Yogurt

Known as curd in English in the Subcontinent and dahi in Hindi and many languages in the northern Subcontinent, yogurt, like all other dairy products, has an important place in Hindu cooking, and it is widely used in inventive ways, both savory and sweet, in almost all the cuisines of the Subcontinent. There yogurt is traditionally made from cow’s or water buffalo’s milk and is generally thicker and richer than all but the full-fat yogurts sold in North America. A yogurt culture (Lactobacillus acidophilus, usually in the form of some yogurt from the previous batch) is stirred into lukewarm milk and left to ferment in a slightly warm place. Yogurt can taste fairly tart, depending on the culture used, but the tartness can be relieved by draining off the whey. This is why many recipes call for draining yogurt briefly (fifteen minutes is enough) in a cloth-lined sieve or colander (see Cucumber Raita, for example). The remaining yogurt is thicker, richer, and milder tasting. You can use the thickened yogurt or, if you want the looser texture of the original, add water to get the consistency you wish. When used in cooked dishes, yogurt must be added late in the cooking and must not be boiled, or the sauce may separate (it will still taste good, but it will be less attractive).