Thairu Sadam / Curd Rice

This is one dish that is close to my heart for the reason that it transports me back to my childhood days.I have vivid memories of traveling during vacation time when we would carry packed lunch with us ,so that we can have it on the way. The vacation spots were almost always remote villages where there was nothing but wild animals and forests all around - like Marayur , Mattupetty , Bison valley etc.We would stop someplace where there was a waterfall or a small stream and wash up and then have lunch. It was with immense pleasure that we kids would open the pothichoru wrapped up in an old newspaper sheet that enclosed the plantain leaf that would be stuffed with either curd rice or plain rice with omlette , fried fish and some kind of chammanthi.The side dishes would be wrapped in smaller plantain leaves.I still love food wrapped in Banana leaves for the taste and the memories it brings back.





















Ingredients:

1. Cooked Basmati rice - 2 cups (rice cooked until soft is best for this preparation)
2. Curd/plain yogurt - 1 cup (medium sour - not too sour if the curd is too sour you can mix it with some milk)
3. Dry red chilly - 1
4. Green chillies - 2 cut into rings
5. Ginger - 1/2 tsp chopped
6. Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
7. Curry leaves - 2 springs
8. Hing/Asafotida/Kayam - 1/4 tsp
9. urud dal - 1/2 tsp
10. Oil - 1 tsp
11. salt - to taste

Method:
Heat oil and add in the mustard seeds, when it splutters add the dry red chilly and urud dal and fry until the dal is golden brown.
Add in the ginger, green chillies ,curry leaves and hing and saute for 2 minutes.
Turn the flame off and add the cooked rice and salt to taste and mix well.
Add in the yogurt and combine.
Serve with lime or Mango pickle , Mulaku kondattam or any mezhukkupuratti.
You should be able to taste the ginger , curry leaves and the hing.