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Homemade Yogurt Recipe
Yogurt has been added to the latest list of Superfoods, because of its high calcium content, protein and B vitamins, and how its live cultures help maintain a delicate balance in the body, promoting healthy digestive and immune systems. But superfood or not, we all love Yogurt, even my toddler girl is a huge yogurt fan, and how wonderful it would be if we could have the perfect recipe to make fresh yogurt at home!
Used to eating fresh homemade curd in India, it gets a little unsettling when you can’t do the same in US! Yogurt is the Turkish word for milk that has been curdled with a lactic starter. And though something as simple as Yogurt should not need a recipe – its just the lactobacilli multiplying over time to curdle the milk, right – there are some special tricks and tips that will make the process a smooth one. So for all the folks who have tried in vain to make yogurt at home, give this recipe a hot, and tell me if it works for you or not.
Homemade Curd Recipe
The success of curd-making really depends on the type of active culture; try using the sour (Indian) variety if possible, and you’ll get the best results! I generally borrow the yogurt culture from an Indian friend; even the sour one bought from Indian grocery stores works fine. But Yogourmet, which is a freeze-dried yogurt starter, has also worked well for me in the past. Just make sure you are using a starter with Live Active Probiotic cultures.
Ingredients
1 gallon whole milk
2 tbsp yogurt starter or active culture
1/2 cup dried powdered milk (optional, for thicker yogurt)
Method
First, bring the milk to a complete boil, reduce the heat and simmer it for few minutes till a layer of cream forms on top of the milk. Turn off the heat and let the milk cool down to lukewarm level (about 115 degrees if you are using a Thermometer). Now add the live active culture of yogurt to this milk. Stir it once and cover the vessel with a lid.
Keep the container in an oven or in a microwave (they act like incubators) undisturbed for about 8 to 12 hours. You can even turn on the light in the oven – it generates more heat and faster incubation. After this period, the milk should have curdled enough, giving you a lovely homemade curd that is fresh and flavorful! You can transfer it to the refrigerator for further storage.
Making Yogurt is not rocket-science, but a few simple tips can help you make this a fulfilling experience:
1. After boiling the milk and before adding the culture, don’t transfer the milk to other container. Use the same container for both boiling milk as well as for the incubation.
2. Add culture when milk is still warm, like 5 minutes after you take it off the stove. Don’t let it cool down too much or it won’t curdle.
3. Add at least one tablespoon of culture, and probably more if you are up in the north with a colder climate!
4. After adding the culture, keep the milk in a warm place like an oven or microwave with the light switch on. It really helps foster the incubation, particularly during cold winter months. Or you can use the Yogurt maker for the incubation phase.
5. If you like thick curd or yogurt, add 1/2 cup of dried powdered milk to the whole milk before boiling. Indian curd is a bit runny, so i don’t add any powdered milk to my recipe.
If you are going to be making yogurt a lot, and would like to invest in a Yogurt Maker, that is not a bad idea too. It will save you loads of time, guarantee a perfect flavor and consistency each time, irrespective of the weather, and is not too expensive to cause a dent in your pocket, like the Yogourmet Electric Yogurt Maker, priced at a reasonable 50 bucks. I am no longer frustrated that I can’t make curd/yogurt at home. These tips have helped me master the technique, and I hope they help you too!
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FAQs
Go for the low-fat or nonfat yogurt variety to avail health benefits. Daily intake of yogurt in moderation has the following benefits: Bone health: Yogurt is abundant in calcium, zinc, B complex vitamins and is a concentrated form of milk proteins. This makes it important for good bone health.
How to make commercial yogurt at home? ›
Yogurt Fermentation
- Add the starter culture or yogurt to a small amount of warm milk and mix well.
- Add to remaining milk. Stir well to distribute the culture in the milk.
- Pour the inoculated milk into one or more containers. ...
- Let it incubate for 4 to 8 hours.
