Cooling Curd Rice (Pakhala / Fermented Summer Breakfast)

Name: Cooling Curd Rice (Pakhala / Fermented Summer Breakfast)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 200 g Rice (Cooked), leftover, cooked; 120 g Curd / Yogurt, fresh, about 1/2 cup; 40 g Onion, chopped; 5 g Coriander Leaves, chopped; 2 g Salt, to taste; 8 g Ghee, for the tadka; 1 g Mustard Seeds (Rai), about 1/4 tsp; 3 g Chana Dal, about 1/2 tsp; 3 g Urad Dal, about 1/2 tsp; 0.3 g Asafoetida (Hing), a pinch; 1.5 g Curry Leaves, a few; 5 g Green Chilli, 1–2, slit; 30 g Pomegranate (Anar), seeds, for garnish

Mayuri 01 Jul 2026 Video

Cooling curd rice (pakhala) — fermented leftover rice with fresh curd, a ghee tadka and pomegranate

15 min total 11g protein 261 kcal

Jump to Recipe

When the summer heat gets too much, this cooling curd rice is what I reach for. Leftover rice is soaked overnight in water until it gently ferments, then mixed with fresh curd, onions and coriander, and finished with a fragrant ghee tadka and juicy pomegranate. Known across India as pakhala, pazhaya sadam or saddi annam, this humble bowl of fermented rice is one of the oldest and most loved summer foods — light, soothing and made to cool the body from within.

Why you'll love this recipe:

A traditional cooling food for the peak of summer
Uses up leftover rice — nothing goes to waste
Light, creamy and gentle on the stomach
A crunchy pomegranate and ghee-tadka finish

What you get in every serving

This bowl is proof that the simplest food is often the smartest. One serving has about 261 calories with a good 10.8g of protein, mostly from the fresh curd and the chana and urad dal in the tadka. The real beauty of this dish is the overnight fermentation — it makes the rice lighter and easier to digest, and the curd adds gut-friendly probiotics, so it sits gently in the stomach on a hot day. It is the kind of cooling, nourishing meal that has kept Indian families comfortable through summer for generations.

How I make it nicely

The secret is in the soaking. I use day-old leftover rice and cover it with lukewarm water overnight so it softens and gently ferments — a clay pot (matka) does this best and keeps everything lovely and cool. In the morning I drain the extra water, mix in fresh curd and salt, and stir through the onion and coriander. The ghee tadka goes on right at the end so it stays fragrant and crisp, and the pomegranate on top adds a sweet, juicy crunch against the tang.

Make it your own

If you do not have time to ferment overnight, just mix fresh leftover rice with curd and the tadka — it is still delicious, only without that traditional tang. Use any everyday white rice. You can skip the onion for a milder version, add grated carrot or cucumber for extra freshness, and adjust the green chillies to taste. It is loveliest served really cold on the hottest days.

Instructions

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Take the leftover rice in a pot (a clay pot is traditional) and cover it with lukewarm water. Leave it overnight to ferment.
In the morning, drain off any excess water and lightly mash the softened rice.
Add the fresh curd and salt, and mix into a soft, creamy curd rice.
Stir in the chopped onions and fresh coriander.
For the tadka, heat the ghee, add the mustard seeds and let them splutter, then add the chana dal and urad dal and fry until golden.
Add the hing, curry leaves and green chillies, and sauté for a few seconds.
Pour the tadka over the curd rice and mix gently.
Top with pomegranate seeds and serve chilled.

Mayuri's Tips

Use day-old leftover rice — it ferments beautifully and gives the dish its cooling quality.
A clay pot (matka) keeps the rice cool and adds a lovely earthy flavour, but any bowl works.
Use fresh, slightly sour curd for the best taste.
Add the tadka just before serving so the tempering stays fragrant and crisp.
The pomegranate is not just pretty — it adds a sweet, juicy crunch that balances the tang.
Serve it chilled or at room temperature on a hot day.

Cook along

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Good to know

Frequently asked questions

Overnight-fermented rice (also called pakhala, pazhaya sadam or saddi annam) is a traditional cooling food. The fermentation makes it easy to digest and gentle on the stomach, and eaten cold with curd it helps keep the body cool in the heat.

Yes. If you are short on time, simply mix fresh leftover rice with curd, salt and the tadka. Fermenting overnight gives the traditional cooling, tangy taste, but the quick version is still delicious.

Leftover cooked rice works best — any everyday white rice is perfect. Day-old rice softens and ferments better than fresh, hot rice.

Yes. Curd (yogurt) adds gut-friendly probiotics, and the fermented rice is light and easy to digest, which makes this a soothing meal for the stomach.

Each serving has about 11g of protein and 261 kcal, calculated from the exact ingredients used in this recipe.

About 15 minutes from start to finish — 10 minutes of preparation and 5 minutes of cooking.

Yes — like every recipe on FoodyPuzzle, it is 100% vegetarian.

The recipe makes 2 servings. Use the + and − buttons on the recipe card above to scale all ingredient quantities automatically.

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