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Mar. 3, 2006
Yogurt Making
Once upon a time, I spent some time with a Kurdish family. The translator taught me how to make fresh, yummy yogurt the old-fashioned way. Yogurt is eaten a lot in the Middle East, so it fits in well with learning about the area, either historically or in current events.
First, you need starter. An 8oz container of plain yogurt with live active cultures works fine. Then you need milk. To ensure your milk has nothing in it you do not wish to culture, you cook it. Check it with your pinky. It should "bite." Do NOT let it boil.
Once it is hot enough to "bite," allow it to cool. Again, the pinky test reigns supreme. It should be luke-warm...you almost cannot even feel it if it is the right temperature.
Stir a bit of the warm milk into the yogurt until smoothe. Do not beat or over stir or your yogurt will be sour. If you do not stir it enough, the bottom will be lumpy, but the taste will be fine. Then gently add the yogurt to the milk and stir gently. Wrap the pot up, stick it in a warm place and you will have fresh yogurt in the morning.
In theory. It did work for me a couple times, but I wasted a LOT of milk in failed attempts. That 8-12 hours of keeping the culture luke-warm is hard work! So we bought a little Salton Yogurt Maker which makes one quart. But we eat more than that.
You can also make it in a crock-pot, if you have a low temperature setting. Mine has a "warmer" setting. If I prop the lid, it stays at an even 90 degrees...perfect!
Oh, if you don't like the pinky method, you can use a thermometer. The heated milk should reach 180 and be cooled to between 80 and 120.
After your first batch, that gelatinous mass in the stores will lose its appeal. Baby Bear and I prefer our plain yogurt to that stuff, even though it is not sweetened. You can sweeten it with a bit of sugar or honey and a tablespoon of jelly. Some recipes:
Yogurt Cheese (can be used the same as cream cheese and may be substituted in most recipes)
Pour your yogurt into cheese cloth and hang over a bowl over night. You may do this in the refrigerator, but it is not necessary. In the morning, you will have yogurt cheese. You can use the whey in soups and other stuff...or even take it together with enough milk to make 3.4 cups and use it in your rolls instead of the milk.
Ayran
Equal parts yogurt and water with a pinch of salt. Delicious beverage once you get used to it.
Tzatziki
one cup yogurt
medium cucumber, finely grated
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1 Tablespoon olive oil
5 drops lemon juice
Mix together and use for a dip for flatbread, on gyros, on a salad or whatever.
Mix with fruits and fruit juice for a smoothie
Many people in the Middle East use plain yogurt as a dip for their flatbread, particularly for breakfast. The family I ate with routinely served flatbread, yogurt, scrambled eggs and this incredibly yummy cheese from Syria. It was all eaten by placing a bit between the bread (held with the fore fingers) and your thumb. MMMM! and with tea (incredibly sweet; your kids will love it.) And Ayran, described above.
yogurt, recipest, cooking, homeschooling
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Posted by 
Mar. 3, 2006 - I just made yogurt this week!