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Summer is the time when your gut would like to thank you for eating some cool and soothing meals. And Yogurt Rice is one such food. Besides giving your inner systems some relief from the summer heat, it will also strengthen your body with essential nutrients like complex carbs from rice and healthy probiotics and proteins from yogurt. Consuming homemade yogurt rice restores healthy microbial balance which, in turn, helps with better digestion. And it replenishes your energy levels that drop because of the heat.

You can eat this dish as a cool light snack or as a one pot meal. All you need is cooked rice and homemade yogurt. Cooking both in MEC makes your dish healthier and more nutritious. Keep reading to learn more.

How rice cooks healthier in MEC

To cook healthy rice, you must first choose the best variety – not overly processed or ‘enriched’; instead choose parboiled aged rice. Basmati rice from East Indian origin is one of the great choices because it is free from contaminants. Because it is unprocessed and grown in dams that harvest rainwater, there is no arsenic contamination.

Now add rinsed rice and water into your MEC pot in the ratio of 1:2 (or follow the instructions on the rice bag), cover the lid and cook on medium-low for 30 minutes or so. You do not have to pre-heat the water or wait for it to boil before adding rice. After an MEC pot is fully seasoned, there is no need to stir to prevent sticking or burning.

How homemade yogurt turns out thick, creamy and healthy in MEC

Similarly, making yogurt is easy and convenient too, and takes just 10 minutes hands-on:

1. Heat ½ gallon of milk to just before the boiling point (till small bubbles form on the surface). Turn stove off, and open lid and let it cool down for 30 mins or so, till you can put your little finger in and hold it there for 5 seconds. Now the milk is ready for the culture.
2. Stir the yogurt culture, then add it into the pot and stir thoroughly.
3. Set the pot in the oven with the lid on and only the oven light on.
4. Let it incubate for 6-8 hours and the yogurt is ready! Refrigerate and enjoy within the week.

The yogurt keeps getting thicker and creamier the longer it stays in the pot because the excess water evaporates through the breathable walls. Therefore, there is no need for unhealthy thickeners or additives.

How making rice and yogurt is different in MEC

Unlike conventional metal or ceramic pots made from reactive materials, MEC pots are made from lab tested primary clay. Primary clay is naturally inert so the MEC cookware doesn’t leach and contaminate food.

MEC’s clay radiates unique far infrared heat. Unlike harsh heat from conventional materials, this food-friendly gentle heat cooks food gently and preserves nutrients. It penetrates deep and cooks food thoroughly from inside out without causing damage to even the most delicate nutrients. This cooking method requires low heat and less time.

Moreover, MEC pots have breathable walls that let excess water evaporate. As a result, rice and grains cook moist, fluffy, and perfectly cooked. The delicate complex carbs stay intact, and your rice nourishes you with the right balance of simple and complex carbs. This is particularly beneficial for people with type 2 diabetes (read how cooking in MEC can help to heal diabetes).

And as explained above, the yogurt stays thick and creamy in the MEC pots. Now you do not have to rely on heavily processed and artificially flavored store-bought yogurts that have little to no nutritional value. MEC homemade yogurt tastes naturally delicious without any sugars or flavors. And it is rich in immune boosting probiotics that keep getting stronger while the yogurt stays in the pot. The semi-porous walls allow oxygen to enter the pot, and the bacterial colonies to continue to multiply.

How to prepare homemade Yogurt Rice

Once you have your cooked rice and yogurt ready, mix them in equal portions and add salt to taste. You can also add diced cucumbers and cilantro leaves on top for garnishing. And you are all set to cool your gut. Here is another recipe to try:

Healthy & Aromatic Yogurt Rice recipe

Ready to beat the summer with homemade yogurt rice cooked in MEC pot? Head over to our online store and order a pure clay pot today!

Here are other ways to include Yogurt in your daily diet.