Much More About Yogurt Including How to Make Your Own if a local farmer doesn't have it

 

Yogurt was probably the planet’s first processed food.  Somewhere between 7,500 and 5,000 years ago, Central Asian nomads discovered milk left in warm air quickly thickened into a richer health food, one more easily transported to boot. Our word yogurt actually comes from their word yogurmak, which means to thicken. The coagulation happened to milk naturally from bacterial ferment that “cooked” sugary lactose into lactic acid-- not from the pectin, sugar, guar gum and “stabilizers” corporations throw in today.

You have to wonder why, for even in our age of complicated machinery and quantum mechanics, yogurt is still the most ridiculously simple thing to create. Like those nomads 5,000 years ago, all you need is milk and a spoonful of already formed yogurt with live or active cultures. Put them together in a warm spot and presto chango!, in hours you get spoon thick “pudding.”

From Siberia to Bulgaria, this magically morphed milk has always been revered as a medicinal marvel. In Buddhism it is honored as an auspicious substance that works to create a positive environment, an example to emulate. The adoration continues because those live cultures that transform milk also go vigilante gangbusters in the human gut where they solve digestive problems, cure even the worst diarrhea, and neatly balance internal flora, or what’s now called our microbiome. To top it off, Bulgarian peasants who subsisted on fresh yogurt with live cultures have always had lifespans longer than any other European.

Despite this dazzling power, Western Europeans did not recognize the enormous value of yogurt until the early 20^th Century when Nobel medicine prize winner Ilya Ilyich Mechnikov, curious enough to investigate what fueled those long-lived Bulgarian peasants, began promoting its specific bacteria, lactobacillus bulgaricus and streptococcus thermophiles, as the human immune system’s best friends. This discovery convinced an Ottoman Empire émigré to Spain, Isaac Carasso, to launch yogurt’s first commercial manufacture. He gave the product his young son Daniel’s nickname: Danone.

Another 60 years elapsed before Armenian, Turkish and Greek immigrants dared share their secret with Americans. Immediately health foodies, hippies, vegetarians and organics seized yogurt as a pure, nourishing product with no additives or preservatives. Slowly it moved from the special markets to supermarkets where 1990s Americans newly worried about contaminants, pollutants and freshness noticed it. Then in no time at all, profit-seeking corporations turned this historic health food into sugar-laden junk.

Like bread, miso, blue cheese, beer, kraut, and pickles, yogurt is the product of ferment, inherently sour, and it’s traditionally been valued for bringing that specific taste to the table. As raita, tsatsiki or cacik—all yogurt cucumber concoctions, it’s used to cool or foil an especially rich dish. In India it’s combined with fruits for a tangy drink. Greeks pour their fragrant honey on it while atop their sour bread for breakfast to wake taste buds with contrast.

But when big food corporations pounced on the product, they pandered to an American people whose cockeyed optimism forbids anything to be sour. It was the age of Lite and Lean, so they took out the milk fat and put in sugar, encouraging Americans to expect yogurt to be sweet. Now on those endlessly and endlessly growing long refrigerated shelves that testify to yogurt’s popularity, every carton that is not “Plain” –and that is nearly all of them, lists its second ingredient after milk as sugar. For a while, because I didn’t stop to read the label, even I who have sugar sensitivity was fooled by vanilla.

All of today’s commercial yogurt including those pricey cartons that appeal in bold print to vanity by bragging: organic, 100% grass fed, naturally flavored, supernatural, Aussie culture Colorado fresh, the brave yogurt of Iceland, “no sugar added” (because they use xylitol) are laced with all sorts of sugars, fruits, jams, honey, syrups and gums.  Some even include both jam and sugar, honey and sugar. The labels are scary. Who thinks agave makes adulteration forgivable?  Would you like some xylitol with that?

