Never been a big fan of curd rice, but need that as part of menu for picnics or huge gatherings. Many times it gets assigned to me without my knowledge. My curd rice is always such a flop. What is there to it, just curd and rice? No, even that got to taste ’could I have another serving please’. Finally, got the hang of it after numerous attempts. The batch I made last evening tasted perfect at last! Here it is for my next time.
5 cups raw white rice (long grain preferred)
5 thai chillies
2″ piece ginger
Half+ gallon milk
1/4th bunch of cilantro leaves, finely chopped
Salt to taste, I added about 3 leveled tsps
Oil, mustard seeds and curry leaves for seasoning
Yields about one full half tray + another half of a half tray. Enough to serve 40 people.
Boil 1/3rd gallon milk and make curd out of it the previous night. Cook rice on the softer side. I would say, add water enough to cook 7 cups of raw rice. Spread it out in a big open dish, mash slightly and let it cool. Add a full cup of water and salt to the rice followed by all that curd. Use the hand blender to coarsely grind ginger and chillies. Heat about 3 tbsps of oil and season it with mustard seeds. As soon as they start popping, add the ginger+chilli paste. Saute for a few seconds. Remember not to add the raw paste to rice. Sauteing does two things here – removes that raw taste and even more important, gets that ginger flavor and that chillies’ bang in to the seasoning oil which then spreads evenly into the whole rice. Add this and cilantro to the curd rice and mix thoroughly. At this point you might need that extra milk you set aside. It has to be in a loose dropping consistancy. The rice absorbs most of it and in a few hours it gets to that right smooth creamy texture.
