How to make a Perugu/Curd/ Yoghurt?
Ingredients
Curd/ Yoghurt – 1/2 tsp
Boiled Milk – 500 ml
Preparation Method
Boil the milk till a thick creamy layer formed on the top of the milk.
Switch off the stove when the milk starts coming up.
if you want the curd creamy, keep the milk simmering and boil for 15 minutes, so that the milk reduces.
Another way of thickening is to add milk powder of about a tablespoon or fresh cream, whichever taste suits you.
Transfer the milk to the vessel (preferably a tight lid container) in which you want to set the curd.
let it cool till it is just mildly warm.
Take 1/2 tsp of curd, if its summer, if its winter you can add 1 tsp (Don’t think it’s very less, this amount of adding curd makes the resulting curd thick)
Make a paste of the curd in the spoon by using your index finger.
Mix this thoroughly in the milk.
Without disturbing the vessel, tightly cover the vessel with a lid and place in a microwave oven/ kitchen shelf. Means keep it in a warm place.you can keep it in the sun or in a insulated casseroles.
Allow it for about 4-5 hrs. If you do this in the morning 7-8 am, you can get thick fresh curd by 12.30 pm to 1 p.m.
If its winter you can do it the night, allow to set overnight. Keep the vessel in the refrigerator in the morning, so that it won’t become sour.
If the curd is not set even after 4 hrs, the reason may is that the milk wasn’t hot enough.
To set it take a bowl of would-be curd, set it in a larger, shallow vessel, and pour boiling water all around it. You can see the curd setting within five minutes. Take the vessel out once it shows sign of setting,
otherwise, the curd may over-set and split.
If you want to make buttermilk, take some curd and churn it with wooden blender or a electric one.
Add some water according to the consistency needed and churn again till foams are formed on the top.
To Thicken curd, you can drain out some of the water.
Put it in a close-meshed nylon strainer, or take a clean thin white cloth, spread it over a shallow vessel, and turn the curd into it.
Tie the edges of the cloth and hang the bundle to drip. you can keep it in the fridge in summer.
Take the curd out when you get the desired consistency.
Word of Caution
The right setting of curd depends upon 3 factors
1.) The milk should not be too hot or too cold. It should be warm enough.
2.) The amount of curd you are adding should not be more than 1 tsp(otherwise the curd will become sour very soon).
3.) Mixing thoroughly and allowing it to set without any disturbance.
