Doi Bhat ~ Curd Rice

What I understood as Doi Bhat in my childhood is a totally different version from the one I am going to share today. The one that I grew up with is a simple bowl of mashed rice with sour yogurt and lots and lots of large granulated sugar. This used to be my dinner almost every day in summer.

Since I do not indulge in sugar now...I find this South Indian version quite suitable to my taste. No sugar and a flavourful tempering with the crunchy lentils. This Curd Rice has plenty to make you full. The one that I am sharing today is pure vegetarian...while there is another version also with onions and green chillies, and I love that too.

But since its summer...and since I found the pure veg version to be more cooling and soothing to the taste buds and as well as the stomach...I wanted to share them with you too. There is some serious hype with this curd rice...and if you try it you will understand that emotion too.

Doi Bhat ~ Yogurt Rice

Serves 2

Ingredients:

½ cup of cooked rice

1 and ½ cup of thick yogurt

2 tbsp oil

A pinch of hing / asafoetida

1 dry red chilli

1 tsp chana dal

1 tsp urad dal

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 sprig of curry leaves

A few pomegranate seeds

A few coriander leaves – finely chopped

Salt

Method:

In a bowl mix the yogurt and rice. Keep this aside.

In a tempering pan heat the oil.

Add the mustard seeds and dry red chillies to the oil.

As the mustard seeds start spluttering add the chana dal and urad dal to it.

Sauté the lentils on low to medium flame until the lentils turn golden.

Now add the hing and the curry leaves and sauté for some seconds.

Pour this tempering on the chilled yogurt and rice mix.

Add salt to taste.

Add the pomegranate seeds and the chopped coriander leaves.

Mix and serve immediately, or you can keep it inside the fridge and serve it chilled.