How is curd made? Who learned to make such a best drink? These are interesting questions. Dahi is mentioned in mythological texts. It is mentioned that Lord Krishna stole curd and ate it as a child.
It is mentioned in a BBC report that the trend of curd started from the European country Bulgaria. According to the report, nomadic people learned to make curd four thousand years ago.
At that time they used to raise milk animals. There was no method of storing milk. So the remaining milk was kept at a certain temperature. If kept like this, the milk would turn into curd after some time. According to a BBC report, the seasonal temperature in Bulgaria was very favorable for curdling.
Yogurt-making took place at different times in Central Asia and the Middle East. A special strain of bacteria is found in Bulgaria for curdling. Bulgarian scientist Stamen Grigorov was teaching at Geneva University in Switzerland at that time. He researched and studied how yogurt freezes. When milk is kept at a certain temperature for a certain period of time, then bacteria will grow in it. Due to this bacteria, milk is converted into curd.
What is in yogurt? ?
According to nutritionist Leel Bahadur Nepali, yogurt contains high quality fat, protein, calcium, potassium, water, iron carbohydrates, phosphorus, selenium and various vitamins (vitamins A, B, C, K, B12 and B2).
Similarly, probiotic protein is found in curd, it keeps the body cool and provides coolness to the body. Also, it increases the digestive power and increases the immune system.
How curd is made ?
After boiling the milk until it thickens well, it should be cooled and stored as needed. After leaving it overnight, curd is ready.
How does curd benefit digestion? ?
Probiotics in curd activate the good micro-organisms in the body and reduce or inactivate the harmful bacteria and facilitate the digestive process.
When is the best time to eat? ?
Morning time: It is considered very good to eat curd in the morning. It strengthens the digestive system and helps to keep the body active and energetic throughout the day.
Afternoon time: Eating curd in lunch is also beneficial. It improves the digestive process and helps digest food. Eating curd in the afternoon in summer cools the body and provides relief from the heat of the sun.
Evening time: It is good to eat curd in the evening too but it is best to have it with a light meal. For example, you can mix it with fruits or eat fruits first and then yogurt. It should be made like a smoothie or juice.
Something to note
Yogurt should not be eaten on an empty stomach. It can cause acidity in the stomach. It should always be taken with food or after food.
Sweet curd: If you eat curd mixed with sugar, you should eat it in limited quantities. Too much sweet yogurt can cause weight gain. Yogurt should not be eaten immediately after taking it out of the refrigerator. It should be kept at room temperature for some time.
Why not eat at night? ?
Ayurvedic doctor Dr. According to Prakash Gyawali, eating curd in the evening increases phlegm in the body. It causes the risk of colds, sore throats, and colds. Therefore, according to the principles of Ayurveda, it is said not to eat curd at night because the body is more likely to get cold.
Curd fresh or stale? ?
Even if it is kept for a long time, it does not rot, melt or become stale like other foods. Gyawali says. ‘But Ekrate Dahi is considered fresh,’ he says, ‘as the night increases, its quality also decreases. But it cannot be called stale.’
Use of curd
Traditionally, curd is used as a dessert ie dessert and sagun. Curd helps in enhancing beauty. Therefore, in addition to eating curd, it is applied like a pack on the skin of the mouth, hands and feet. It also makes the sun-burnt skin fairer and softer. Lactic acid in curd is naturally anti-fungal. Therefore, this tea is also used to remove hair and it also works as a natural conditioner for hair.
What to eat with curd ?
Dahi is eaten mixed with chiura, roti, puri and rice. There is a Nepali tradition of serving curd in the form of sagun when going somewhere far away from home. Nutritionist Leel Bahadur Nepali says that it is better to eat curd after eating other foods. “But because curd contains fat, it is appropriate for people with fat problems in the body not to mix it with other fatty foods as much as possible,” he says.
Why is the taste different? ?
Yogurt is made from milk, but its taste is slightly different, because when the milk is frozen, bacteria are produced in it. Nutritionist Nepali says, ‘When curd is made from milk, its shape, color and texture all change. That’s why the taste is different.’
