Setting Fresh Curd at Home
Warm milk, a spoon of last batch's curd and a night in a warm corner, giving plain fresh curd for the lunch plate. Simple home probiotic food, not a supplement or a cure.
A clean pot of curd, set overnight
Curd is warm milk with a spoon of yesterday's curd, left undisturbed for several hours. It is an everyday food in most Indian homes and a fair choice for lunch. Many people are searching for gut-friendly foods, and curd is one of them. It is food for the plate, not a probiotic course or treatment.
Use clean utensils and milk that has been boiled and cooled to lukewarm, not hot. In winter keep the pot in a warm corner; in summer it sets faster. Eat the fresh curd within two to three days. Skip it if milk or curd upset you, and keep it out of a baby's diet unless the doctor advises.
Ingredients
- 500 ml boiled milk, cooled to lukewarm
- 1 teaspoon fresh curd from a previous batch
- A clean steel or clay pot with a lid
How to prepare
- Warm the milk until it feels like a finger can stay in it briefly, then pour it into the pot.
- Stir in the curd, cover, and keep it in a warm, still place for 6 to 8 hours.
How to use
- Eat a small katori with lunch.
- Keep a spoonful of this batch to start the next one.
Helpful habits
- Do not shake or move the pot while it sets.
- If it is too sour, it set too long, so check earlier next time.
Precautions
- Skip it if milk or curd cause you stomach trouble or a cold.
- Throw it out if it is pink, has mould or smells rotten.
- Not a treatment for gut conditions and not a replacement for medicine.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my curd runny?
- The milk may have been too hot or too cold, or the starter too little. Try lukewarm milk and a full teaspoon.
Is homemade curd a probiotic?
- It contains live cultures, but the amount varies, and it is food rather than a supplement.
Can I give it to a baby?
- Ask your doctor before giving curd to a baby.
