Quick and easy recipes: Add a twist to your summer diet with these cool curd-based recipes

While having chilled drinks like nariyal pani, watermelon juice and lemonade are good for summer, you must also include curd in your daily diet

It’s hot, hot, hot with the mercury at an all-time high and the rains still playing elusive in so many parts of the country. While you may think of having chilled drinks like nariyal pani, watermelon juice and lemonade, there’s another ingredient that ought to play a big role in your daily diet – curd.

Also called dahi or yoghurt, this cooling food can be enjoyed in so many ways from adding it to some crunchy cucumber for lunch to sipping on a tall glass of lassi, or just a good ol’ whipped bowl of dahi, sans any additions!

We got chefs and foodies to share refreshing recipes for you to tuck into this summer…

Also read | Quick recipes with curry leaves: Try South Indian Singoda, Coastal Chicken Curry and Dal Khichdi

Try these chilled pachadis

Pachadi, a comforting, South Indian side dish or accompaniment is technically a chutney, but is consumed like a curry. Here are two flavourful pachadi recipes – one using pomegranate pearls whisked in curds and the other, using beetroot, along with a lip-smacking tempering.

Mathulam Pazham Thayir Pachadi (Pomegranate red jewel pachadi)

By Reetu Uday Kugaji, culinary expert and chef consultant

Ingredients: Curd (whisked), 1½ cups; Fresh pomegranate pearls, ½ cup or as desired; Salt, to taste; Mustard powder, 1/4 tsp; Green chillies, 2; Sugar, to taste; Refined oil, as required for deep frying

For the tempering: Coconut oil, ½ tbsp; Mustard seeds, 1 tsp; Split black gram (urad dal), 2 tsp; Whole red chillies (halved), 2; Curry leaves, 1 sprig; Asafoetida, a pinch; Ginger, ½ inch piece; Garlic (optional), 2 cloves; Fresh coconut paste, 1½ tbsp

For the garnish: Fresh cilantro (chopped), 4 sprigs

Method: Wash the curry leaves. Remove and discard the stems of green chillies and chop finely. Prepare coconut paste. Pick, wash, drain and pat dry the dals. Whisk the curds, add mustard powder, salt, sugar, green chillies (chopped) and add the pomegranate pearls to the prepared curds. Heat oil and add mustard seeds, urad dal, whole red chillies, curry leaves and asafoetida. Sauté over medium heat until the seeds crackle. Add ginger and garlic paste. Cook for some time, add the coconut paste and cook again for two minutes. Pour the tempering over the curds and mix well. Serve chilled or at room temperature garnished with fresh cilantro. (You may add half tsp cumin seeds and 1 tsp split chana dal in the tempering).

Also read | Quick recipes: Add some zing to your dishes with pomelo, a close cousin of grapefruit

Beetroot Pachadi

By Reetu Uday Kugaji, culinary expert and chef consultant

This mesmerising pink accompaniment is prepared especially during the and Vishu, and served with the other delectable dishes served in sadhya. It has an amazing, earthy flavour that is elevated with spices.

Ingredients: Beetroot (one large, peeled and grated), 2 ½ cups; Water, 1 cup; Salt, to taste; Curd (whisked), ¾ cup

For the smooth paste: Fresh coconut (grated), ¼ cup; Cumin seeds, ½ tsp; Mustard seeds, ½ tsp; Ginger (grated), 1 inch; Garlic (grated/crushed), 4 cloves; Green chillies (chopped) 2; Water, 1 tbsp

For the tempering: Coconut oil, 1½ tsp; Mustard seeds, ¾ tsp; Curry leaves, 2 sprigs; Whole dried red chillies, 4

Method: In a non-stick pan add the grated beetroot, salt and water. Cover and cook on a slow flame for 10 minutes. Add the ground paste and simmer for five minutes until the raw aroma of the coconut disappears. Switch off the flame, let it cool down and add the whisked curds. Mix well. In a small non-stick pan, add oil and mustard seeds. Once it crackles, add the curry leaves and whole dried red chillies. Pour the tempering over the pachadi and serve immediately or cover and refrigerate it for 20 minutes and serve. Goes best with steamed rice and sambhar.

Palda (A potato curry from the Kangra region of Himachal Pradesh)

By Divya Kanwar, home chef and founder of The Flavour Trail by Divya

Ingredients: Cauliflower, 200 to 300 gm; Curd, 1 cup; Mustard oil, 1 tbsp; Zeera, 1tsp; Cinnamon stick (small), 1; Cloves, 5 to 6; Peppercorns, 3-4; Coriander powder, 1 tsp; Haldi, ½ tsp; Methi seeds (ground), ¼ tsp; Salt, to taste; Water, ¼ cup

Method: Cut the cauliflower into small florets and wash in salt water. Heat the mustard oil till it smokes and allow it to cool. Add the zeera and once it splutters, add in the cinnamon stick, peppercorns, coriander powder, haldi, ground methi seeds and salt to taste. Sauté for about 30 seconds. Now, add the cauliflower pieces with water. Cover and cook till the gobhi is tender. Before serving, beat a cup of curd till it is smooth, add in water and this to the cooked dish. Mix well and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. (Do not heat it once you add the curd).

