Authentic Homemade Yogurt Food

RAITA RECIPE

Steps:

• Place all ingredients in a bowl and stir.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve.

TZATZIKI SAUCE RECIPE

Steps:

• Use a box grater to manually grate the cucumbers or you can use a small food processor to finely chop the cucumbers as I do in this recipe. Toss the grated cucumbers with 1/2 tsp kosher salt. Spoon the grated cucumber into a cheese cloth or a double thickness napkin and squeeze dry. (There will be a lot of liquid).
• In one large mixing bowl, place the garlic with remaining 1/2 tsp salt, white vinegar, and extra virgin olive oil. Mix to combine.
• Add the grated cucumber to the bowl with the garlic mixture. Stir in the yogurt, and a pinch of white or black pepper, and the fresh herbs (if using. I did not use fresh herbs in the video). Stir to combine well.
• Cover and refrigerate for a bit (anywhere from 30 minutes to a couple hours before serving). This will help thicken the sauce and give it the best texture, while allowing the flavors to meld.
• When ready to serve, stir the tzatziki sauce to refresh and transfer to serving bowl, drizzle with more extra virgin olive oil, if you like. Serve with your favorite veggies, pita chips or wedges (be sure to read the post for more ideas on how to use this sauce)!

EASY CUCUMBER RAITA (15 MINUTES!)

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, milk, salt, and spice powders.
• Stir in the vegetables and cilantro or mint, reserving some for garnish. Taste and adjust salt and spices as desired.
• Serve immediately or place in an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish with additional chopped cilantro or mint and serve. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.

TZATZIKI RECIPE AS MADE IN GREECE

Steps:

• Add the Greek yogurt to a large mixing bowl and work it with a hand whisk to become really smooth and creamy. Making sure there aren't any lumps in it.
• Squeeze the grated cucumber with your hands to remove most of its water. Then add to the mixing bowl along with the Greek yogurt.
• Add the remaining ingredients to the mixing bowl as well and mix very well.
• Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving for the garlic to cool down a bit. Or even better overnight. If you like raw garlic you can serve this dip right away, along with some pita bread or rustic artisan bread!

HOMEMADE YOGURT

Steps:

• Start by cleaning and sterilizing all your equipment and tools as well as your work surface. Most utensils and storage containers can be sanitized in the dishwasher (some machines have a sanitize setting). Alternatively, sterilize everything in boiling water.
• Prepare an ice bath, filling a large bowl or sink with ice.
• Attach a candy thermometer to a heavy, large pot and add the milk. Place the pot over moderate heat and heat the milk until it reaches at least 180°F or boils, stirring occasionally to prevent a skin from forming and making sure the milk doesn't scald or boil over. Alternatively, place the milk in a large microwave-safe bowl or a large glass measuring cup with a spout (for easy pouring) and microwave it in 2- to 3-minute intervals, until it reaches 180° or boils.
• Remove the milk from the heat and allow it to cool to 110°F to 115°F. To speed the cooling process, place the pot in the prepared ice bath and stir the milk occasionally. (If the milk temperature drops too low, return it to the heat.)
• If using yogurt as a starter culture: In a small bowl, combine about 1 cup warm milk with the yogurt and stir to combine. Add the yogurt-milk mixture to the remaining warm milk and stir until completely incorporated. Do not stir vigorously.
• If using a powdered yogurt culture: Follow the manufacturer's instructions and add the specified amount of powdered culture to the warm milk; whisk until completely incorporated. Do not stir vigorously.
• Pour or ladle the mixture into the yogurt maker containers or another incubator (if using a thermos, first warm the inside with hot tap water) and incubate between 110°F and 115°F for 5 to 10 hours, depending on the desired flavor and consistency-longer incubation periods produces thicker, more tart yogurt. Do not disturb the yogurt during incubation.
• Cover the yogurt and refrigerate until cold, 2 to 3 hours. (If you used a thermos to incubate, transfer the finished yogurt to a non-insulated container for chilling so the temperature will drop.) Stir any flavorings into the yogurt just before serving. (For thicker, Greek-style yogurt, after incubation, spoon the yogurt into a cheesecloth-lined colander set over a bowl and let it drain, covered in the refrigerator, for at least 1 hour or overnight. Discard the whey that drains out of the yogurt or reserve it for another use.)
• Yogurt can be stored in the refrigerator, in covered glass, ceramic, or plastic containers, for up to 2 weeks, but the flavor will be the best during the first week. As yogurt ages, it becomes more tart. If more whey separates out of the yogurt, just stir it back in before serving.

