Cumin And Cashew Yogurt Rice
Yogurt rice is a beloved comfort food for many South Asians, especially South Indians. Combining cool, creamy yogurt with warm, crunchy spices, it serves as an easy dinner or a satisfying snack.Traditional recipes use mustard seeds, curry leaves, and urad dal, but this version features cumin seeds, cashews, red chile powder, and fresh green chiles sizzled in ghee for a rich, smoky flavor. You can also add grated carrots and zucchini for more substance or experiment with other spice combinations.
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked long-grain basmati rice at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger from about a 1 inch piece, peeled
- 1 te aspoon coarse kosher salt such as Morton
- 2 ½ cups full-fat plain yogurt
- 2 tablespoons ghee or unsalted butter
- ¼ cup raw unsalted cashews
- 1 Indian green chile or serrano chile minced
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon red chile powder such as Kashmiri chile powder or ground cayenne
- ¼ teaspoon asafetida optional
- 2 tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix the cooked rice with ginger and salt. Gently fold in the yogurt until the rice is evenly coated, creating a consistency similar to thick rice pudding.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the ghee. Add the cashews and chile, cooking for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cashews are lightly browned. Push the cashews and chile to one side of the pan, then add the cumin seeds, toasting them until slightly browned, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in the red chile powder and asafetida (if using), then turn off the heat.
- Pour the spiced ghee mixture over the rice and garnish with cilantro.