The ingredient hiding in avial, biryani and bhatura

When someone says "curd-based dish", your mind probably jumps to moru curry, pachadi or a bowl of curd rice. Avial? Chicken biryani? Bhatura? Not so much.

Yet curd sneaks into all of them.

Sometimes it's there to add a gentle tang. Sometimes it makes meat softer before it hits the pan. In other recipes, it helps dough rise or gives batters the right texture. You may not taste it straight away, but take it out and the dish won't be quite the same.

Here are some popular dishes where curd is doing more work than it gets credit for.

Avial
This might be the biggest surprise on the list. Most people think avial gets all its flavour and creaminess from coconut, but in the version made in most Kerala homes, curd is what brings everything together. It adds the familiar tang that balances the sweetness of the vegetables and coconut. Without it, the dish tastes noticeably different. (Some temple and regional versions leave it out.)

Chicken biryani
Every good biryani begins long before the rice and chicken are layered together. In many recipes, the chicken is first marinated in curd along with spices, ginger-garlic paste and herbs. The curd tenderises the meat and helps it absorb the flavours, so by the time the dum is done, the chicken is succulent enough to fall off the bone and every layer of biryani is packed with flavour.

Chicken curry
Many Kerala home cooks marinate chicken in curd before it goes into the pot. The curd helps tenderise the meat and gives the masala a smoother, richer consistency that coats every piece of chicken.

Mutton curry
Mutton takes longer to cook, which is why curd often finds its way into the marinade. It's particularly common in Mughlai-style recipes that have become favourites in many Kerala kitchens.

Chicken tikka
The grill may give chicken tikka its smoky finish, but the marinade does the heavy lifting. Thick curd coats the chicken, carries the spices and helps keep the meat juicy while it cooks.

Bhatura
Bhatura owes its puff and slight tang to more than just yeast or baking powder. Traditional recipes use curd in the dough, helping it ferment and giving the bread its soft, chewy bite.

Rava idli
Unlike regular idlis, rava idlis don't rely on overnight fermentation. Curd, paired with a raising agent, helps create soft, fluffy idlis in much less time.

Aval dosa
Curd softens the flattened rice and speeds up fermentation, producing dosas that are crisp around the edges and soft in the middle.

If this article has you looking at curd differently, here's how to make it from scratch at home: How to make fresh curd at home