Why is it difficult to set curd in winters? Easy tips on how to do it right

Are you someone who loves eating curd throughout the year, then you would know how difficult it is to set curd during the cold weather. There’s no denying that curd is great for our gut health and digestion, but setting curd at home during winters may seem like a daunting task. Here’s an easy way to set curd during winters. Read on...

Curd is basically made of lactic acid, which is created by mixing warm milk and some curd. Since, the temperature in winters is on the lower side, it slows down the bacterial activity,which makes it difficult to form curd.

The best temperature for curd formation is around 37-42 degree centigrade.

The cold weather slows down the progression of bacteria, which makes it difficult to set curd in winters. On the contrary, setting curd in summers is easy as there is moisture in the air, which promotes the growth of bacteria as the temperature is optimum for the development of bacteria and thus formation of curd becomes easy. However, the best way to set curd in winters is by keeping it at a warm place or may be in a bucket of rice or around the cooktop or you can follow the traditional way of wrapping it with warm clothes.

Whether to eat curd during winters has been a matter of debate, since ages. While some people say that it helps in improving digestion and gut health, and the milk protein is good for bones and overall health. According to Ayurveda, consuming curd during winters is not a great idea as it increases the secretion from glands,which further leads to the secretion of mucus. This is the reason why it is called ‘Kapha-Kar’, which means it causes Kapha and aggravates the Kapha dosha. So, if you are suffering from respiratory issues like asthma, sinus or cold and cough, then it is best to avoid curd during the cold weather.

To make curd, boil 500 ml milk for 10 minutes. Once the milk boils, allow it to cool down at room temperature.

Once the milk is warm enough, take a hot pot or a casserole, pour the milk into it and add 2 teaspoons of curd and mix it well, so that there are no curd lumps.

Next, add 2 teaspoons of milk powder, mix it nicely. Make sure that the blend is lump free. Keep the casserole in a dry and warm place covered with a warm cloth or warm shawl.

Keep the curd for 6 to 7 hours, make sure you don't shake or move the casserole. Once the curd is ready, put it in a refrigerator and take it out only before consuming.

Note:

If you want to reduce the impact of curd’s cold nature, you can sprinkle some roasted cumin, black pepper and rock salt. Also, if you are using full fat milk, you can avoid adding milk powder. Lastly, do not dilute the milk that you are using to make curd and if you want to make the curd sweet, add sugar while boiling the milk.