yogurt – Crave Bits

A Healthy Touch To Summer With Curd

We all want to keep our taste buds happy, and when what we eat scores high on health too – it’s a clear win-win! Curd due to the probiotic activities of the beneficial bacteria it contains, has a good proportion of minerals like calcium and phosphorus, along with proteins and vitamins, highlighting their efficacy as a good probiotic product. Indeed, curd is a wonder food.

Curd is prepared from sour milk. It is known to have better nutritive value than milk. It is formed by fermentation of lactic acid present in milk. The curd is highly esteemed for its refreshing taste and smoothness. People who have strong intolerance towards milk, can easily easily have curd without any further problem.

In ancient India, curd mixed with honey was known as the ‘food of the Gods ‘. Some people explain that curd is known to be the best food for the mankind.

Curd is popularly known as dahi, in north India while in south people have it mixed in with rice. While in kolkata, curd is popularly known as mishti doi.

Some people also consume curd, due to superstitious beliefs. Some people belief that consuming curd mixed with sugar before starting some journey, is auspicious and will ensure safety and good health.

Here are some reasons why you should add curd to your daily diet, ensuring a lot of health benefits-

Curd helps improve digestion– curd is prepared by fermentation of lactic acid by lactobacillus bacteria, which helps improve digestion. The other reason attributed is that curd is easy to digest and helps control the heat produce by spicy food.
Helps boost immunity- curd has the presence of good bacteria, which strengthens the immunity by fighting several microorganisms present in our body. Consuming curd is known to prevent certain infections, especially vaginal yeast infection in women.
Good for bones and teeth– curd is even more nutritive than milk, with presence of calcium and phosphorus, which promotes growth of bones and makes teeth stronger. Curd is also known to control arthritis and osteoporosis.
Curd as a milk substitute- people those who are intolerant towards milk, generally lactose intolerance can safely consume curd and also is easier to digest.
Makes heart healthy– curd is known to keep in control blood pressure and also helps in reducing the blood cholesterol level by preventing thickening of arteries.
Helps control dandruff problems– curd is an extraordinarily best ingredient known to control dandruff, by mixing it with oil and lemon juice and apply it on scalp. Leave it for an hour, and then wash it with water.
Makes a good skincare product– curd is an excellent ingredient for making homemade packs, with addition of curd, gram flour and lemon juice to get an attractive and glowing face.

There are certain additional benefits of curd like, it helps in curing insomnia. It is also believed consuming curd on a regular basis could prevent premature aging. It is also claimed that curd or even yogurt can improve the condition of colon cancer and food poisoning. It can also help in treatment of diarrhea, bowel movement, constipation and gastrointestinal disorders.

Curd is also used in preparation of beverages by adding water and sugar, salt or some spices to it. Curd is also widely used in preparation of srikand, which is a semi dry mass of curd sweetened with sugar. This is done by suspending curd in a muslin bag , it is then sugared and colored.

1. Curd zucchini lime raita –

A. 1 thinly sliced green zucchini

B. 1 thinly sliced yellow zucchini

C. Lime juice

D. 2 tbs olive oil

E. 1 tsp red chilly flakes

F. 1 tsp peppercorns

G. Salt to taste

H. 2 cups Greek yogurt

I. Garlic cloves

J. 2 scallions, thinly sliced

In a medium sized bowl, add sliced zucchini with olive oil, lime juice, garlic, chilly flakes, pepper and salt. Toss them and keep it aside to marinate for a few minutes.

Heat a grilling pan, grease it with the prepared marinade and arrange the zucchini in single layer. Grill the zucchini on both the sides. In another bowl, combine yogurt, salt and pepper. Spoon the yogurt in an even layer on the platter. Layer the grilled zucchini in an alternating pattern as green and yellow over the yogurt, drizzle the remaining marinade over it.

Serve it, garnished with scallions over it.

2. Curd spicy chicken-

A. 1 kg whole chicken

B. Garlic clove

C. Ginger

D. 2 tsp chili powder

E. 16 tbsp curd

F. Salt

G. 2 tsp black pepper

H. Soy sauce

I. 2 tsp coriander powder

J. 2 tsp cumin seeds

K. Coriander leaves

L. Oil

M. 1 big onion, chopped

N. Tomato sauce

Combine tomato sauce, soy sauce, chili powder, garlic, salt, pepper and curd in a bowl and mix well. Marinate the chicken in this mixture and keep aside for 2 hours.

