Curd is an integral part of the Malayali diet but sometimes your lifestyle choices or diseases may prevent you from consuming dairy. This preparation is for vegans and those dealing with lactose intolerance but want to indulge in some dairy fun. Curd, but not made from any cattle milk!
Yes, curd can also be made from coconut milk. And trust us, it is as tasty and more nutritious than the regular curd. You can even make curries out of it and use it as a substitute for regular curd.
The coconut milk curd can be made by adding two tablespoons of regular curd to coconut milk. Coconut milk must be as thick as possible. The ideal consistency can be reached by adding 1/4 cup water to 1 cup grated coconut and grind it and squeeze out the milk from it. If the water used is warm, more milk can be squeezed from the mixture. For those allergic to cow's milk, use either a non-diary starter or 2-3 probiotic capsules in the coconut milk and set aside for fermentation.
The fermentation may take up to two days. After that keep it in the fridge for 8 hours to thicken.
Do not use canned coconut milk for this process because it may contain other ingredients and preservatives which will alter the necessary reactions.
But carton milk can give reasonable results. Check the ingredients list on the carton and if you find the coconut milk or cream to be more than 80-85%, it can used.
Coconut curd has many benefits over regular curd like low fat content and high quantity of vitamns, especially B12 which is good for brain health.