AUTHENTIC HOMEMADE YOGURT

Steps:

• On a work surface, lay four clean cotton towels in a cross pattern, each with one end overlapping a few inches in the center. Position a large baking dish or glass mixing bowl in the center of the towels.
• Set the plain yogurt on the counter to warm to room temperature while preparing milk mixture.
• Combine milk and half-and-half in a large, heavy, non-aluminum pot. Heat over low to moderate heat, stirring constantly, until mixture just comes to the boil. Immediately remove from heat and pour mixture into the waiting bowl. Add 1 pint whipping cream, if desired, for added richness.
• Allow mixture to cool to 112 degrees F (44 degrees C). Gradually pour 1 cup of the warm milk into the yogurt, whisking constantly. Return the yogurt-milk mixture to the bowl and stir well. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; wrap kitchen towels up and over bowl, covering completely. Let stand at room temperature until firmly set, 8 to 12 hours.
• Refrigerate yogurt several hours or overnight to chill completely.

AUTHENTIC GREEK TZATZIKI (GYRO SAUCE)

Steps:

• Grate the cucumber and optionally sprinkle with salt (this will help extract the excess liquid). Set aside for 10 minutes.I say that the salt is optional because the cucumber juice that you squeeze from the cucumber is delightful as a drink - but maybe not so much if it's salty!
• Place the rested cucumber into a nut milk back or several layers of cheesecloth and squeeze out as much excess water as possible.Alternatively, you can salt the cucumbers and leave them in a colander to naturally drain with the help of gravity (this will provide the best texture of the cucumber). However, this will take a far longer resting time (like overnight!), so I usually avoid it.
• Finely chop the dill and grate or mince the garlic. If you need help peeling garlic, I've tried and tested several methods previously.
• Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
• For the best flavor, allow the Greek sauce to marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours but even better overnight. This will give the flavors a chance to properly meld together and tastes better than directly after making it.
• Before serving, give it one last taste and adjust any of the ingredients if needed (more salt, acidity, etc. Then drizzle with a bit of additional olive oil, and enjoy!
• Store: If you've carefully drained the cucumber, then leftover tzatziki sauce will last, covered, in the refrigerator for between 3-4 days.

THE BEST AUTHENTIC CHICKEN KORMA

Steps:

• Heat a large, heavy-bottomed pan over high heat. Once hot, add the oil and onions and sauté the onions until they are golden brown (~20-25 minutes depending on quantity). Remove the onions from the pan and transfer them to a food processor. Add tomatoes (if using) and yogurt to the food processor and process until mostly smooth.
• In the same pan used to brown onions, heat ghee (or oil) and add the whole spices, garlic, and ginger. Sauté for 30 seconds or until the garlic and ginger begin to darken. Add the chicken and fry it until it changes color (~5 minutes).
• Add the yogurt mixture to chicken along with the ground spices, salt, and green chili peppers and sauté until the mixture comes to a light simmer (~2-3 minutes).
• Lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and allow it to cook for 15 minutes. Uncover and stir in the black cardamom (if using), mace, garam masala, and nutmeg powder. Cover and cook again for 10 minutes.
• Raise the heat to high. Add 1/2 to 3/4 cup of water (depending on how thin you'd like the curry) and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and allow chicken to simmer for another 2-3 minutes. The oil will have risen to the top. Sprinkle the kewra essence and stir. Turn off the heat and garnish with cilantro and blanched almonds.

