Description

Flavoured curd or Yogurt is a cultured dairy product that can be made from whole, lowfat or skim milk, including reconstituted nonfat dry milk powder .Flavored Curd is a dairy product obtained by curdling (coagulating) milk with rennet or an edible acidic substance such as lemon juice or vinegar and then draining off the liquid portion (called whey). Natural or artificial flavors are added to the milk before the curdling process. The increased acidity causes the milk proteins (casein) to tangle into solid masses, or "curds". The rest, which contains only whey proteins, is the whey.

In the Indian subcontinent, buffalo milk is used for curd due to its higher fat content making a thicker curd. The quality of curds depends on the starter used. The time taken to curdle also varies with the seasons taking less than 6 hours in hot weather and up to 16 hours in cold weather. In the industry, an optimal temperature of 43°C for 4-6 hours is used for preparation. The flavors may vary from mango, pista, almonds, kesar, etc. Another popular flavored curd called shrikhand is quite common in western states of India.

How to select

Flavoured curds come in variety of flavours and brands. Select as per your individual preference and recipe requirement. Check the 'Best before date' before buying.

Culinary uses

· Serve on baked potatoes, fruit or vegetables as a low calorie substitute for sour cream.
· For dip or salad dressing, add chopped onion, chives, curry powder, dried onion soup mix or other flavorings.
· To make fruit-flavored yogurt, stir sliced or crushed fruit into plain yogurt. Nuts or raisins can also be added. Add sweetener to taste if needed. Plain yogurt mixed with applesauce is a quick and delicious treat.
· Custard-flavored yogurt can be made by adding 1/2 teaspoon vanilla to 1 cup of yogurt. Sweeten to taste.
· Frozen yogurt on a stick: Add 2 tablespoons frozen fruit juice concentrate, or 1/2-cup sliced or crushed fruit to 2 cups plain yogurt. Freeze in Popsicle molds or cups with plastic spoons or wooden sticks for handles.
· Plain or fruit-flavored yogurt can be frozen in small containers and added to "brown bag" lunches to keep other items cold until lunchtime.

How to store

Store flavoured curd in the refrigerator and consume within a week.

Health benefits

· Flavoured Curd has zero carbs, zero sugars and zero trans fats.
· Flavored curd has numerous health benefits like it is very helpful for heart ailments, keeps digestive system healthy, has more Vitamin B Complex than milk.
· Curd serves as a very good medicine, it has an enzyme that keeps the body cool, and it is also a good healer.
· During the process of making flavoured curd, bacteria convert milk into curd and predigest milk protein. These bacteria then inhibit the growth of hostile or illness-causing bacteria inside the intestinal tract and promote beneficial bacteria needed for digestion. These friendly bacteria facilitate the absorption of minerals and aid in the synthesis of vitamins of B group.
· Curd has high vitamin and calcium contents with protein.