Heat oil in the pan, and add chopped onion, cumin seeds, coriander powder, ginger and garlic and saute. Add in the chicken with little curd, and cook on low flame till the chicken turns tender. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve.

July 20, 2014

Wine Of The Dairy Industry- Yogurt

Yogurt is the wine of the dairy world. This is because, just as the wine is made from fermented grapes, yogurt is made by fermenting lactose, the milk sugar. The bacteria used to make yogurt is known as “ yogurt culture”. The yogurt is a creamy and smooth, internationally popular product. Nowadays, yogurt is consumed all over the world, both as a food as well as beverage, and sometimes as an ingredient in other dishes.

Yogurt is generally made from cow’s milk, but it can also be prepared from sheep and goat milk. The earliest yogurts were often fermented from bacteria, living on goatskin bags carried upon by shepherds. These shepherds, first prepared yogurt in order to preserve milk, in the seventh century.

In ancient Indian records, combination of honey and yogurt was known as “ food of the Gods”. Some accounts suggest that Indian emperor Akbar, would use mustard seeds and cinnamon to add flavor to yogurt.

It is an versatile ingredient used in preparation of other dishes. Its naturally acidic, and is perfect for marinating meat, chicken and fish, which acts as an tenderizing agent. Yogurt is used as a fat substitute in baking of cakes and muffins.

As a beverage, yogurt can be mixed with variety of flavors to make refreshing drinks. In Turkey, Bulgaria and Greece ingredients like salt, water and yogurt are mixed together to make a popular beverage called as Ayran. In Iran, Armenia yogurt is blended with mint and salt, to make a carbonated beverage called Doogh. In Turkey, Georgia and Armenia, a cultured milk product is made from mare’s milk and yeast, is known as Kefir. In India and Pakistan, a frothy drink made in both salty and sweet taste is known as Lassie.

The most obvious and yummiest reason for eating yogurt is its taste, but there is more to it. There are also many nutritional reasons for having it. It is low in fat, and high in protein content. Thus, yogurt can be greatly used by people of all ages and nutritional requirements.

A single serving of yogurt contains 10 gm of protein, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, minerals and vitamins like riboflavin and vitamin B 12. Though, it is low in fats but depends on the type of milk used.

Basic yogurt recipe-

1. 4 cup milk

2. 1 cup plain, natural yogurt with active cultures

Bring the milk to the boil, and remove from flame. Set aside to cool and pour this milk into sterilized bowl. Now, mix in the yogurt with milk till it gets properly combined. Transfer this to a yogurt maker and follow the instructions, or cover with cloth all around for 3-4 hrs at room temperature to set the yogurt aside. Refrigerate it before serving.

Some yogurt recipes-

1. Greek yogurt pancakes

Non-fat Greek yogurt
1 tbsp baking soda
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup fresh blueberries

Mix Greek yogurt and egg in a bowl and blend until smooth. Add flour and baking soda and stir properly until the batter is evenly distributed and thick.

Preheat large pan to medium heat. Use an ice-cream scoop or cup to add batter into pan. Spread the batter on the pan in circular motion. Dot blueberries on top of the pancake. Cook for 3 min until golden brown, then toss other side to cook it for 2 min.

Serve it additional fruits or syrup.

2. Greek yogurt chicken salad-

A. 1 large chicken breast, cooked and chopped

B. 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

C. Lemon juice

D. 1 celery stick, diced

E. 4 celery leaves, minced

F. 2 red onion, diced

G. 1/2 cup apples, chopped

H. Grapes, sliced in half

I. Walnuts chopped

J. Raisins

In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients chopped and add chicken breast to it. Mix them well. Now add yogurt over it, and mix them all well and serve it decorated in a dish or bowl.

3. Yogurt cheesecakes –

A. 1 1/2 cup yogurt

B. 1/2 cup tofu

C. Salt

D. 1 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract

E. 5 tbsp flavored syrup, sweetener

F. 2 1/2 tbsp corn starch

G. 2 tbsp sugar

For homemade yogurt, place a strainer lined with cheesecloth over a pot and pour the contents of plain, vanilla or unsweetened yogurt. Refrigerate it overnight, and then discard the liquid at the bottom of the pot, to get homemade Greek style yogurt.

For the cheesecake, preheat oven to 350 F. Now, combine all the ingredients and blend them until completely smooth. Pour it in any prepared crust and bake it for 30-40 min, and them remove from oven. Allow it to cool for an hour, before removing it from the crust. Now keep it refrigerated for 8 hours.

