CURD
By: Priya Padave

About

Yoghurt is an excellent source of calcium, phosphorus. It is more digestible than milk for people with lactose intolerance.
Yoghurt is a healthful food and is useful in restoring normal intestinal flora, the beneficial organisms that inhabit the intestinal tract.

Information
Other names: Dahi in Hindi


Physical Description
An excellent quick snack and a versatile dessert, yoghurt can be served chilled or frozen, plain or flavored.
Custard type yoghurts are thickened with pectin, gelatin, cormstarch or alginate (seaweed) thickeners.


Preparation and Use
Pure cultures of bacteria are added to pasteurized milk.Fermentation  is allowed till the desired yoghurt is formed , then it is stopped by cooling the yoghurt to refrigerator temperature. 
The finished product reflects the fat , mineral and vitamin content of the milk used.
After fermentation yoghurt has only one third to two third the amount of lactose found in milk, thus making it more easily digestible for people with lactose intolerance.
Yoghurt can be made at home by mixing a few spoonfuls of commercial yoghurt that is made with live cultures into  milk and leaving the mixture overnight at lukewarm or room temperature.