Even people who want plain yogurt can be fooled. Sometimes, even if it’s emblazoned with the word natural or organic, it’s full of pectin. The label doesn’t admit whether that’s “natural” boiled down apple pomace or orange peel, or the chemical concoction sold to homemakers of jam.

What to do? Read the labels and pay a pile for pure plain yogurt. Or, grab a quart of milk, go home and make your own. It's fun, especially for kids because fermenting milk is a quick and foolproof magic trick—one with delicious and nutritious results. Plus you save money. I paid $7.99 for a quart of high quality Greek yogurt but only $1.99 for the quart of quality local milk I turned into yogurt overnight.

Here’s how easy it is to do:

Turn your oven on to 150º just to make it a warm place unless it’s summer where you live and the air is about 80º during the day.

Put 1 quart of milk (the less fat in it the less creamy your yogurt will be) in a heavy gauge lidded pot and heat it to BEFORE boiling, about 200º when it’s just beginning to bubble.

Immediately remove it from the heat and let it cool down to about 110º, which is slightly hotter than a hot tub. While this is happening, put ¼ c (4 tbsp) plain yogurt with live cultures in a small bowl or pitcher. When the milk is about 120º (you can speed the cooling by putting it in a bowl of ice, if you want), whisk a ladle’s worth into the yogurt, then pour that mixture back into the milk, whisking as it streams.

Immediately cover the pot. Wrap it in towels or cozies (I put a thick potholder on the bottom). Turn off the oven and open the door to cool it slightly. If you are not using the oven because it’s warm where you live, put the covered pot in a warm, quiet spot where it will not be shoved or moved for at least 6 hours.  If you are using the oven, put the covered pot inside and close the door.

The longer yogurt takes to set the more sour it will get. Depending on conditions, which include the strength of those live cultures and amount of steady warmth, coagulation can take 4 to 12 hours. So you can put it in before you go to bed and wake up to fresh yogurt for breakfast. Voila!

Plain yogurt is the heart of endless nutritious delights from a simple garlic mint sauce that mingles with shredded beets or mashed carrots or poached chicken to create salads, to a simple, amazing yogurt cake that's a much lighter and healthier but no less tasty version of New York cheese cake.  Here are a dozen super easy, super tasty, nutritious yet elegant recipes that just begin a long list of all you can accomplish with honest yogurt. I didn’t even get to icing a pudding or cake with thick honey flavored Greek yogurt instead of whipped cream or mixing ¼ c with chickpea flour to make the fabulous filled grilled flatbread called gozlemi or salting plain yogurt to use it instead of mayonnaise…or…or…

1.  BAKED HUMMUS WITH YOGURT AND PINE NUTS

You can cut this warm, gluten free "casserole" in wedges to serve with a cucumber tomato salad and toasted pita as breakfast, brunch, light lunch or super healthy snack. It makes a great potluck dish too.

Serves 4- 6

1 15oz can chickpeas, drained well

1/2 c olive oil

juice of 2 lemons

4 garlic cloves

2 tsp cumin seeds crushed or 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

3 tbsp tahini (sesame paste)

1/3 c thick plain yogurt

3 tbsp pine nuts

3 tbsp unsalted butter or ghee

2 tsp ground Aleppo or chipotle pepper or Hungarian paprika or 1 tsp smoked Spanish paprika

salt and freshly ground black pepper to your taste

Heat oven to 400º.

In a food processor or large mortar and pestle combine the chickpeas, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and cumin into a paste. Beat in the tahini, then the yogurt and make the mixture into a light, smooth purée. Add salt and pepper to your taste.

Spoon the purée into an ovenproof earthenware dish about 7" in diameter, level and smooth the top with the back of the spoon.

In a small frying pan, dry toast the pine nuts on medium heat until they are golden. Lower heat and add the butter/ghee. When it melts add the ground pepper or paprika and quickly stir everything together. Pour this over the hummus.

Bake about 20-25 minutes, until it has risen slightly and the butter has been absorbed.  Serve immediately with a dollop of garlic mint yogurt for every wedge.

