In South India, it's traditionally eaten with rice as the last course of a proper meal. It's the perfect antidote to hot curries and pickles that come in the ma

In South India, it's traditionally eaten with rice as the last course of a proper meal. It's the perfect antidote to hot curries and pickles that come in the main part of the meal, so a meal isn't complete without it. My South Indian friends in grad school would have curd rice. They'd mix sour cream and yogurt as a substitute. They often lamented not being able to get the exact ingredients in South Carolina. Sometimes I make some curd rice up for myself. My Chinese wife looks at me strange when I do. Going to relatives' places you'd notice two differences in their cooking: the way they made their chai (brand of tea, how much sugar, cardamom or not) and the texture and tanginess of their yogurt. From what my mom says, the same used to go for Korean families and how fermented vs. fresh and spicy the kim-chee is.