AUTHENTIC TZATZIKI SAUCE

Steps:

• Place the grated cucumber in a mesh sieve over a bowl. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and gently toss together. Place a clean towel on top of the cucumbers, with a heavy can (or something similar) on top to weigh it down. Allow to sit for at least 5 minutes- the liquid from the cucumber will collect in the bowl below.
• Meanwhile, mix the Greek yogurt (2 cups), kosher salt (1/2 teaspoon), olive oil (2 tablespoons), minced garlic, chopped fresh dill (2 tablespoons), and lemon juice (2 tablespoons) together in a medium bowl.
• Place the grated cucumber in a clean kitchen towel and wring it out. Get it as dry as you can!
• Mix the grated cucumber into the yogurt mixture. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
• Serve drizzled with more extra-virgin olive oil and garnished with fresh herbs if desired. Enjoy with pita bread, pita chips, and/or crudités, or as a spread on sandwiches or tacos.

AUTHENTIC MEDITERRANEAN TZATZIKI SAUCE AND SALAD

Steps:

• If using Greek yogurt, which is already thick, you do not need to strain it. If using homemade yogurt or other type of yogurt, strain the yogurt with cheesecloth over a bowl for about 2 hours, which drains the watery aspect of yogurt and retains the thick texture of yogurt. This step can be done days in advance.
• Place the cubed slices of cucumber in a large bowl. Add the mint, garlic, lemon juice, salt and olive oil. Toss and let stand a few minutes. Add the yogurt and mix gently. Chill and serve.

AUTHENTIC GREEK TZATZIKI SAUCE RECIPE

Steps:

• Grate the cucumber and drain through a fine mesh sieve overnight in the fridge. If you don't have time to do the overnight drain, just gently press the cucumber in the sieve to press out more of the liquid.
• Combine the yogurt, garlic, oil, vinegar, and salt in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight. If you want to serve this immediately, then you can skip the overnight part.
• Transfer the grated cucumber and fresh dill to the yogurt mixture and stir to combine. Serve chilled with pita bread for dipping.

HOW TO MAKE YOGURT AT HOME- LIQUID YOUGURT WITH MILK POWDER

Steps:

• 1. Pour 2 cups(250ml) of lukewarm water into a saucepan and mix in the 6 tablespoonful milk powder. If you're making use of whole milk simply pour 2 1/2 cups of that into a saucepan(don't add water if using whole milk) 2. We'll also be adding about 3 tablespoons sugar or any sweetener of choice, but feel free to omit it if you want a natural yogurt and mix until combined. Now we'll let the mixture heat up until it is just about to boil The heating helps to sterilize the milk and kill any harmful pathogen 3. So now, we'll take the milk out of the heat and let it cool to about 44ºC(hot enough that you can deep a finger without getting burnt) 4. The next step is to Mix in 4 tablespoons natural yogurt until well combined 5. Carefully pour the mixture into a container of choice and seal tightly. (just for convenience in the video I chose to leave mine in the pot) I also took an extra step and covered it with a huge warm blanket you can aslo seal with a clean plastic bag or foil paper 6. Finally Place anywhere around your house that gets a little heat or in a warm oven or a food/thermo flask - because this yogurt need to stay pretty warm and undisturbed for 6 hrs so that it can set properly but don't expose it to a high heat or it will turn out grainy 7. After 6 to 8hrs you'll have a slightly thick but runny yogurt, all you need do is stir it properly to make it as runny as the consisitency you desire

AUTHENTIC TZATZIKI SAUCE RECIPE (GREEK YOGURT, CUCUMBER DIP)

Steps:

• To prepare this authentic Greek tzatziki sauce recipe, remove the skin and the seeds of the cucumber and grate it into a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and leave aside for 10 minutes.
• Afterwards, wrap the grated cucumber in a towel and squeeze, in order to get rid of the excess water.
• Assemble the tzatziki sauce. In a bowl, add the cucumber, the minced garlic and olive oil, the yogurt, 1-2 tbsps of red wine vinegar, a pinch of salt and blend, until the ingredients are combined. Store the tzatziki sauce in the fridge and always serve cold. (Alternatively, if you have a blender, pour in the olive oil and garlic and blend until combined. Then mix with the rest of the ingredients using a spoon. This will help the garlic to mix better with the rest of the ingredients).
• Prepare this traditional tzatziki sauce for your friends and family and serve as a delicious dip with some warm pita breads aside, or as a sauce for Greek-style souvlaki. Enjoy!

