Chicken Soup for My Soul- Curd Rice!

twinsmom · Sep 23, 2007

I have read many bloggers waxing eloquent on one particular dish in the past - The Curd Rice. In the world of burgers and pizzas this dish may be considered an anachronism…but as far as I am concerned, there is hardly any food to beat the therapeutic effect of a good plate of curd rice.

If the south Indians can proudly patent any of their idiosyncracies, it would definitely be this. Call it the Thayir Saadam, Masaranna, Bagala Bhaath or simply the utterly homely ‘thayirinjaam’ as it is called in Tam-Bram household, it is for me an
irresistible panacea. A rose by any name would smell as sweet…and curd rice by any nomenclature would taste as divine.

The best thing about curd rice is that one does not require formal training to make it. For an ideal Curd Rice, the rice has to be cooked rather well… The more mashable the rice is, the better the taste. For that taste that will bring a glazed look into the eyes of a seasoned gourmand, the curd has to be fresh. Mashed rice and beaten fresh curds should be made for each other. Then comes the ultimate secret. Salt. The amount of salt added should be so precise that it doesn’t upset the alliance of rice and curds.

Basically, that is IT! Your curd rice is ready. Eat it with lemon pickle, mango ( baby mangos pickled as vadumanga, or midi or kadugumanga) pickle and be ready to be transported to the seventh heaven of sheer pleasure!

But if you want to be ostentatious about your curd rice experience there is a wide choice of seasoning.

Simply season it with spluttered sarson, urad daal and curd chillies ( thayir moLagais)

Garnish with finely chopped grated coconut, green chillies, fresh ginger, kadi patha and dhaniya patha.

Eat it with Marathankalikkai vathal fried in ghee.

Eat it with dry Naarthagai Pickle

Garnish with finely diced cucumber, raw mangos, green grapes or pomegranate seeds ( fresh)

As seasoning optional add chana daal, a pinch of hing.

Chop onion, tomatoes green chillies, ginger, dhaniya patha and kadi patha finely, Heat a spoon of ghee; add sarson, urad daal and the chopped things fry till onion and tomatoes are done and pour into the prepared curd rice mix.

Eat it with pickled greenpepper.

Try even weirdo combinations like Pappads, Chutney Powder or even the ‘Rasaththadi’.

Eat with Magani kkizhangu ( mahaliberu ….or sarsaparilla)pickle.

I have found that though the curd rice is a favourite among southies, all my North Indian friends also relish it. It is always a part of my parties.

If I am low or moody, all I need is a helping of curd rice to pick me up again. On hot summer days, it keeps me cool and during winter, it warms the cockles of my heart.

I recently saw advertisements for KRD RYS… I hope I got the spelling right… it looked something like that…may be I was not paying much attention as I was watching South Indian actor, Prakash Raj ( Rai) hungrily… Not because he is one of my favourite actors in Tamil but because, he was devouring the new brand of Curd Rice to hit the market.

I was so thrilled to see that somebody had finally managed to successfully commercialize something that was hitherto essentially a domestic experience. Am sure it will be a hit.

We get thick buttermilk called Laban here in the <?XML:NAMESPACE PREFIX = ST1 /><ST1LACE>Middle East</ST1LACE>. It is ideal for making Curd Rice. It is fresh and thick and ready for use; unlike in the case of yoghurt which needs to be beaten or whisked first.

Like I said earlier anyone with a little sense can make a decent Curd Rice… But sadly I have tasted disastrous curd rices too… Well…It takes all kinds to make this world. The most sacrilegious thing you can do to Curd Rice is to make it with sour curd. And then to serve it with old pickle is like adding insult to injury. Still, the rhythmic call of ‘Thayir saadam, thayir sadam…thayir sadam…” in Aaarkonam, Erode and Salem Stations when you try to grab a few winks inside a train is an unforgettable experience.

My memories of curd rice are of school days, when during lunch hours , I’ll open the steel dabba ( lunch box) and spoon in cold curd rice and pickle. Yummm! Or of Mom making her special Pulav and a curd rice and Aloo roast as accompaniment… or of the curd rice mixed by a mom or grandma or grand-aunt in a big vessel and give helpings to us children… or mixing a rather loose version of curd rice for small kids and little scoops you push into your kids’ mouth as they zoom around driving imaginary cars and trucks… Or just curling up on the sofa with a plate of curd rice pickle, a bottle of water to swig from and the TV tuned to your favourite channel or balancing the book you are in a hurry to finish… Hmmm… I could go on and on!

So now you know my secret. I take solace from my comfort food- Curd Rice.