Now, serve it dressed with syrup and strawberries.

June 18, 2014

Strawberry Pleasures

The heart shaped and juicy, as lovely as a love story. A bright red strawberry, is like a symbol of love. These strawberries were considered as the darling of spring’s transition into summers, with this fruit being available only in the month of June. But now with advance in agriculture techniques, these are now available all round the year. You can now enjoy these lovely strawberries anytime your heart desires.

Strawberries, small red fruits clad in scarlet red, dotted with tiny seeds and wearing green little caps, make one of the most delicious and attractive food on earth. They may be found in different varieties, colors or sometimes even different shapes.

Strawberries belong to the rose family and for centuries it grew as wild in America and Europe, but today them are not limited to their native place due to the advancement in crossbreeding techniques.

You’ll fall in love with them, when you know how good they are for you and your belly. These yummy berries are low in calories and fats, high in fiber, potassium, folic acid and antioxidants. You won’t believe that eight medium sized strawberries could impart you more vitamin C than oranges.

One full cup of strawberries contain 45 calories, 0 gm fats, 0 gm cholesterol, 1 mg sodium, 3 gm fiber, 7 gm sugar and 1 gm protein.

Reportedly, United States was the greatest producer of this fruit till 2005. Strawberries also carry the potential to some of the medical and beauty treatments-

l Strawberries if consumed on a regular basis help to reduce the possibility of cancers and heart attacks.

l These berries could also help to remove stains from your teeth.

l Their intake helps in reducing blood pressure.

l Strawberry juice when combined with honey, could provide cure for sunburns and inflammation.

l Intake of nitrate rich strawberries, helps increase flow of blood and oxygen to your muscles.

l Consumption of strawberries by pregnant women is helpful in reducing risk of birth- defects in child, due to the presence of folic acid in them.

Since long, strawberries have been associated with love. During the olden days, newly weds were served with strawberries. Some believe that splitting a double strawberry into two and sharing it with opposite sex may lead you to fall in love with him/her.Some consider them as a symbol of Venice, the Goddess of Love.

There are several strawberry festivals held in different parts of the world, especially in United States. These festivals are organized in late spring, which is the harvest time for this fruit. They are a treat for strawberry lovers as they offer a lot of fun activities and entertainment to the visitors. A number of strawberry delicacies, like pies, shortcakes, jams and desserts are served during this festival.

Some healthy strawberry recipes-

1. Strawberry shortcakes-

Combine 1 tbsp corn sweetener and 1 tbsp corn starch in a small sauce pan. Stir in 1 cup orange juice. Boil it, cook and stir it constantly for 1 min. Until mixture is thickened. Now cool the mixture by stirring. Combine orange juice mixture and some sliced strawberries in a bowl and stir them together. Cover it and refrigerate for 30 min. To serve, spread vanilla sauce over it.

2. Mango- ginger strawberry smoothie-

combine 1 cup peeled mango, 1 cup sliced strawberries, 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt, 1/4 cup cold water, 2 tsp honey, 2 tsp minced crystallized ginger and some crushed ice. Blend them all together, to make a soft gentle puree and serve in glasses.

3. Fresh strawberry jam-

Combine 2 cup sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice in a saucepan and cook at low heat for 10 min, till sugar is dissolved. Add strawberries and continue to heat for 20 min, until strawberries release their juice. Cook till the juice gels on the cold plate and store this refrigerated in sterilized jars.

4. Strawberry lemonade-

In a saucepan, add 2 cup water and 1 cup sugar and bring them to boil. Heat and stir the mixture, until sugar dissolves. Add lemon juice, and then remove from heat. Let it cool, and then drain it. In a blender, puree the strawberries and add it to the drained mixture with lemon juice. Stir well and serve chilled, garnished with mint and strawberries.

5. Strawberry frozen yogurt-

24 hrs before you start making it, insert your ice cream maker into freezer. Add strawberries, lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar and rum to a bowl and toss. Cover the bowl with plastic and let the strawberries to soften at room temperature for 1 hour. Now, add strawberries with their juice in a blender. Blend the berries, and then add vanilla bean seeds and yogurt to it and continue to blend it. Place it in freezer to chill. Now, turn the ice- cream maker on and pour the yogurt into it. Churn until the mixture looks slushy, after 12 to 15 min.Place it in freezer to make the scoop hard.

June 13, 2014

Tag: yogurt

A Healthy Touch To Summer With Curd

Wine Of The Dairy Industry- Yogurt

Strawberry Pleasures