SHAWARMA

Steps:

• Cut the meat into long, thin strips. Prepare the marinade by mixing garlic, oil, vinegar, shawarma seasoning blend, coriander, black pepper, turmeric, cinnamon, and salt. Rub the marinade into the meat, cover, and refrigerate overnight or at least for several hours.
• In the meantime, prepare the sauce. Mix all the ingredients until the mixture becomes homogenous. If the sauce is too thick, add some more lemon juice.
• Cook the meat in a pan over strong flame until the marinade evaporates. Then, pour in 1 cup of water and continue cooking until the meat is soft. Add tomato and pepper slices and stir until they fall apart. Set aside.
• Spread the sauce over the pita bread. Top with sliced onion, pickles, sumac and parsley, and finish with shawarma. Roll and serve.

AUTHENTIC HOMEMADE YOGURT

Steps:

• On a work surface, lay four clean cotton towels in a cross pattern, each with one end overlapping a few inches in the center. Position a large baking dish or glass mixing bowl in the center of the towels.
• Set the plain yogurt on the counter to warm to room temperature while preparing the milk mixture.
• Combine milk and half-and-half in a large, heavy, non-aluminum pot. Heat over low to moderate heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture just comes to a boil. Immediately remove from heat and pour the mixture into the waiting bowl. Add 1 pint whipping cream for added richness.
• Allow mixture to cool to 112 degrees F (44 degrees C). Gradually pour 1 cup of the warm milk into the yogurt, whisking constantly. Return the yogurt-milk mixture to the bowl and stir well. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; wrap kitchen towels up and over the bowl, covering completely. Let stand at room temperature until firmly set, 8 to 12 hours.
• Refrigerate yogurt for several hours or overnight to chill completely.

EASY HUMMUS RECIPE: HOW TO MAKE HUMMUS

Steps:

• Add chickpeas and minced garlic to the bowl of a food processor. Puree until a smooth, powder-like mixture forms.
• While processor is running, add ice cubes, tahini, salt, and lemon juice. Blend for about 4 minutes or so. Check, and if the consistency is too thick still, run processor and slowly add a little hot water. Blend until you reach desired silky smooth consistency.
• Spread in a serving bowl and add a generous drizzle of Early Harvest EVOO. Add a few chickpeas to the middle, if you like. Sprinkle sumac on top. Enjoy with warm pita wedges and your favorite veggies.

HOMEMADE VEGAN ALMOND YOGURT RECIPE

Steps:

• Place your almonds in a bowl and cover with water. Soak overnight and drain once you're ready to make the almond milk yogurt.
• Transfer the soaked almond with 2 cups of fresh water into a blender and process to obtain a frothy, creamy liquid.
• Use a nut milk bag to separate the liquid from the pulp, squeezing it with your hands to obtain as much almond milk as possible.
• Pour the liquid into a large bowl, cut open the probiotic capsules and add the powder to the almond milk. Mix well with a spoon or hand whisk.
• Transfer the almond milk to sterilized jars and cover them with cheesecloth.
• To create your probiotic-rich almond yogurt, let the jars sit at room temperature for 48 hours. The result should smell tangy and pleasant - if you notice an unpleasant smell, don't consume the almond milk yogurt and start the process again.
• Store the jars with homemade vegan yogurt covered in the refrigerator where it can be kept for up to 5 days.

NAAN WITH YOGURT

Steps:

• Add all the ingredients, except water, to a large bowl.
• Mix, then start kneading, adding water as needed.
• Once you get a smooth, sticky dough, grease it with a small amount of oil, then cover the bowl with cling film and let the dough rest for 5-6 hours in a warm place, but best if overnight.
• Shape the dough into small balls. Flour your hands for easier handling, and lightly flour the balls of dough.
• Roll out the balls to a naan shape.
• Brush one side of the naan with water, then place it on a pan with the moistened side down.
• Bake on a well-heated pan over a low flame, then, once the bubbles appear on the surface, flip the pan and bake over a big flame now until the surface looks cooked.
• Repeat steps 4 and 5 until you've baked all the naans.
• Butter the naans and serve warm.