What can I add to yogurt to make it a meal? ›
12 One-Ingredient Ways to Jazz Up Plain Yogurt
- Any and All Jam. From simple strawberry to golden apricot, jam is a staple upgrade for yogurt. ...
- Toasted Coconut Chips. ...
- Cocoa Roasted Almonds. ...
- Orange Flower Water. ...
- Pesto. ...
- Roasted Veggies. ...
- Crushed Granola Bar. ...
- Pickled Beets.
Is it OK to mix yogurt and coffee? ›
Mixing yogurt with different kinds of food is completely safe, there have been no complications so far. It can be mixed with salmon gin, vodka, smoothie, milkshakes, and even your favorite drink, coffee.
Is 2 cups of yogurt a day too much? ›
Depending on the fat content of the yogurt, the calorie content could vary. Consuming one to two cups of low-fat Greek yogurt daily can be a healthy addition to your diet without making it difficult to maintain your weight.
Will I lose weight if I only eat yogurt? ›
Eating only yogurt in a day may result in short-term weight loss due to calorie restriction, but it's not sustainable or advisable for long-term health. It's essential to maintain a balanced diet with a variety of nutrients.
Is it really cheaper to make your own yogurt? ›
Making your own yogurt is way cheaper than buying yogurt at the store. It's easy to calculate the savings, because one litre of milk makes a 750-g tub of yogurt (plus some). I used to spend $6.99 on a container of organic yogurt, but one litre of organic milk only costs me $2.60.
What is the best milk for making yogurt? ›
I prefer whole milk, both for yogurt and, well, life, but you can use 2%, 1%, or skim, as well. They all work. Some folks like to bulk up leaner milks with some dry nonfat milk powder (roughly from 1/3 to 3/4 cup powder per quart of milk) to thicken it, especially in the absence of luscious dairy fat.
Does homemade yogurt have more probiotics than store-bought? ›
Does homemade yogurt have more probiotics than store bought? Certainly. The heavy processing and use of additives in regular yogurt you buy from store destroy probiotics. On the other hand, you can prepare homemade yogurt by natural fermentation of milk minus the processing and with no additives.
What Cannot be mixed with yogurt? ›
Vasant Lad notes that yogurt shouldn't be paired with milk. In addition to this, he also lists down a couple of everyday foods, that you may have been combining all your life with yogurt but shouldn't be! These include sour fruits, melons, fish, mango, starches, cheese and bananas.
The 7 Best Greek Yogurts, According to Dietitians
- fa*ge Total 2%, Plain. Amazon. ...
- Chobani Less Sugar Greek Yogurt. Amazon. ...
- Stonyfield Organic Fat-Free Plain Greek Yogurt. Amazon. ...
- Good & Gather Greek Plain Nonfat Yogurt. Target. ...
- Maple Hill Organic Plain Greek Yogurt. ...
- Two Good Low Fat Lower Sugar Vanilla Greek Yogurt. ...
- Oikos Pro.
Which yogurt is the healthiest? ›
While any type of yogurt can fit in a healthy diet, Greek yogurt and skyr (Icelandic yogurt) are the healthiest choices because they tend to be lower in sugar and higher in protein, says registered dietitian Jamie Nadeau.
What is the best time to eat yogurt? ›
With the four recommended times mentioned above, the best options to consume yogurt are in the morning or on an empty stomach. This is because the good bacteria or probiotics in yogurt must reach the large intestine alive to maintain digestive efficiency and health.
What not to eat with yogurt? ›
Yogurt is to be avoided with cheese, hot drinks, sour fruits, milk, mangoes, nightshades, beans, eggs, fish. Fat and proteins are mismatched foods as they need different digestive juices. Cheese cannot be paired with eggs, fruits, hot drinks, milk, beans, yogurt.
Does yogurt actually help gut bacteria? ›
Another study showed that four weeks of probiotic yogurt consumption by healthy adults increased gut content of probiotic Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria strains while not significantly altering microbial community structure [5].