How to make curd at home
Setting your own curd at home takes warm milk, a spoon of an earlier batch, and a quiet warm spot overnight. Here is a simple way to do it.
Curd, or dahi as it is known across the Indian subcontinent, is milk set with live cultures until it thickens and turns gently sour. Once you have a batch, you always have your starter for the next one. It is also the base for a cooling buttermilk, so it is worth getting comfortable with.
What you'll need
500 ml full-fat milk.
1 teaspoon plain curd or yoghurt with live cultures, as a starter.
A bowl, and a warm spot to let it rest.
Method
1. Bring the milk to a boil, then let it cool until it feels just warm to a clean finger, not hot. Around body temperature is right.
2. Stir the starter into a little of the warm milk until it is smooth, then mix it back through the rest.
3. Pour into your bowl, cover it, and leave it somewhere warm and undisturbed for about 6 to 10 hours. A warmer spot sets it faster; a cool kitchen takes longer.
4. When it has set and smells pleasantly tangy, move it to the fridge to firm up and to slow the fermenting.
Set a batch or two and notice how the warmth of your kitchen and the resting time change the result. Over a few tries you will find the curd that suits you. Save a spoon each time, and the next batch is already on its way.