How to make Greek yogurt at home?

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Isn't it true that when someone starts talking about tasty and he althy sour-milk products, for some reason, the image of this thick, snow-white diet drink with a characteristic fresh aroma pops up in memory? Greek yogurt (photo presented in the article) is a traditional national Mediterranean product imported to different countries of the world. It is used as an independent treat, and as a component of other dishes.

Many consumers buy Greek yogurt in the store, but this is not always the best solution. Indeed, in this case, as is often the case, the product may contain various undesirable additives. That is why more and more housewives are trying to cook Greek yogurt at home. This article presents all the steps in the process of preparing a popular delicacy.

Introduction

Greek yogurt is a very popular product in Greece. Today in this beautiful country, spread overcoast of the Mediterranean Sea, several types of yoghurts are produced, differing in their taste, texture and degree of he alth benefits.

One of the varieties of this milk drink, called "Greek yogurt", is a filtered product obtained in the process of removing whey from the traditional counterpart. The drink is characterized by an increased percentage of fat and a high content of protein and protein.

Greek yogurt is a product traditionally made from goat's or sheep's milk. Today, in mass production, cow's milk is used as the basis for making the drink. The popularity of the delicacy is due to its low calorie content, as well as the richness of protein and other nutrients.

Production Features

For those who have ever made cottage cheese or cheese on their own, it will not be difficult to cook ordinary Greek yogurt in a home kitchen. The process is very similar: milk is first heated (but not boiled: all useful microelements must be preserved in it). Then the starter is added, the whey is decanted. Yogurt or cheese (yogurt) is filtered through a cloth and cooled slightly. Natural Greek yogurt has a dense texture and resembles curdled milk or matsoni. As a result of fermentation, neither lactose, nor whey (milk), nor sugar remains in the product.

Greek yogurt: composition, he alth benefits and harms

This fermented milk drink contains live bacteria,and also has a high content of magnesium and calcium. Numerous reviews of Greek yogurt by nutritionists regard it as one of the best foods of the century. Its composition is characterized by a number of advantages that have a beneficial effect on human he alth: it normalizes the functioning of the digestive system, heart, kidneys, strengthens joints, helps prevent infectious diseases, strengthens the immune system, and improves metabolism. Even the serum that has exfoliated after pumping is very useful: it is reused in home cooking or cosmetology.

Experts warn that excessive consumption of the delicacy can cause kidney stones due to excess calcium, promote calcification of blood vessels. Another danger is the content of various fillers in the store product: jelly, starch, etc., which negates the beneficial effect of drinking the drink.

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The product contains only natural ingredients without any synthetic additives. Yogurt is made using a culture of live bacteria: bifidobacteria, lactic acid coca, lactobacillus. In addition, experts call this product a real storehouse of magnesium, riboflavin and pantothenic acid. The calorie content of the drink depends on its fat content, but on average it is about 66 kcal per 100 g of the product.

100 g of yogurt contains:

• sugar 4g;
• protein 10-12g;
• cholesterol 6g;
• daily allowancecalcium 10-15% (absorbed much better than from milk).

Store quality Greek yogurt in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

Variety of applications

There are a huge number of different dishes that use this popular fermented milk product: it is added to fish and meat, used as an ingredient for dough, cocktails and other drinks are created on its basis. Greek yogurt is used as a substitute for mayonnaise or sour cream in salads and as a dressing for sandwiches. In addition, this product is an excellent substitute for marinade: thanks to it, the fat content of meat is reduced, its quality and taste are improved. Yogurt is also used as an excellent cosmetic product - for washing the head, cleansing the skin of the face.

How to make Greek yogurt at home?

When preparing a drink, you should take into account some nuances: pasteurized or boiled milk is not suitable for making it, it is better to use fresh.

Before starting cooking, be sure to check the expiration date - if the milk is stale, there is a risk that it will curdle. It is necessary to heat it in a saucepan to 45 ° C. As a starter, natural unsweetened yogurt is used, which does not contain additives. Next, the mixture is poured into a thermos (to maintain a constant optimum temperature). In this case, it is not recommended to shake and shake the container. The sourdough is stored in a warm place. After 8 hours the product will be ready. If the drink turns outtoo liquid, it will have to be filtered through a filter (paper) or gauze. Strained product will thicken if chilled in the refrigerator before use.

Cooking in a slow cooker

Greek yogurt (recipe below) can be easily and quickly prepared in a slow cooker. It takes about 8 hours to prepare. To prepare 4 servings of a dish usually intended for breakfast, you will need the following products:

• milk - 1 l;
• sourdough starter culture - one pack.

Calorie drink: 59 kcal. Purpose: for breakfast. Many housewives call the advantage of a multicooker that it is possible to maintain an optimal temperature regime in it. Before pouring the starter into the bowl, it is necessary to rinse it with boiling water. All other appliances should be processed, as well as the dishes in which the mixture will be placed. During the cooking process, it is not recommended to open the lid to avoid temperature differences. Do not use the entire amount of yogurt at once - its leftovers can be used to create a new portion of the product.

About cooking method

The cooking process involves the following steps:

1. First, you need to boil the milk, after which it is cooled to 40 ° C.
2. Add starter.
3. Pour the mixture into a bowl.
4. Then, in the "Heating" mode, choose a temperature of 40 ° C, after six hours, a fresh fermented milk product will be ready. If inmulticooker is not designed to use this temperature setting, you should experiment with other temperature levels.
5. Further, filtered yogurt is placed in the refrigerator for two hours to thicken the product.

