Masuru Anna Recipe

Delicious Masuru Anna or Curds Rice is nutritious and packed with a probiotic punch! Also called Mosuranna, Dahi Chawal is a comfort food for us. Rice and yoghurt mixed and tempered with spices hold a wealth of memories.

A favourite in South India, we have this rice as the final course for lunch and dinner. We love it served as a complete meal, especially in your lunchbox or when you need a light meal. The other summer favourites we enjoy are Mattha, Kali Gajar Kanji, Yogurt, and Dahi Bhalle.

Jump to:

• Why eat Masuru Anna?
• Ingredients for making Dahi Chawal
• Method of making Dahi Buti
• Variations of Curd Rice
• Protips for the best Dahi Bhat
• Related Recipes
• Pair with
• Masuru Anna Recipe

Why eat Masuru Anna?

If my daughters asked this question, my answer used to be because I said so. However,  Masuru Anna, there is more than meets the eye here. 

This simple, wholesome recipe is all about texture and flavour. When slightly tangy yoghurt (curds) meets cooked rice, it never fails to perk up your taste buds.   

• Masaru Anna, as we also call it, is a simple probiotic food that is light on the stomach. Eating this comforting creamy combination of curd and rice enriches your gut with a healthy dose of beneficial bacteria. It is perfect for your digestive system, promoting gut health and overall well-being.
• You can customise Masaru Anna in versatile ways to suit your preferences. Add spices, herbs, and vegetables as you wish( check variations below).
• The best part of making Masuru Anna is making it is a breeze. Perfect for lazy weekends, busy weekdays or when you need a mother's hug. 

Ingredients for making Dahi Chawal

• Rice: You need cooked rice. Many use basmati variety, but as a South Indian, I prefer the sona masuri or gai kolum variety readily available here. Some swear by ponni rice. Generally, we need short-grained rice. 
• Yoghurt: Indian Curds that are unsweetened and not sour. (if the curds are sour, see notes below)
• Milk: Regular dairy milk. I use 6% fat milk, which is thick and makes the curds meal tasty. 
• Cream: Though an optional ingredient, I highly recommend the cream of the milk. The more, the better. 
• Salt: use regular table salt.

Tempering

• Oil: I use oil for tempering now, but I used homemade clarified butter or ghee in the past.
• Mustard: the spluttered seeds with curds give a nice flavour. 
• Asafoetida: hing again gives a nice flavour. You can avoid it if you need a bowl of gluten-free version.
• Split Urid Dal: gives a nice crunch when fried. 
• A few curry leaves: again, we love the aroma.

Optional Ingredients

• Chilli: I love upmensinkai or stuffed and dried chilli, but if it's unavailable, use green or red chilli. 
• A few springs of coriander, chopped

Method of making Dahi Buti

• Cook the rice (this is how I set the pressure cooker) and mash it when hot. Set aside to cool.
• Once cool, mix all curds, milk, cream and salt.
• Heat oil in a small pan. If using upmensinkai, fry them first and set aside. 
• Make the tempering and pour over the rice.
• Mix well and serve with pickle, papad and Kappa.

TIP: The rice needed for masuru anna needs to be soft. So, the rice and water proportion needs to be 1: 3  times.

Variations of Curd Rice

I thought it was a simple rice dish that could not have variations, but I was surprised to see so many.

• Do you need to carry the curd rice to work or school? Add milk to be an inch above the rice( one knuckle measure). Add a teaspoon of curds and salt, and mix well. The curds will set due to heat; you will get a not-sour curd rice. 
• My sister likes her rice mixed with curds: no milk and cream. 
• Tempering is optional.
• You can temper it with ghee or clarified butter.
• I use urid dal, but you can add chana dal as well.
• I have eaten Masuru Anna at roadside stalls, where the tempering is with garlic. 
• Why not add finely chopped onion, capsicum, and cucumber when there? Pomegranate arils are common.
• In one of the videos I watched( I need to remember where), the lady cooked rice in milk. 
• My friends from Tamil Nadu add butter to the Masaru anna to prevent it from going sour.
• The Rajasthani version cooks the rice in buttermilk. 

Protips for the best Dahi Bhat

• Use fresh curds that are unsweetened. Homemade is, of course, best.
• If your yoghurt is sour, add 1-2 tablespoon of the yoghurt and add more milk. 
• Mix some cream or leftover milk if you plan to eat the rice later. The rice will be creamy later, especially for packed lunch boxes.
• Use short-grained rice for the perfect creamy texture that is soft and blends well in the curds.
• The cooked rice has to be soft but not mushy. The ideal proportion of rice and water is 1:2.5 or 3.
• Season the rice well.
• Add tempering and veggies as per your preferences. 

Related Recipes

Summer special recipes to beat the sweltering heat

Pair with

Masuru Anna tastes the best plain, but I like to serve it with

Summary: Curd Rice is the best way to enjoy a probiotic meal. It is a must, especially in the Summer, easy to make and delicious. Try it and share this recipe with your friends and relatives.