Creamy, cooling curd rice tempered with mustard and curry leaves and sprinkled with jewel-like pomegranate. The perfect lunch-interval plate on a hot day.
- Energy
- 397 kcal
- Protein
- 12 g
- Carbs
- 65 g
- Fat
- 10 g
Great for: Batter, Spinner, Wicketkeeper, All-rounder, Junior (12–18)
Why it works
At a Test or multi-day lunch break, guidance favours a light, carbohydrate-led meal and suggests curd rice as an Indian option. It is gentle on the stomach in the heat, adds a little salt and fluid, and the curd provides some protein.
When: At the lunch interval of a long match, or after play as part of the recovery meal.
Ingredients
- 120 g Raw rice (sona masuri)
- 300 g Curd
- 100 ml Toned milk (keeps it from turning sour)
- 60 g Pomegranate arils
- 60 g Cucumber, grated
- 6 g Wood-pressed groundnut oil Panjeri House
- 5 g Urad dal (for tempering)
- to taste Mustard seeds, curry leaves, ginger, green chilli, salt (about 1.5 g)
Method
- Cook rice until soft and slightly mushy. Mash lightly and cool to room temperature.
- Mix in curd, milk, salt and grated cucumber.
- Heat oil, splutter mustard seeds and urad dal, add curry leaves, ginger and green chilli, and pour over the rice.
- Top with pomegranate. Chill for 30 minutes before packing.
Coach’s tips
- Food safety in heat: pack in an insulated tiffin with an ice pack and eat within 4 hours.
- Adding milk slows souring, so the rice stays pleasant until lunch.
- Vegan swap: use thick soy or peanut curd.
Good to know: These recipes are general healthy-eating ideas for active people, not medical advice. Nutrition values are estimates. Needs differ by body, sport and season — for a personal plan, and for players under 18, please consult a qualified sports dietitian or doctor.