Make your own: Yoghurt
- Khao Suppers
- Apr 1
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 3
Did you know I have a Recipe section on the website site?! And a Youtube of recipe videos (in three languages)!
I would usually share this there, but I wanted to share a little bit more about the process to making homemade yoghurt. Ever since I was little, Baa or Mum always made dahi or yoghurt at home. What's more, they didn't use a thermometer like I do! I have no idea how they do it, but it's a real skill.
The key to making homemade yoghurt is the process of fermenting milk and having a small amount of homemade yoghurt that we call merwan in Gujarati. This is a starter, which contains a huge amount of live cultures, necessary to ferment the milk.
I have always seen my mum do the following: she will boil the milk, almost until before it comes to a full boil and then wait for it to cool, but not completely. Only slightly, but she sometimes forgets and has to reheat it yet again!
Once she feels the boiled milk has cooled just enough, she will get the merwan or yoghurt starter and brush this all over the bottom and sides of a pot with a lid. She then pours the milk into this container and will mix it. Then, using a metal water kettle, she boils water. Once the water is fully boiled, she places this kettle on top of the milk pan, and places this in a warm part of the house - usually by a radiator in winter and in the oven during summer.
I still don't know how she does it, but she knows the temperatures are right and mostly every time, we have perfect homemade yoghurt!
When I first made yoghurt at home myself, I was chuffed, but could definitely not have done it without a thermometer! I am not sure how this is done without one. Below, I have shared the exact measurements and temperatures so you can do this yourself, with or without the starter or merwan!
Making yoghurt with merwan
What you'll need:
Whole Milk, I use a 6 pint bottle.
About 2-3 tablespoons of merwan, or homemade yoghurt
Vessel with a lid to store the milk
A warm place
Start by boiling the milk until it reaches 80 degrees celsius. It's okay if it goes over.
Turn off the heat and allow the milk to cool down to 40 degrees celsius.
In the vessel with a lid, add the yoghurt and smother over the bottom and sides.
Pour in the boiled-cooled milk and gently mix.
If you are preparing this in a cooler country, I would suggest using boiling water in a smaller pan, to be placed on top of the vessel with the milk. I also use a thick cloth, or a tea cosy to place over it, and leave it in a warm spot or by the radiator.
Leave this out for at least 8 hours, or overnight. If you are doing this during the day, you can reheat the boiling water when it cools so the milk can stay warm as it ferments.
When you return to the milk after 8 hours/ or overnight, it should be firm, with some small bubbles and water rising from the sides. You can now store this in the fridge.
If you want a thicker, Greek-style yoghurt, you can pass the yoghurt through a muslin cloth to remove the excess water or whey.
Making yoghurt without merwan.
What you'll need:
1/2 cup of Whole Milk x 2.
About 2-3 tablespoons of store-bought yoghurt, ideally one with live cultures.
Small pan
Small glass jar
A warm place
In a small pot, heat up 1/2 cup of milk. Start by boiling the milk until it reaches 80 degrees celsius.
Turn off the heat and allow the milk to cool down to 40 degrees celsius.
In the glass jar, add a spoonful of the store bought yoghurt and smother over the bottom and sides.
Pour in the boiled-cooled milk and gently mix. Close the lid.
In the small pan you boiled the milk, wash and fill with water. Boil the water.
Once boiled, add the glass jar into the hot water and cover with a dishcloth to create a warm environment for the milk to ferment. Leave for at least 6-8 hours.
After 8 hours, place in the fridge. You will see the yoghurt is almost fermented but kind of slimy. We want to use this to make another starter!
Now, scroll back up and follow the recipe for making yoghurt with merwan!
Enjoy!
Comments