Fruity Curd Rice

Ingredients:

• Basmati rice – 200 g
• Skimmed milk - 200 ml + warm extra milk
• Water – 300 ml
• Fresh curd – 100 ml
• Chopped yellow onion – ¼ cup
• Chopped green chili – 1 Tablespoon
• Grated ginger – 1 Teaspoon
• Split urad dal - 1 Teaspoon
• Curry leaf – 1
• Coriander leaves for garnishing
• Pomegranate pearls – ½ cup
• Seedless grapes – ¼ cup
• Salt as needed

 Method 1:

• Soak rice with water for 20 mins. Pressure cook rice with water and milk. Remove pressure after 20 mins. Allow the rice to cool slightly.
• Heat oil in a small pan; add mustard seeds and urad dal. When they pop up add onion, and a pinch of salt. Sauté till onion is slightly brown. Add ginger, curry leaf and green chili. Sauté for few seconds and turn off heat.
• In a large mixing bowl, add cooked rice, fresh curd and sautéed mixture. Add required amount of salt and warm extra milk (if you like the rice to be little bit watery).
• Add pomegranate pearls and grapes and chopped coriander leaves.
• Close with light lid and leave it for overnight.
• The next day curd rice will be ready to serve.

 Method 2:

• Soak rice with water for 20 mins Pressure cook rice with 400 ml of water. Remove pressure after 20 mins. Allow the rice to cool.
• Heat oil in a small pan; add mustard seeds and urad dal. When they pop up add onion, and a pinch of salt. Sauté till onion is slightly brown. Add ginger, curry leaf and green chili. Sauté for few seconds and turn off heat.
• In a large mixing bowl, add cooked rice, fresh curd (app. 300 ml and it varies according to your taste) and sautéed mixture. Add required amount of salt and mix well.
• Add pomegranate pearls and grapes and chopped coriander leaves.
• Now the curd rice is ready to serve.

 For making fresh curd: (http://mahikitchen.blogspot.com/2010/09/blog-post_15.html).

• Boil two cups of milk and allow it to cool slightly. When the milk is warm, add 3 tablespoons plain yoghurt (store bought) and close it with tight lid. Leave it for 12 hours. Make sure that don’t disturb it while it is setting. For making curd, use containers like stainless steel. We can use any milk (like homogenized, 2% or skimmed milk) for making curd.