Jananikrithsan · Sep 23, 2007

Hi twinsmom,
That was a slupry!!!! make me go hungry again post. There are few people who do not love this divine dish. The ways to be eaten or pointers brings backgood old memories.
Hurry to Thyair Sadam!!!!!!!! Joining you in taking solace.

Shanvy · Sep 23, 2007

hi tm,

Curd rice...wow....you know what...veda makes the best curd rice.:2thumbsup:...but ofcourse i should not give the whole credit to him...i follow the simple trick...you are making curd rice alone...just add half a glass of milk and a piece of crushed ginger to the rice with a little extra water to allow it to cook well....then the aroma of ginger/milk and rice mixture..........hmmmmmmhm..........then comes in veda...asking for salt, laban...and then seasoning...add few more green chillies....add few more curry leaves...by the time he finishes.....i am all red.....

We make a fruity curd rice also adding green grapes, pineapple pieces, and all...

but the moment it is on the table...it just evaporates into thin air...in case of parties, family /friends.....
but in our families if you eat curd rice alone...we are called more sathathu muthaal..
you made me nostalgic....and also missing curd rice...it does not turn out the same way.................

Vysan · Sep 23, 2007

Dear TM,

That was great..... I never thought the thayir sadam can be made such a great.... The KRD RYC company could have asked you for writeups / phamplets... I mean it very seriously as nobody can give a better way of presentation.... You really made me hungry and my mouth watering thinking of the curd rice... and it is my favourite with mango Avakkai pickle...

Dear Shan, thanks for your compliments.......

Veda

chitrajan · Sep 23, 2007

Hi,

I call it comfort food.

Like Shanvy said soft rice, good curds and a little milk with thalippu as per choice, there is nothing to beat thayir sadam :tongue . It is so popular at home that it is on the weekly menu for lunch to office. :yes: All the more so during summer. Only thing is that I have to take two dabbas that day to office so that I get enough :mrgreen: for myself.

It is the best food to feed kids, available everywhere and no hassles. And the list of accompaniments, which you have provided, it is just great. I remember my summer holidays at my athai's place in Madras with my cousins, when she used to give us nila sappadu in our hands and each of us had our own piece of banana leaf with the oorugai or curry on it to go with the rice. Even now, I am able to pacify my son saying that I will mix curd rice for him with mor milagai thalithal.

A watery version of thayir sadam - pazhayadhu on summer mornings is the next best thing - with small onions + coriander. Like you said, I can also go on and on.

I just now had rotis/subji for lunch (at office) and am drooling for thayir sadam. Have to wait till I reach home though.

kanaka Raghavan · Sep 23, 2007

That post was mouth watering.Nothing to beat our curd rice well garnished,with either avvakai pickle or vaddu mangai or fried appalam.I still remember we used to simply grab the last urrandai when it is given by hand.Simply out of the world............

Anandchitra · Sep 24, 2007

Dear TM
thanks for again a very nice mouth watering post. i know my son and husband will agree with every word bec. they are thayir sadam fans. though i don tmake everyday i get it across. we have a very good brand of buttermilk and yogurt called friendship which gives the best thayir sadam ever. my son has made put the "recipe" of making curd rice in scrapbook so he can make by himself. though i've tolda him million times thers no secret to making thayir sadam no he's convinced there is. so to the mystery of curd rice!!!!!!

Blondie · Sep 24, 2007

Mmmmm yummy perugu annam (common name) or daddojanam (fancy name).
the eternal picnic food. Good to know it as comfort food.

My comfort food is pappu annam with neyyi and fresh roti thokku ( chutney made in the stone grinder)

I am experiencing synesthasia as i write this.

good going......

sathya · Sep 24, 2007

hello viju

i am a chicken soup for the soul
fan
minus the real chicken..
i'm veg
luckily it said curd rice....

arakkonathilum
bangarpettaiyilum
thayir saatham
kooval...
saathathil kanamal pona
thayirai
thedugiraargalo?
athukku per thayir satham
enraal....paavam puthiyavargal

some years back
a singh was
demonstrating
how to make
thayir shaddaam
sounded so much
like saddam hussain...!

thachi mammukku
eedundo
athuvum
amma kaiyal
oottinaalum
urutti koduthaalum
karaithu koduthaalum
inbamo inbam
ninaithale...
pasikkum....!
ingu vagai vagaiyay
thokku irukku
vettuvom vaanga

sathya

Nivedi · Sep 24, 2007

Hi Twinsmom,

Here's a toast for a bowl of cool yummy curd rice!

Tastes, styles and preferences change with time. But that does not apply to curd rice. For me curd rice and vepallakatti is an all-time favorite. Curd rice with dried narthangai is also wonderful. One may travel across countries and continents and get to savour exotic cuisines, but nothing to beat the humble curd rice.