Cumin and Cashew Yogurt Rice
Updated July 15, 2024
Nico Schinco for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
- Total Time
- 10 minutes
- Prep Time
- 5 minutes
- Cook Time
- 5 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
3 cups cooked long-grain basmati rice, at room temperature
1 tablespoon minced ginger (from about a 1-inch piece, peeled)
1 teaspoon 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
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
122 grams carbs; 36 milligrams cholesterol; 713 calories; 6 grams monosaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 16 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 557 milligrams sodium; 17 grams protein; 8 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
In a bowl, combine the cooked rice, ginger and salt. Fold in the yogurt. The yogurt should evenly coat the rice, so that it resembles a thick rice pudding.
- Step 2
In a small saucepan on medium heat, melt the ghee. Add the cashews and chile, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cashews are lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Shift the cashews and chile to the side of the pan, and add the cumin seeds, toasting until they are slightly browned, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in red chile powder and asafetida (if using), then turn off the heat.
- Step 3
Pour the spice mixture over the rice and garnish with cilantro.
Private Notes
Comments
This is thayir sadham, a comfort food in most south Indian homes. I find basmati rice, which I love in other recipes, not as appropriate for this dish as a neutral-flavored long grained rice. Instead of ghee, I use Indian sesame oil, omit the cashew nuts, and add a pinch of mustard seeds while roasting the cumin seeds. The asafoetida is a must; it introduces a complex depth to the rice. I add a sprig of curry leaves to the seasoned oil before adding it to the rice.
This is not only Southern Indian comfort food, its also classic end of the meal dish to eat. Couple points: #1. For a soft pudding like consistency its important to cook the rice to be soft with extra water. While its still warm, mash some of the rice grains(1/2 cup). #2. Various fresh veggies are added in moderation, like red onions diced small, carrots shredded, pomegranate seeds. These are added for flavor and visual appeal ;-)
I appreciate the author notes with the recipes, and this one especially. When I told my family what I made for dinner, they initially looked dubious. When I told them a South Asian culture would call this comfort food, they immediately opened up to it. I’m not South Asian, but it’s easy to see why it’s comforting. We won’t overdo this in our rotation. But I will certainly roll this out on some cold winter day when the pantry is bare and we just want a good bowl of something fast and satisfying.
Made this at least a dozen times but adding corn tonight was a new hit! Had a couple of ears kicking around so I shaved off the kernels and cooked them up in the ghee before the cashews. So good!
for added level of depth and texture eat with potato chips, both flavored and classic work well. experiment with different flavors to see what you like best!
My rice was made with light coconut milk. I was also about a cup short of yogurt, but I didn’t miss it. I’m still very much disinterested in long ingredient lists and spending hours in a hot kitchen. This was easy to pull together in under 30 minutes. (That includes washing, boiling, and cooking the rice.) I like the crunch of the topping against the cool yogurt rice. I’ll keep this in my back pocket for hot summer days.