Cooking your favorite drink in a yogurt maker

The duration of the process is approximately 8 hours. To prepare four servings of the drink, you will need the following products:

• milk - 1 l;
• yogurt (natural, no additives) - 150 ml.

This Greek yogurt recipe uses another fermented milk product (live) as a starter, the main thing is that it should not contain preservatives and dyes. The ingredients can be prepared in about 10 minutes. When serum is isolated, it should be filtered through a cloth. The product is used to prepare dough (sweet). Sweeteners and fillers are added to the already prepared drink. It is not recommended to store it in the refrigerator for more than five days.

Cooking

First, you should make sure that the dishes that will be used in the process of preparing treats are clean. The milk is then warmed to room temperature. Add yeast, stir until a homogeneous mixture is obtained. Pour into the cups available in the yogurt maker. Next, set the time or the desired program. The dish will be ready after six hours. If the drink has not thickened, it should be left in the device for another two hours. Then the yogurt is sent to the refrigerator for a couple of hours to thicken.

Bwhat dishes use the delicacy?

According to reviews, treats with this fermented milk product (salad dressings, sauces for meat dishes, spreads on bread) quickly satisfy hunger and are well absorbed by the body. In addition, they are very he althy and nutritious.

The most common Greek yogurt recipes are descriptions of how to make tzatziki sauce, cake mousses, sweet dressings for fruit salads. The characteristic light, sour taste of yogurt successfully emphasizes the richness of the taste of both fruit salads and fish and meat dishes. Housewives are especially willing to recommend the use of this fermented milk product as a marinade for any meat. According to reviews, an unusually tasty dish is obtained from chicken soaked in sourdough with spices. A mixture of Italian herbs or other spices, pepper and s alt are added to the yogurt. The chicken is baked in the oven. The dish turns out incredibly tender and tasty, with a golden crust and delicious aroma.

Another, no less important option for using yogurt is to use it for making dough for baking. It is added when kneading dough as an additional ingredient, used to lubricate cakes (ready-made), as well as to decorate confectionery. A thick mousse or cream can also be used to create fruit desserts that are incredibly he althy and delicious.

Yogurt salad

It will take 20 minutes to cook. To create four servings of a dish, use:

• 400g chicken fillet;
• 200ml greek yogurt;
• 100g seedless grapes;
• one pear;
• 50g Dor Blue cheese;
• 50g walnuts;
• one garlic clove;
• one shallot;
• one bunch of parsley;
• 4 table. tablespoons vegetable oil for frying;
• 5g s alt;
• pepper to taste.

Chicken salad with Greek yogurt is a hearty dish. It can be diversified by adding an apple, croutons, green peas, cherry tomatoes. Meat will become less nutritious if it is not fried, but boiled or browned in the oven. Culinary experts recommend marinating the fillet in yogurt, adding onions there - this should make it softer.

How to cook?

Chicken fillet is washed, dried with a paper towel. Then the grapes, pears and parsley are washed. Onions and garlic are peeled. The meat is smeared with spices, fried in a pan until cooked (t 80-90 ° C). Let cool. Large grapes are cut in half. Cheese and pear should be cut into large cubes. Finely chop nuts and onion. Parsley with yogurt and garlic is chopped with a blender. The fillet is cut into cubes, the rest of the ingredients are mixed in a bowl. Next, the dish is formed and served on the table. You can pre-cool it in the refrigerator.

Yogurt sauce

Tzatziki is a great addition to fish, meat and vegetable dishes. This sauce, which is made from Greek yogurt, perfectly complements the taste of many products. Reviewersnote that they like to dip vegetables, chips and crackers in it. In the season when fresh vegetables are not available, they can be replaced with canned ones. Those who prefer a gentle sauce over spicy can use less garlic. You can increase the spiciness by increasing the content of this product. Dill is sometimes replaced with cilantro, parsley, onion, mint is added for freshness.

Ingredients

To prepare four servings use:

• 400ml greek yogurt;
• two cucumbers;
• four cloves of garlic;
• two tables. spoons of olive oil;
• 15ml lemon juice;
• one bunch of dill;
• 10g s alt.

Cooking

The process involves the following actions:

1. Garlic is being prepared.
2. Cucumber is peeled (optional!), rubbed on a coarse grater, sprinkled with s alt to let the vegetable juice. After a couple of minutes, excess moisture should be squeezed out.
3. Further, the garlic is passed through the garlic maker, the dill is chopped.
4. Then all the ingredients are mixed with yogurt and left in the refrigerator for half an hour. The whole preparation takes about 40 minutes.

Yogurt mousse

This drink is a low-calorie, delicate treat. Raspberries in it can be replaced with cherries, currants, strawberries. Those who prefer a porous structure in the dessert can use gelatin. You can use rum or cognac in the drink, or use alcohol as a marinade for fruits, in case an adult party is supposed to be held.

What products are used?

Composed of:

• 150ml greek yogurt;
• 150g chocolate (dark);
• one table. spoonful of sugar;
• two chicken eggs;
• two grams of vanillin;
• 50g raspberries;
• 5g s alt.

How to cook?

Prepare like this: rub a little chocolate on a fine grater. The rest is melted in a water bath. Eggs are divided into whites and yolks. The yolks are ground with yogurt and sugar, vanillin is added. Proteins are beaten with s alt, using a wooden spatula, mixed with the rest of the mixture until a homogeneous consistency is obtained. Pour into bowls, sprinkle with berries and grated chocolate and refrigerate for one hour. Bon appetit!