Curd is a traditional fermented milk product, originating from the Indian subcontinent, usually prepared from cow’s milk, and sometimes buffalo milk, or goat milk. It is popular throughout the Indian subcontinent. It contains Lactobacillus bacterium i.e. Lactic acid bacteria. In some houses, malai or the cream in full cream milk is added to curd for additional flavour. Curd is natural and it varies from every house to house since it does not contain the standard amount of live bacteria and curd cannot be considered a probiotic.
Benefits of Homemade Curd
- Curd helps in improving digestion. Nutrients can be easily absorbed into the digestive system. As it contains good bacteria, it is also considered beneficial for the immune system.
- Curd is also a rich source of calcium and phosphorus. Including it in your daily diet will be beneficial for teeth and bones.
- Natural curd has about 25 per cent fat content. These are mono-unsaturated fatty acids which don’t oxidize and are healthy for you.
- Curd only has about 3 per cent carbohydrates and has low levels of lactose. This means people with lactose allergy who cannot digest milk can digest it easily.
- High methionine content in curd is good news as it’s an irreplaceable amino acid that can protect your liver against fat.
- About 80 per cent of curd is water. Thus it keeps you hydrated if you have it daily. And it is really helpful to defeat the hot summers.
- Curd is also loaded with riboflavin, Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, and pantothenic acid.
- Curd can be used for skincare as well as haircare.
Curd and yoghurt are almost considered synonymous. Curd contains Lactobacillus bacterium while yoghurt contains live strains of both Lactobacillus Bulgaris bacterium and streptococcus thermophilus. Yoghurt is an industrial product and can be flavoured.
Set the perfect Curd at home
Ingredients
- 500 ml Milk use cow's milk; avoid Tetra pack milk
- 1 tsp Curd agent take a teaspoon of the leftover curd set on the previous day
Instructions
- Bring the milk to boil
- Reduce heat and allow it to boil for another 10 minutes. This will thicken the milk a little bit.
- Pour the milk in the vessel you want to set the curd. You can use steel bowls for this purpose. The best result is obtained by using earthen pots.
- Allow it to cool till you can dip your finger and you can feel slightly warm.
- Stir in the teaspoon of curd and mix well. Close the lid and store it in a warm place.
- Keep aside for 8 hours.
