.

Rice - Any variety will work in this dahi bhaat recipe. Use Sona Masoori, Surti Kolam, Basmati, or even Jasmine rice. You can either cook it fresh or use leftover cooked rice in this recipe. In fact, in our homes, we always use leftovers. If cooking it fresh, then overcook it a bit.

Milk - Not many are aware that we also add whole milk to our yogurt rice. Milk adds flavor, prevents it from turning too sour or tangy, and helps it last longer.

Spices - Green chilies, black mustard seeds, urad dal, fresh curry leaves, cilantro or coriander leaves, and asafoetida (skip or use gluten-free asafoetida to make this recipe gluten-free) are some other basic ingredients that will add so much flavor to this recipe.

Some also like to add pomegranate arils, carrots, cucumber, and/or onions to this rice and yogurt dish. But I usually make it without these ingredients.

Oil for tadka - You can use any vegetable oil, coconut oil, or ghee for tempering.

1. The first step is to cook rice. You can either cook it fresh or use leftovers. Then transfer the lukewarm rice to a mixing bowl. Mash it slightly.
2. Add yogurt to the bowl. You may or may not whisk it before adding it. Then pour milk into the bowl and add salt.
3. Heat oil in a tadka pan (some also like to use ghee), temper mustard seeds, and urad dal and asafoetida. Then add finely chopped cilantro, green chillies, and curry leaves. Fry for 30 seconds and then pour this tadka over the prepared yogurt rice.
4. Mix it all together. We mix it by hand as that makes a lump-free, homogenous mixture. But if you're not comfortable, use a spoon. Then store it in the fridge till it's time to serve.

Serving suggestions 🍽

Dahi Bhaat tastes best when served cold or at room temperature. Do not heat or warm it as it can break down the curd, destroy the friendly bacteria and affect the texture. In a South Indian household, Thayir sadam is usually the last thing we eat at lunch or dinner. It helps with digestion. It's mostly eaten with an Indian pickle on the side.

However, we also eat thayir sadam as a meal. KR likes to have some fried mor milagai on the side. He swears by this combination. Do try it. You can also serve it with some sambhar, rasam, or dal along with Potato Fry. We go for thayir sadam if we have had a heavy meal before or have come home after a vacation.

In fact, it is also a great food for road trips. Pack it in airtight containers and take it with you on the go! Also serve it for lunch, dinner, or brunch. Thayir sadam is also offered as prasadam in temples and during festivals like Janmashtami. To make temple-style thayir sadam, use freshly cooked rice and not leftovers.

South Indian rice recipes