Cumin and Cashew Yogurt Rice

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Cumin and Cashew Yogurt Rice

Yogurt rice is a nostalgic dish for many South Asians, and especially South Indians. It’s the ultimate comfort food, and a no-fuss dinner that’s easy to put together. Cool, creamy yogurt and crunchy, warm spices create a dreamy contrast that makes this dish feel more whole meal-worthy than snack-friendly (though it’ll serve you well for both). Traditional versions include mustard seeds, curry leaves and urad dal, but this variation includes a different set of pantry staples: cumin seeds, cashews and red chile powder. The trio, plus fresh green chiles, gets sizzled in ghee, enhancing all the rich, smoky, spicy flavors, then gets poured directly over the yogurt rice. Add grated carrots and zucchini to give the rice more heft, or try it with a different combination of spices.

Rating

Ingredients

  • 3cups cooked long-grain basmati rice, at room temperature
  • 1tablespoon minced ginger (from about a 1-inch piece, peeled)
  • 1teaspoon coarse kosher salt (such as Morton)
  • 2 1/2cups full-fat plain yogurt
  • 2tablespoons ghee (or unsalted butter)
  • 1/4cup raw, unsalted cashews
  • 1Indian green chile or serrano chile, minced
  • 1tablespoon cumin seeds
  • 1/4teaspoon red chile powder (such as Kashmiri chile powder or ground cayenne)
  • 1/4teaspoon asafetida (optional)
  • 2tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro
Set base servings to enable scaling:

Directions

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.

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.

Pour the spice mixture over the rice and garnish with cilantro.

Nutrition

Info
Trans Fat: 0 gramsFat: 16 gramsCalories: 713Saturated Fat: 8 gramsUnsaturated Fat: 7 gramsSodium: 557 milligramsSugar: 8 gramsFiber: 2 gramsCarbohydrate: 122 gramsProtein: 17 grams

Source: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024605-cumin-and-cashew-yogurt-rice