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2. STIR FRIED SPINACH WITH CURRANTS, PINE NUTS AND YOGURT

serves 4

14 oz fresh spinach leave, washed and drained

1 c thick plain yogurt

2 garlic cloves, crushed

3 tbsp olive oil

1 med red onion, cut in half both ways, then sliced into thin strips

2 tbsp currants plumped in rosewater or plain water for 5-10 minutes, then drained

2 tbsp pine nuts

2 tsp Aleppo or chili pepper powder or 1 small med hot red chili minced

juice of 1 lemon

salt and black pepper to taste

paprika for garnish

Steam spinach just until it wilts. Drain as much as possible and coarsely chop.

In a small bowl beat the yogurt with the garlic until the garlic is totally blended.

In a heavy sauté pan heat olive oil and sauté onion, stirring until it begins to color. Add currants, pine nuts and chili. Cook just until the nuts begin to color.

Add spinach, tossing it to blend. Pour in lemon juice and season to your taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

Transfer the spinach to a serving dish, make a well in the center and spoon in the yogurt, drizzling some over the spinach. Sprinkle with paprika and serve warm.

3. AFGHANI CHICKEN WITH CARROTS, RAISINS AND YOGURT

This is a qorma lawand, a fragrant Afghan curry thickened by nuts and made creamy by yogurt that's naturally sweetened by carrots (native to Afghanistan) and raisins.

serves 4-6

1/2 cup almonds

4 garlic cloves

2" fresh ginger root, peeled and sliced

1/2 c water or chicken broth if you prefer

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs (breast meat won't be as tasty or tender)

1/4 ghee or unsalted butter

2 tsp ground turmeric

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground cardamom

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp ground nutmeg

2 yellow onions thinly sliced

1 Serrano pepper, seeded and minced (2 if you like hot food)

2 med carrots, peeled and sliced in thin disks

1/3 cup dark raisins

1 heaping cup plain thick yogurt

salt and black pepper to your taste

1/2 c chopped fresh cilantro leaves

In a food processor purée the nuts, garlic, ginger and water.

Put this into a large bowl.

Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces, stir into the marinade.

Marinate at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.

Melt the ghee in a large heavy gauge lidded casserole over medium heat. Add the spices and sauté about 30 seconds until they are fragrant but not brown. Stir in the onions and chili pepper. Sauté until the onions are soft and starting to brown, maybe 7 minutes.

Stir the chicken into the pot with all its marinade. Simmer 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to your taste.

Stir in the carrots and raisins and yogurt, blending everything. Add 1/2 c water or chicken broth to make gravy. Bring to a boil,then reduce heat to low simmer, cover the pot and simmer 40 minutes, adding water or broth if the dish seems to be drying out. Most important: keep heat low to avoid curdling the yogurt.

Serve with the chopped cilantro on top as garnish. Serve with rice, roasted potatoes or naan and perhaps a simple spinach salad.

4. ALL PURPOSE YOGURT GARLIC MINT SAUCE

You can put this on top of cooked carrots puréed with caraway seeds, cooked shredded beets sprinkled with lemon juice, baked hummus, scrambled eggs or a baked potato. Or you can put it under a poached egg like Turks do.

To make the sauce:

2 ½ c thick plain yogurt

2-3 garlic cloves, crushed

pinch salt

1/2 tsp dried mint leaves

Beat yogurt with garlic until the garlic is totally blended and absorbed into the yogurt. Stir in the salt and dried mint leaves. 

Optionally, you can also stir in ½ tsp ground Aleppo, Chipotle or mildly hot paprika pepper.

Now for the poached egg atop a bed of this garlic mint yogurt:

1 egg per person (this recipe is good for 2)

vinegar

1 tsp Aleppo, Chipotle, mildly hot paprika or some ground chili pepper to your taste.

