Cool, Creamy South Indian Yogurt Rice Is a Taste of Home and My Heritage

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 20 mins

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 4 Servings

Like many kids, I grew up with a strong distaste for spicy food. But seeing as I’m half South Indian, and chile peppers make a regular appearance in our cuisine, it wasn’t exactly easy to avoid. We’d often drive over to my extended family’s house on Saturday nights for dinner, and I have distinct memories of begging my parents to make me a grilled cheese before we went (or letting me order chicken nuggets from the Burger King drive-thru), despite the fact that my auntie had spent all day preparing an incredible vegetarian spread.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups water
1 cup white basmati rice
1/4 cup fresh, frozen, or dried unsweetened grated or shredded coconut
1 (1/2-inch) piece fresh ginger
1 fresh green Indian or serrano pepper
1/4 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
1 cup whole or reduced fat milk
2 cups plain whole-milk yogurt (not Greek)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 dried red chile, such as Guntur Sannam, cayenne, or arbol
2 teaspoons black or brown mustard seeds
2 teaspoons chana dal (dried split chickpeas)
2 teaspoons skinned urad dal (dried split matpe beans)
15 fresh curry leaves
2 tablespoons roasted cashew halves and pieces, preferably unsalted
Pinch asafoetida (hing) powder

Instructions

Bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil in a covered small saucepan over high heat. Meanwhile, place 1 cup basmati rice in a fine-mesh strainer. Rinse under cool running water until the water runs clear. Drain well.
Stir the rice into the boiling water. Bring back to a gentle simmer. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the water is absorbed, 18 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, thaw 1/4 cup grated frozen coconut, or add a little hot water to 1/4 cup dried coconut to plump up and rehydrate. Peel and finely grate 1/2-inch piece fresh ginger (about 1 teaspoon). Trim and thinly slice 1 Indian green or serrano pepper crosswise into rounds (remove the seeds if you prefer milder heat).
Remove the saucepan of rice from the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Uncover, fluff with a fork, transfer to a large bowl. Pour 1 cup whole or reduced fat milk over the rice. Let stand, stirring occasionally, until the rice is cooled to room temperature and almost all the milk is absorbed, about 10 minutes.
Stir in the coconut, 2 cups plain yogurt, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt.
Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a small saucepan or skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Break 1 dried red chile into small pieces with your hands and add it to the pan. Add the sliced pepper, 2 teaspoons mustard seeds, 2 teaspoons chana dal, and 2 teaspoons skinned urad dal. Stir to coat with the oil and reduce the heat to medium-low.
Cook, stirring often so they evenly toast, until the dals turn golden brown and the mixture smells nutty, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the ginger, 15 fresh curry leaves, 2 tablespoons cashews, and a pinch of asafoetida, and stir to combine. Remove from the heat.
Scrape the spiced oil into the yogurt rice and stir to combine. Transfer to individual serving bowls or one large serving bowl, and garnish with the chopped cilantro before serving.