Yogurt to be kidding me

A bowl of curd has become a mainstay on the Indian dinner table. Grandma was right when she insisted we have a bowl of dahi with every meal. If you were to visit a grocery store, you’d notice an array of yogurt packs sitting right next to your humble curd, vying for your attention. Yogurt is now popular among consumers, given they come in delectable flavours and can be snacked on without guilt.

Although yogurt is touted to be a calcium-rich food, research shows that it contains almost every ingredient needed to make it a complete nutritional package. Just one cup of yogurt has about 10 grams of protein per 225-gram serving. That’s about 20 percent of the recommended daily protein intake for an average adult.  It contains phosphorus, which is required for strong bones and teeth. It is also an excellent source of Vitamin B2 that assists adrenal function, helps maintain a healthy nervous system, and aids in key metabolic processes.

Yogurt v/s dahi
“Yogurt is produced when live, active cultures of lactobacillus bulgaris, streptococcus thermophilus, and sometimes lactobacillus acidophilus are added to milk. This is then kept warm for a few hours,” says Mala Rao, a Hyderabad-based nutritionist. Homemade curd is made from only lactobacillus bacteria.

A history on yogurt     
Although Ayurveda has been advocating the goodness of yogurt for a long time now, legend has it that it took a French King’s embarrassing bowel issues to introduce yogurt to the Western world. When Francois the First couldn’t rid himself of a nasty bout of gastroenteritis in 1542, he sought the help of Suleiman the Magnificent from Turkey’s Ottoman empire who suggested a remedy — a bowl of yogurt. In fact the word yogurt originated from the Turkish term “yogurur” (which means long life).

Be pro to probiotics
Lately there has been a lot of buzz in health journals and magazines about consuming probiotics in our diet. Amongst its chief benefits, probiotics contribute to a healthy gut. Although dairy products are a no-no for an upset tummy, yogurt is recommended because the friendly probiotic bacteria balance the micro flora in the stomach. Consumption of probiotic yogurt can reduce antibiotic-associated diarrhea, help control irritable bowel syndrome and aid in the digestion of lactose.

Tadka dahi

Ingredients
2.5 kg hung curd
30 gm ginger, chopped
20 gm green chilli, chopped
50 gm coriander leaves
20 gm mustard seeds
10 gm curry leaves
20 gm cumin, whole
10 gm red chilli, whole
20 gm coriander powder
30 gm red chilli powder
20 gm turmeric powder
20 gm salt
50 ml oil
500 gm tomato
20 gm sugar
30 gm tamarind pulp

Method
Chop tomato, coriander and ginger. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, curry leaves and red chilli. Let it crackle. Add chopped tomatoes and cook till the tomatoes turn mushy. Now add red chilli powder to it. Add tamarind pulp to the tomato and cook for 15 minutes till the mixture turns into a paste. Add powdered spices mentioned above and cook till the oil separates. Add chopped ginger, coriander, green chillies, salt and sugar to the mixture. Keep the pan away from the heat and add the hung curd to it. Make sure that you fold the yogurt into the mixture. Your dish is ready.

Phyllo and Yogurt Triangles

Ingredients
300 gm hung curd
20 gm mint
50 gm sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
20 gm pine nuts
150 gm phyllo sheets
3 gm cumin
5 gm crushed black pepper
10 gm salt
50 ml refined oil  

Method
Mix chopped sundried tomatoes, pine nuts, chopped mint, salt and pepper to the hung curd. Cut Phyllo sheets into 2-inch wide strips and cover it with a slightly dampened kitchen towel. Take three strips and brush the top sheet lightly with melted butter. Add 1 teaspoon of filling. Keep about 1/2-inch above the bottom corner empty. Fold into a triangle shape as though folding into a flag. Repeat. Arrange triangles on a baking tray sheet lined with parchment paper. Lightly brush triangles with olive oil and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly and transfer to a serving platter.

Dahi wala Kukad

Ingredients:

2.2 kg cut chicken
1.15 kg whisked curd
275 gm fried onion, pureed
20 gm green chilli
45 gm garlic paste
27 gm coriander powder
200  ml refined oil
150 ml cream
For the garam masala

16 gm black cardamom
10 gm black pepper
12 gm clove
3 nutmeg
15 gm cinnamon stick
1 gm mace
Salt to taste

Method

Take a pan. Add refined oil and garlic paste and cook on low flame till brown. Add the chicken and sauté on high heat.  Add salt, chopped chilli and coriander powder to the chicken. Lower the heat and keep stirring. Add the garam masala to the pan. Make sure the masala coats the chicken. Let it cook for 30 seconds. Add the whisked curd and sauté once again. Add the fried onion puree and mix properly. Let it cook on slow flame without covering. Add cream and serve.

RECIPES COURTESY: Ashish Bhasin, Executive Chef at the Trident, Bandra Kurla, Mumbai