2 tbsp butter or ghee

1 tsp dried sage leaves crumbled

Make sure the yogurt sauce is very thick so it will support the egg. Drain if not.

Fill a small/medium plate with a 4” circle of yogurt about ¼” thick for every serving.

For everyone being served poach one egg. (Do this in boiling water laced with vinegar to keep the egg white together.) Lift the eggs from the water with a slotted spatula so they drain well and carefully place one atop every yogurt “mattress.”

Quickly melt butter or ghee in a small skillet and chili pepper and sage leaves. Just warm, the remove from heat and pour over the eggs.  

5. PUNJABI BLACK-EYED PEAS WITH YOGURT AND TOMATOES

serves 6

2  15 oz. cans of cooked black-eyed peas

5 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

21/2 -3” piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced

4 tbsp olive or canola oil

1 tbsp butter or ghee

1 lg red onion, peeled and finely diced

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp chili powder

2 cups chopped tomatoes with juice (boxed is fine)

1/2 cup plain yogurt, thicker is better, at room temperature

1/8 tsp salt

¼ tsp smoked paprika, optional but a nice touch

½ bunch fresh cilantro, leaves only, washed and chopped

Heat the oil and butter or ghee in a large heavy gauge saucepan or medium casserole over medium heat.  Add the onion, garlic and ginger and stir-fry for 3-5 minutes to soften.

Mix in the cumin, coriander, chili and tomato. Lower to medium-low heat and continue to sauté another 2-3 minutes until the sauce is very warm. Slowly stir in the yogurt (yogurt that is too cold in a sauce that is too hot can come apart) and blend the pot contents into a smooth sauce. Continue to heat for another 2 minutes.

Add the black-eyed peas and salt. If there is not enough sauce to cover the beans, add ½ cup water or vegetable broth and blend in.  Continue to simmer about 10-12 minutes, whatever it takes to get everything nice and hot without drying out the sauce. Test and adjust salt to your taste. Stir in the paprika.

Pour into a large serving bowl and garnish with the chopped cilantro.

6. YOGURT CAKE (OR PIE IF YOU PREFER)

From Turks and Arabs comes this luscious not cheese but much lighter and healthier cheese-like cake that’s been called “amazing.” Eat it for breakfast, present with tea, serve as dessert or dress it up for a party. It’s easy as…well …pie.

Makes 6-8 wedges or 12 slivers

4 extra large eggs

½ cup sugar

½ cup flour (pastry flour if you have it) mixed with 1/8 tsp baking powder

14-15 oz thick creamy plain yogurt (strain if it isn’t thick like Greek yogurt)

grated rind of 1 lemon

juice of I lemon

1/8 tsp of nutmeg or cardamom (which flavor you prefer)

pinch of ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350º. Butter a 9” round baking dish or pie plate.

In a mixer or mixing bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar until light and fluffy.

Beat in the flour with baking powder, then the yogurt, rind and lemon juice.

Transfer the mixture to the baking dish and level it. Bake about 45 minutes until firm. The cake will brown around the edges and should begin to turn golden on top. That’s okay.

When cool enough to handle, you can flip it onto a serving plate or, if you prefer, serve it right from the pie plate.

TOPPING ALERT: Turks and Arabs often top this with orange syrup. I use a large dollop of my own homemade strawberry or apricot jam or sometimes squiggles of honey. I also serve a dollop of cinnamon inflected plain yogurt with it in place of whipped cream.

 7. YOGURT SOUP WITH SUMMER FRUITS

Serves 5-6

1 banana, peeled

1 apple, cored, peeled and quartered

1 peach, peeled and quartered

½ cantaloupe, peeled and chunked

2-3 tbsp. honey or real maple syrup

1cup plain yogurt

½ tsp. ground nutmeg

handful fresh mint leaves

1 tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice

1 ¼ cup unsweetened apple juice or, if you prefer, orange juice

Optional garnish: fresh blueberries

Combine everything but the apple juice in a blender or food processor. Start to puree and after a few seconds pour the apple juice in as a steady stream to make a soup. It should be thick enough to eat with a spoon but not too thick to pour.  Chill.  Serve garnished with fresh blueberries.