Doi Begun (Bengali-style eggplant gravy)

By Purabi Naha, Food expert

Ingredients: Long, slender brinjals, 2; Curd, 2 tbsp; oil, ¼ cup; Salt, To taste; Sugar, ½ tsp; Fenugreek seeds, ¼ tsp; Mustard seeds, ¼ tsp; Ginger paste, ½ tsp; Dry red chilli, 1; Turmeric powder, ½ tsp; Coriander powder, ½ tsp; Red chilli powder, ½ tsp; Water, 1.5 cup

Method: Cut the brinjals lengthwise into half and marinate them for five minutes with a sprinkle of salt and turmeric powder. Heat oil. Fry the brinjals on both sides and remove on absorbent paper. In the same oil, fry the dry red chilli until they are brown on both sides. Reduce the flame and add the mustard and fenugreek seeds. When the seeds turn brownish, add a paste of ginger, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder, mixed with a little water. Sauté continuously till the pan releases oil. Switch off the flame. Make a paste of curd, sugar and 4 tbsp water by whisking it with a fork, so that there are no lumps. Add this to the pan. Keep stirring continuously until the liquid becomes almost half the volume. Add the fried brinjals carefully and boil for five minutes, covered. Serve with steamed rice.

Tangthur (Ladakhi version of kadhi, made using buttermilk to which palak or locally-grown greens are added. This is usually served with paba, a porridge made of roasted barley flour for breakfast during summer and can be served with rice as well)

By Vinaya Prabhu, founder of the blog Vinaya's Culinary Delights

Ingredients: Thick yoghurt, 250 ml; Mustard greens, a small bunch; Chives or the greens of spring onion, a bunch small; Salt, to taste; Mustard oil or ghee, 1 tbsp

Method: Wash and boil the mustard leaves till they are soft. Drain, chop and keep aside. Whisk the yoghurt and add 250 ml water to it. Add salt and the chopped mustard greens. Heat the oil or ghee in a pan, add the chives or finely chopped spring onion greens and sauté for a few minutes. Drop this into the yoghurt. Mix well and serve with paba or rice.

Fajeto (A tangy-sweet Gujarati kadhi)

By Shital Kakad, Recipe Developer and Food Studio Owner of Shital's Food Cottage

Ingredients: Fresh aamras/mango pulp, 1 cup; Yoghurt or dahi, 1½ cups; Chickpea flour/besan, half cup; Water, 3 cups; Bay leaves, 2; Ginger/soonth powder, 1 tbsp

For the tempering: Ghee, 3tbsp; Mustard seeds and cumin seeds, half tsp; Methi/fenugreek seeds, 4; Green chillies, 2 to 3; Cloves, 5; Cinnamon stick (small), 1; Red boria marcha (or any other dry red chilli), 2; Asafoetida, ½ tsp; Curry leaves, few

Method: Mix all the ingredients in a deep, round pan and beat well with a hand blender. Heat the ghee and add all the ingredients for the tempering. Mix well and cook on a medium flame while stirring till it boils. Keep on slow flame for five minutes more. Serve piping hot with rice and papad.

Curd rice with pomegranate (A cooling dish apt for a hot day)

By Divya Kanchan, Transition Consultant

Ingredients: Overcooked /mashed leftover rice, 2 cups; Curd, 1.5 cups; Milk (optional), ½ cup; Cucumber (chopped), ¼ cups; Carrots (grated), ¼ cups; Salt, to taste

For tempering: Ghee or oil, 1 tbsp; Mustard seeds, 1 tsp; Urad dal, 1.5 tsp; Chana dal, 1.5 tsp; Asafoetida, ¼ tsp; Curry leaves, 10-12; Green chillies (chopped), 2; Ginger (chopped fine), 1-inch; Red chilli (dry), 1

For garnish: Coriander leaves, chopped; Pomegranate, few

Method: In a large bowl add the overcooked or mashed rice, curd, milk and salt and mix them well. If you do not prefer milk then increase the quantity of curd as per the consistency. Heat ghee/oil in a pan on low flame add mustard seeds. Once it crackles add asafoetida, chana dal and urad dal and toss well till they turn light brown. Add curry leaves, red chilli, green chillies and ginger and lightly sauté them. Cool completely and add this to curd and rice mixture. Mix everything well. Garnish with chopped coriander and pomegranate.

Yoghurt cucumber and dill gazpacho (A cold soup)

By Sunil Dutt, Culinary Director, W Goa

Ingredients: Greek yoghurt, 250 gm; Cucumber (European), 150 gm; Shallots, 10 gm; Garlic cloves, 5 gm; Fresh dill leaves, 5 gm; Tarragon leaves, 5 gm; Fresh mint leaves, 5 gm; Kosher salt, 5 gm; Fresh ground black pepper, 2 gm; Extra virgin olive oil, 20 ml; Lemon juice, 10ml

Method: Mix all the ingredients in a blender. Add two cubes of ice and give it a generous blend until it becomes a thick, fine puree. Strain it and serve it in a bowl. Serve chilled and garnish with fresh mint leaves chopped cucumber and dill leaves.