Make your Yogurt (dahi) at Home

इस पन्ने को हिन्दी में पढ़ें

About Curd Curd is made by natural bacterial fermentation of milk. In this process the lactose of milk converts into lactic acid and this makes yogurt more easily digestible than milk. Curd is one of the best sources of calcium for vegetarians. It is also rich in protein and Vitamin B. In Hindi we call it दही (dahi). The term Curd is more commonly used in India In western World we call it Yogurt.

Health Benefits of Curd-curd is an excellent source of probiotic bacteria, which supports immunity and digestive health. Curd has good bacteria that can be helpful to your digestive tract. Curd is made by natural bacterial fermentation of milk. In this process the lactose of milk converts into lactic acid and this makes curd more easily digestible than milk.

Making of Curd-curd can be easily found at stores but there is nothing that beats homemade stuff. Curd is very easy to make at home. It should be made with live and active culture. “Live and active culture” refers to living organisms (heathy/good bacteria) such as lactobacillus, which converts milk to yogurt during fermentation.

In order to make curd, we need fresh milk. We can use cow milk or buffalo milk. We can use full cream milk or 2% milk. Pasteurized milk works well for yogurt making. Tetra packs (UHT) milk does not work for yogurt making.

Duration to make curd- Normally it takes about 4 hours for milk to convert into curd. However the fermentation period is greatly affected by the weather. It is faster to make curd in warmer weathers.

Taste of curd- Taste of curd depends on the culture being used. If your culture is sour you will get sour curd. I would suggest to make a small quantity of curd at a time and use it within 48 hours. Make fresh batches of curd as needed.

How to make Dahi/Curd/Yogurt at home-

homemade yogurt/dahi

Ingredients (Makes 1 quart/1 lt curd)

  • 1 quart/1 lt milk
  • 1 tbsp live and active culture

Method of preparation:

  1. Boil the milk. After a boil turn off the heat.
  2. Let the milk cool down for a while. For yogurt making we need warm milk but not hot. The best way to test the milk is to put your finger in milk and check if you are comfortable dipping it in milk for 10 seconds.
  3. In a bowl take 2 tbsp warm milk and 1 tbsp culture. Mix well.
  4. When milk is still lukewarm but not hot, add in curd/ yogurt culture (jaman) in the milk. Mix the culture very well in the milk.
  5. Cover the bowl and keep it at a warm place for 3-4 hours or until it is completely set.
  6. Keep the curd in the refrigerator for an hour to set before serving.
homemade yogurt/dahi

Some Tips/Suggestions:

  1. Always use a glass bowl, earthen bowl, or pottery bowl for curd making.
  2. If you do not have homemade curd culture (jaman); start with the readymade/ store bought yogurt - i.e. take a little culture from organic yogurt of supermarkets. Make sure to look for live and active culture yogurt. After two or three rounds of yogurt making you will have the right culture.
  3. Every time you make curd/yogurt at home do not forget to save a little bit of culture for the next use.
  4. Keep curd in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to set it.
homemade curd/dahi

Some delicious curd delicacies: