Dahi (curd)

Last updated
Dahi
Curd in a traditional Manipuri earthen pot.JPG
Dahi in a traditional Manipuri earthen pot
Alternative namesCurd, doi, mosaru, perugu, thayir, mee kiri
Course Homemade yogurt
Place of origin Indian subcontinent
Region or state South Asia
Associated cuisine Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka
Main ingredientsMilk, Lactobacillus culture
Ingredients generally usedSugar
Variations Mishti doi, Nabadwip-er lal doi, Dhau
A cup of curd ready for the dessert Curd and treacle.jpg
A cup of curd ready for the dessert

Dahi or curd, also mosaru, dahi, thayir and perugu, is a traditional yogurt or fermented milk product originating from and popular throughout the Indian subcontinent. It is usually prepared from cows' milk, and sometimes buffalo milk or goat milk. [1] The word curd is used in Indian English to refer to homemade yogurt, [2] [3] while the term yogurt refers to the pasteurized commercial variety known as "heat-treated fermented milk". [4]

Contents

Preparation

Curd is made by bacterial fermentation of milk. In this process, lactose in milk is converted into lactic acid by several probiotic microorganisms. The species involved in the fermentation depends on the temperature and humidity of the environment and may include Lactococcus lactis , Streptococcus diacetylactis , Streptococcus cremoris , Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus .

Curd starter is sometimes made with dried red chillies (or their stems) in hot milk. Milk is boiled and then allowed to cool for a while. When lukewarm, dried chili peppers or their stems are added. The reason for this tradition is that dried chillies are rich in a type of lactobacilli, the bacteria that help ferment milk to form curd. The bowl is then kept undisturbed in a warm place for 5 to 10 hours.

After the starter is made, or saved from a previous batch of curd, milk is boiled and cooled. In a separate bowl, curd is mixed with its whey, and then mixed together with the milk. It is then left to sit undisturbed for 5 to 10 hours, until slightly sour, then refrigerated until consumption.

This practice can also be applied for making curd from milk substitutes, such as soy milk. [5]

Types

Buffalo curd

Buffalo curd (Sinhala : මුදවාපු මී කිරිmudavāpu meekiri) is a traditional type of yogurt prepared from water buffalo milk. It is popular throughout the Indian subcontinent. Buffalo milk is traditionally considered better for making yogurt than cow milk due to its higher fat content making a thicker yogurt mass. [6] Buffalo curd is usually packaged in clay pots.

Buffalo curd is obtained by bacterial fermentation of buffalo milk. In this process, lactose in buffalo milk is converted into lactic acid using several micro-organisms. The species involved in the fermentation are the same as above.

Buffalo milk has higher amounts of protein, fat, lactose, minerals and vitamins than cow's milk. The quality of the curd depends on the starter culture. Fermentation also develops the characteristic flavor and colour of the product.

Buffalo curd can be made in both traditional and industrial forms. Traditionally, buffalo milk is filtered and boiled, the scum is removed and it is cooled to room temperature. A few spoonfuls of a previous batch of curd are added and it is then mixed well and poured into clay pots. These are sealed by wrapping a piece of paper over the pot and allowing it to stand for 12 hours. [7]

Curd dishes

Raita is a popular side dish in the Indian cuisine Cucumber-raita.jpg
Raita is a popular side dish in the Indian cuisine

Curd is an important part of everyday diet in the Indian subcontinent, both in slow cooked food and fast food.

Slow (cooked) food
Dahi puri, a spin on the popular dish Panipuri Dahi puri, Doi phuchka.jpg
Dahi puri, a spin on the popular dish Panipuri
Fast food
Dahi vada Dahi Vada, a popular South Indian dish, photographed in Avani Riverside Mall, Howrah, West Bengal, India, April 16, 2024.jpg
Dahi vada

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yogurt</span> Food produced by bacterial fermentation of milk

Yogurt is a food produced by bacterial fermentation of milk. Fermentation of sugars in the milk by these bacteria produces lactic acid, which acts on milk protein to give yogurt its texture and characteristic tart flavor. Cow's milk is most commonly used to make yogurt. Milk from water buffalo, goats, ewes, mares, camels, and yaks is also used to produce yogurt. The milk used may be homogenized or not. It may be pasteurized or raw. Each type of milk produces substantially different results.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ghee</span> Type of clarified butter from India

Ghee is a type of clarified butter, originating from the Indian subcontinent. It is commonly used for cooking, as a traditional medicine, and for Hindu religious rituals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Punjabi cuisine</span> Regional cuisine from the Punjab region of India and Pakistan

Punjabi cuisine is a culinary style originating in the Punjab, a region in the northern part of South Asia, which is now divided in an Indian part to the east and a Pakistani part to the west. This cuisine has a rich tradition of many distinct and local ways of cooking.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dahi vada</span> Indian snack food

Dahi vada or Dahi Bada is a type of chaat (snack) originating from the Indian subcontinent. It is prepared by soaking vadas in thick dahi (curd).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bhatura</span> Deep-fried leavened bread from the Indian subcontinent

Bhatura is a fluffy deep-fried leavened sourdough bread originating from the Indian subcontinent. It is commonly served as a midday meal or a breakfast dish in northern and eastern India. Paired with chickpea curry, it forms a traditional dish called chole bhature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dhaba</span> Roadside restaurants in the Indian subcontinent

A dhaba is a roadside restaurant in the Indian subcontinent. They are on highways, generally serve local cuisine, and also serve as truck stops. They are most commonly found next to petrol stations, and most are open 24 hours a day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rajasthani cuisine</span> Cuisine of the Rajasthan region in North West India

Rajasthani cuisine is the traditional cuisine of the Rajasthan state in north-west India. It was influenced by various factors like the warlike lifestyles of its inhabitants, the availability of ingredients in an arid region and by Hindu temple traditions of sampradayas like Pushtimarg and Ramanandi. Food that could last for several days and could be eaten without heating was preferred.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Curd rice</span> Indian dish

Curd rice, also called yogurt rice, is a dish originating from India. The word "curd" in Indian English refers to unsweetened probiotic yogurt. It is most popular in the South Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh; and also in West Indian states of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian bread</span> Wide variety of flatbreads and crêpes which are an integral part of Indian cuisine

Indian breads are a wide variety of flatbreads and crêpes which are an integral part of Indian cuisine. Their variation reflects the diversity of Indian culture and food habits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kadhi</span> Yogurt-based Dish from India

Kadhi or karhi is a yogurt-based dish originating from Rajasthan, india. It's made by simmering yogurt with besan and indian spices until it forms a thick, tangy gravy. Sometimes, it's also mixed with pakoras. It is often eaten with cooked rice or roti.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matzoon</span> Yogurt from the Caucasus

Matzoon or matsoni is a fermented milk product of Armenian origin found in Armenia and Georgia. The Caspian Sea yogurt commercialized in Japan is said to be the same type of yogurt as matzoon, but a comparison of microbiota and viscosity found that the two are entirely different. Georgian Matsoni has been a protected geographical indication in Georgia since 24 January 2012.

Bhojpuri cuisine is a style of food preparation common among the Bhojpuri people of Bihar, Jharkhand and eastern Uttar Pradesh in India, and also the Terai region of Nepal. Bhojpuri foods are mostly mild and tend to be less hot in terms of spices used. The cuisine consists of both vegetable and meat dishes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chaas</span> Yogurt-based drink from South Asia

Chaas is a curd-based drink popular across the Indian subcontinent. In Magahi and Bundeli, it is called Mattha. In Rajasthani it is called ghol, in Odia it is called Ghol/Chaash,moru in Tamil and Malayalam, taak in Marathi, majjiga in Telugu, majjige in Kannada, ale in Tulu and ghol in Bengali. In Indian English, it is often referred to as buttermilk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dahi chutney</span> Yoghurt-based side dish classed as a chutney

Dahi chutney is strained dahi that is mixed into a chutney of mint and onions, originating from the Indian subcontinent.

Awadhi cuisine is a cuisine native to the Awadh region in Northern India and Southern Nepal. The cooking patterns of Lucknow are similar to those of Central Asia, the Middle East, and Northern India and western India with the cuisine comprising both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. The Awadh region has been influenced by Mughal cooking techniques, and the cuisine of Lucknow bears similarities to those of Central Asia, Kashmir, Punjab and Hyderabad. The city is also known for its Nawabi foods.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aloo tikki</span> Snack originating from the Indian subcontinent

Aloo tikki, also known as aloo ki tikkia, aloo ki tikki or alu tikki, is a snack originating from the Indian subcontinent. In Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi preparation, it is made of boiled potatoes, peas, and various curry spices. Aloo means potato in Hindi-Urdu, and tikki is a small cutlet or croquette. The dish is served hot along with a side of saunth, tamarind, and coriander-mint sauce, and sometimes dahi (yogurt) or chickpeas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aloo paratha</span> Bread dish from Indian subcontinent

Aloo paratha is a paratha stuffed with potato filling native to the Indian subcontinent. It is traditionally eaten for breakfast.

References

  1. Caballero, B.; Finglas, P.; Toldra, F. (2015). Encyclopedia of Food and Health. Elsevier Science. pp. 345–351. ISBN   978-0-12-384953-3 . Retrieved December 6, 2017.
  2. The curious case of the Indian curd -Hindustan Times
  3. Making yogurt -blog
  4. Codex Alimentarius Yogurt rules, FAO
  5. "The secret of making soy yogurt without store bought culture". August 23, 2008.
  6. Kristbergsson, Kristberg; Oliveira, Jorge. Traditional Foods: General and Consumer Aspects.
  7. "Curd and Treacle". Lanka Newspapers. 2008-10-18. Archived from the original on 2013-09-05. Retrieved 2009-08-31.
  8. Vohra, A.R. (2012). New Modern Cookery Book. V&S Publishers. p. 104. ISBN   978-93-5057-278-8 . Retrieved December 6, 2017.