Similarly, there are two types of yogurt available in the market, pure and adulterated. The taste of these two types of yogurt is also different. Pure curd is made from whole milk while others may be mixed with sugar, powder, processed milk. Also, yogurt made from packet or powdered milk is not tasty.
Benefits of eating curd
Yogurt contains probiotics ie good bacteria. It helps to keep the stomach clean by strengthening the digestive system and eating a bowl of curd every day makes the digestive process healthy.
Increases immunity
Probiotics found in curd help in strengthening immunity. This can cause the body to absorb protein. Apart from this, curd also keeps stomach infections away.
Strengthens bones
Yogurt is the best source of vitamin C and D. It helps to keep bones and teeth strong. Eating curd daily can prevent the disease called osteoporosis.
Weight control
Since curd contains low fat and high protein, its daily intake helps to keep obesity away.
Keeps skin healthy
Curd helps in keeping the skin shiny and soft in summer. As it contains vitamin E, zinc and phosphorus, it is good for skin color.
Yoghurt eating day
Every year Asar 15 is also celebrated as the day of eating curd. Dahi Chiura is used as a snack in June, which is considered as the month of planting mano. Dahi Chiura is considered the best snack as it is quick sweet, tasty and healthy and does not go stale and does not have to be complicated to cook.
Who should not eat curd? ?
A person who is allergic to milk or cannot digest lactose and has a cold should not consume any dairy products and even curd. Rheumatoid patients should also not eat it. Because it cools the body.
What not to eat with curd ?
Eating cucumber with curd can have side-effects on the body. Similarly, eating curd with greasy food can cause fat in the body, while bananas, fish, and sour fruits mixed with curd can cause harm instead of benefits.
In an article published by writer Narayan Oli, there is a mention about some types of curd popular in Nepal.
1. Ekrate: Yogurt that has been left overnight in the fridge or frozen the previous day is called Ekrate yogurt.
2. Chokra: A lump of curd that does not set well and does not curdle when beaten is called Chokra.
3. Juju Dhau: Curd made by adding saffron, sugar etc. to milk after heating for a long time is called Juju Dhau.
4. Lahe Dahi: Well-cured thick curd is called Lahe Dahi.
How is Juju Dhow, popular in Kathmandu Valley, made? ?
Juju Dha is made in traditional style. To prepare juju dhow, first of all, chaff is laid in the curd making area as required. The milk brought from the dairy should be boiled in a karahi so that it becomes thick. When boiling milk, at least 40 liters of milk is boiled to 30 liters.
After it boils, it is placed in a clay bowl on the chaff. Milk is kept in the bowl in three stages. In the first stage, only half of the milk is kept. After that, the milk is poured into a bowl from above.
Then at the end, milk is kept to fill it completely. After boiling the milk, the curd is covered with another bowl. It is covered with a thick silk or warm cloth from above. Juju Dha is ready after about four to five hours. But curd that is stored in plastic containers or in the refrigerator is kept for sale after boiling the milk. After that, the milk is filled all at once and placed in a plastic container.
Curd Museum
Curds require bacteria, which were named Lactobacillus bulgaricus. Which was done by a scientist named Stamen Grigorov from Bulgaria. That’s why a Dahi Museum has been built in his name in Bulgaria, which is the only Dahi Museum in the world. Which was named Lactobacillus bulgaricus. A type of bacteria is necessary for curdling.
Yogurt is the secret to longevity
Based on Grigorob’s research, Russian Nobel Prize-winning biologist Eli Mechnikoff discovered that the daily consumption of yogurt is responsible for the longevity of Bulgarian farmers. Most of the farmers lived there for more than 100 years. After it was known to prolong life, the tradition of eating curd was developed in France, Germany, Switzerland, Spain and the UK.
Bacterial vaccine export
Even today, the Bulgarian government company LB Bulgaricom gives licenses for the trade and business of Bulgarian yogurt in its partner countries Japan and South Korea. Therefore, every year bacterial vaccines are exported from Bulgaria to Korea and Japan.
Hot topics
