How to make thick curd at home

Tips for making thick curd(Yogurt):

Yogurt is known as curd in India

The other names for it are:

Dahi (Hindi,Gujarati)

Doi (Assamese,Bengali)

Dohi(Odia)

Dhahi(Sindhi)

Perugu(Telugu)

Thayir(Tamil)

Mosaru(Kannada)

I hear a lot of stories about store bought curd that they use setting agents. I do not know to what extent it’s true, but why go for store bought ones , when you can make fresh and delicious curd at home in few hours.

Curd is a staple in most Indian households. It is an excellent probiotic that keeps your gut health in check. To make good quality homemade yogurt we need to know few basics about curd formation process and few tricks that would help us in getting perfect result every time . In this blog I have jotted down all the possibilities of making a good curd.

Curd or Dahi has very cooling effect on your body. So it is very good to consume it during hot summer days. It is also good for easy digestion, so people who don’t like milk or are not able to digest milk, can take curd for improving their calcium level.

It always seems more convenient to grab a pack of curd from the super market, but there is nothing like fresh homemade curd.

TIPS:

· Do not add starter curd to hot milk. It will coagulate the milk. Add the curd in just lukewarm milk. Right temperature matters. Neither it should be too cold nor too hot.

After adding the starter curd set aside it for at least 6 hours. In between do not disturb it. Keep it in the microwave for 6 hours but do not run the microwave.

Always use whole milk for making curd. Low fat milk or diluted milk will not set your curd well and makes it watery.

Use starter curd in the thick form to make curd.

The temperature of starter curd should be at room temperature.

You can add just a pinch of sugar in milk for thick curd.

Thickness of curd also depends upon the amount of starter curd. In summers it is required in less quantity while in winter it needs a large quantity of starter curd or Khatta in Punjabi language.

Use ceramic vessels or glass vessels for making curd.

Once the curd is set, pop the container in the fridge to make it thicker. Keep it in refrigerator for 1-2 hours. Do not leave it in open for too long as it might turn sour.

You can add dried red chillies to it with its stem. Do not cut the chillies from the middle. A logical explanation given to this process is that dried chillies are rich in lactobacilli bacteria that help in fermentation of milk to form curd.

Mix the starter curd vigorously in milk. Mix it well with the help of hand blender or using two glasses for mixing.

Starter curd should not be sour.

Starter curd should be in a creamy consistency. There should be no lumps.

Adding 1-2 tbs of milk powder when the milk is boiling, will result in thicker and creamy curd.

In winter season you should use casserole for making curd. This will keep inside temperature at optimum level for curd formation. And in winter always keep curd container in a switched off microwave .

Frequently asked Questions:

Q: How to avoid forming water in curd after breaking the curd.

Ans: A lot of time when you cut the yogurt and use a slice of it , if you keep rest of the yogurt as it is. Then water will starts oozing out and form in the yogurt. To avoid this always level the curd after breaking the curd. Do not leave it as it is or else it will form water.

Process of making curd:

Ingredients :

Milk – 500 ml

Starter curd- 2 small spoons in summer( 4 tsp in winter)

Method:

Boil the milk in a pan. After boiling turn off the stove. Let the milk cool down till it becomes lukewarm. This cooling process must be done at room temperature. Don’t even think of popping the milk in the fridge for quicker cooling process.

Meanwhile remove the starter curd in a small bowl or Katori. We need the starter curd at room temperature. My yogurt is always chilled at room temperature. So I always remove the required amount in small bowl keep it on counter top. So it will come to room temperature while the milk is cooling down.

When the milk is lukewarm and starter yogurt is at room temperature, mix both of them. You can mix it with hand blender. Now cover it with a lid and keep it in the microwave for 5-6 hours, where nobody can disturb it.

After 5-6 hours when the curd is set, pop the container in the fridge to make the curd thicker. Keep it in the fridge for 1-2 hours or till it gets chilled.

Enjoy the sweet, thick, delicious curd anytime.

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Dr. Suman Setia BAMS DNHE PGDHHM

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