8. LABNI: YOGURT CHEESE WITH OLIVES (an appetizer or party snack)

You can strain yogurt to drier and drier forms from sour cream to farmers’ cheese to cream cheese. This is a Persian/Lebanese favorite “mezze.” You can also use it to stuff cherry tomatoes or small bell peppers.

16 oz plain yogurt

1/8 tsp salt

1/3c pitted black olives, chopped

1/3 c scallions, chopped

¼ tsp Aleppo or Cayenne ground pepper (this is the call for hot stuff)

1 tsp dried crushed mint

Mix yogurt and salt. Line a colander with cheesecloth, muslin or a handiwipe and fill with yogurt. Put colander over a larger bowl to get the drips.  Refrigerate uncovered 10 hours draining and stirring at least once.

Put your new labni into a serving bowl with all the other ingredients. Blend everything. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. It will keep 3-4 days.

9. CHICKEN SALAD WITH LENTILS, BROCCOLI AND TSATSIKI DRESSING

serves 6

Make the Greek tsatziki dressing:

1 pint very thick plain yogurt

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 Persian or pickling cucumber, halve, seeded and sliced paper thin or grated and drained—they need to be as dry as possible

2 tbsp chopped fresh dill

½ tsp salt

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp red wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice

Mix everything in a non-metal bowl and chill so flavors mingle.

For the salad:

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, poached and chopped into bite size pieces

1½ c brown or French green lentils cooked until tender and drained

2 c chopped broccoli or broccolini, blanched until tender but still crunchy and drained

1 bunch scallions, cleaned and sliced in thin disks

1 cup grated carrots

1½ c roasted cashews or walnuts, chopped

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

salt to your taste

Combine all ingredients. Stir in enough tsatziki to moisten the salad to your taste and blend. Garnish with either chopped fresh flat leaf parsley or for a more peppery taste fresh chopped cilantro leaves. 

Serve over a bed or baby spinach.

10. PAKISTANI WALNUT YOGURT CHUTNEY

a condiment for 6-8

¾ c shelled walnuts, lightly toasted

2 garlic cloves, peeled

2 serrano chilies, seeded and minced

½ tsp salt

2 c fresh mint leaves, clean and dry

juice of 1 lemon

4 oz very thick plain yogurt

In a food processor, combine walnuts, garlic, chilies, salt, mint, lemon juice with 1 tbsp water and make a smooth paste, remembering to scrap down the sides. (If the mix is too dry to congeal into paste, add an extra tbsp. water.)

Put the yogurt in your serving bowl and with a fork, stir in the walnut paste.

Garnish with chopped mint and a whole shelled walnut to serve.

11. INDIAN MANGO LASSI

A traditional much beloved tangy cooling drink that’s good for you.

Serves 4

9 oz plain yogurt
4 1/2 oz milk
3 fresh mangoes, stoned and sliced
2-3 tsp honey

Optional: pinch of cardamom or cinnamon

Put all ingredients into a blender and blend for 2 minutes, then pour into individual glasses to serve. Feel free to add salt and cardamom seeds. Lassi can be kept refrigerated for up to 24 hours

12. BAKED YOGURT WITH PISTACHIOS

A grandmother gave me this recipe after it delighted her grandson.

1/4 c Greek yogurt

1/4 c condensed milk

1/4 tsp. ground cardamom

2 tbsp. chopped pistachios.

Preheat the oven to 150º.

Mix all ingredients together and pour into ramekins.

Place these in a deep baking pan and fill that halfway up the ramekin sides with water. Bake 35-45 minutes until firm.

Cool and chill in the refrigerator until serving. Serve in the ramekins.