HOMEMADE YOGURT AND CARROT-CUCUMBER RAITA

Yogurt/ Curd is an essential food in Indian cuisine. Indian meal is complete only with curd rice. There is a variety of Indian dishes prepared from curd like lassi, moru kuzhambu, chaas, piyush, kadhi and a lot more... But often in cold countries, it is difficult to prepare curd at home and we end up buying them from stores.

                                   All that you'll need is just a tablespoon of curd with live culture (check the labels before you buy curd for starter!) and freshly boiled milk.

HOMEMADE YOGURT RECIPE

INGREDIENTS
Curd (with live culture) - 1 tablespoon
Milk (preferably full cream) - 2 cups

METHOD
1. Bring the milk to boil stirring it then and there. When its all fully boiled, switch off the stove.
2. Let it cool a bit. It should be very warm.
3. You should be comfortable in putting your finger inside the milk for not more than 10 to 12 seconds.
4. Now, add in the yogurt starter to it with a spoon and give it a good mix. The yogurt starter should blend in with the milk properly and cover with a lid.
5. Preheat the oven for just 5 minutes at the minimum possible temperature. Switch it off. Place the milk and yogurt mixture inside the oven with the oven light on. This is important as the oven light would help to maintain the temperature.
6. Your yogurt will be ready in 5 to 6 hours. You can leave it for longer if you want the yogurt to be sour.
7. In India and during summer, just place it in a warm place and follow the same steps.
7. Yogurt is all done!! Go and relish a cup of it!

TIPS
1. Use full cream milk for good curd.
2. If the milk is too hot, curd will be watery due to coagulation and if it is too cold it will not set.
3. The milk and curd should be blended properly. You may use a whisker to whisk the mixture.
4. Idli batter too can be fermented in the oven similarly.

NOW FOR A RECIPE... RAITA!
 Raitas are a great accompaniment for biryani varieties and parathas. Try this carrot-cucumber raita on a  sunny day and you'll fall in love with it!! Its just so refreshing.

CUCUMBER-CARROT RAITA RECIPE

Cuisine - Indian
Type - Accompaniment/ sides
Cooking time - 10 to 15 minutes
Yields -  about 1.5 cups/ 4 generous servings.
INGREDIENTS

Thick yogurt - 1/2 cup

Onion (very finely chopped) - 1/3 cup

Carrot (grated) - 1/4 cup

Cucumber (grated) - 1/4 cup

Green chilly (finely chopped/ crushed in a mortar) - 1 no

Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Salt - as required

METHOD

1. Whisk or whip the curd until smooth.

2. Dry roast the cumin seeds and crush them with a mortar-pestle. You can also roll them over a rolling pin over a rolling board.

3. Add the cumin powder to the whisked curd. Add in the chopped onions, grated carrot, grated cucumber, chopped green chilly and salt to the whisked curd. Thats it!

4. Serve chilled with biryani or fried rice.

TIPS

1. Add a dash of chat masala for extra flavour.

2. A handful of mint and cilantro can be made into paste and added to the raita for a more refreshing taste.
3. Customize your raita as per your taste. Try adding grated raw mango or chopped cilantro. You can also temper with mustard, urad dal and asafoetida for an authentic twist.

If you are looking for more curd recipes try more kuzhambu & honeydew melon-yogurt smoothie.