Yogurt is a fermented milk product that is cooked in the Caucasus. In Armenia, it is known as matsun. Having beneficial fermented milk bacteria, calcium and other valuable minerals, proteins, vitamins, it has a beneficial effect on the body. Marked its benefits to improve the work of the gastrointestinal tract, strengthen the immune system. Use matsun and in cosmetology, making it a mask for the face, hair. Who visited the Caucasus and tasted the real yogurt, soon forget the taste of this drink. It is difficult to find it in stores, but this does not mean that this useful product cannot be included in the daily menu. Matson can be cooked at home, and this task is on the shoulder even for a novice chef.
Cooking Features
Cooking homemade sour milk drinks does not present much difficulty. But each variety of such foods is prepared according to special recipes. Differences at first glance may seem insignificant, but in fact any detail can affect the result. If you want to cook yogurt in your home, you need to familiarize yourself with all the intricacies of this process.
- Prepare matsoni from whole milk. In some localities, farm whole milk can be found on store shelves, in markets, elsewhere it is sold in specialized tents or from cisterns. Factory milk may not be suitable for matsoni for several reasons: there is not enough fat and protein in it, antibiotics that prevent souring can be added to it. If, after the time of fermentation indicated in the recipe, you find that the leaven has remained to lie in a clot and the consistency of milk has not changed, the problem is most likely the quality of milk.
- Special ferment for matsoni has a complex composition. It contains kefir starter, bifidobacteria, Bulgarian wand. If you are making matsoni for the first time, it is better to purchase a leaven for it in a specialized store (most often it is ordered via the Internet). Another option is to take a little bit of yogurt for use as a starter from friends who are already preparing this fermented milk drink at home. In the future, you can ferment the milk with your own yogurt. If you have no one to borrow the starter, you can mix kefir, unsweetened “Activia” and natural yoghurt, getting a mixture that is similar in composition to the ferment suitable for matsoni.
- The fermentation time of matsoni is 4-8 hours. At this time, the drink is kept in a thermos or in a warm place, previously well wrapped. It is impossible to move, open, roll a container with a matzun during fermentation. The longer matsoni is fermented, the thicker will be its consistency. The taste of thick yogurt turns out to be slightly more sour than liquid.
- After fermentation, matsoni must be placed in a refrigerator to stop or at least slow down the development of lactic acid bacteria. Homemade yogurt is stored in the refrigerator for no more than two weeks, but it is better to have time to eat it during the week.
Yogurt can be used as a drink or used to prepare various dishes. Cold soups are cooked from it, resembling okroshka, sauces and even cheeses.
Classic Yogurt Recipe
Composition:
- milk - 2 l;
- matsoni - 100 ml (or store sourdough in the amount recommended by the manufacturer).
Method of preparation:
- Heat the milk to 90-95 degrees, but do not boil. Heat it at the specified temperature for 5 minutes.
- Allow the milk to cool to 50 degrees, pour out the glass.
- Add matsoni to a glass of milk, mix thoroughly or even whisk.
- If a froth has formed on the milk, move it away with a spoon or remove it.
- Enter the milk from the leaven diluted in it. Stir gently.
- Cover the pot with milk, cover with a blanket or a large towel. Leave on for 4-8 hours. At this time, do not move the pan and do not disturb at all.
- After the specified time, unwind the pan, pour its contents into a clean jar, put it in the refrigerator.
It is possible to eat food prepared according to this recipe of matsoni after 12 hours. If whey will form during storage, you can scoop it out with a spoon. The drink itself will become thicker, but it will remain tasty and healthy.
Matsoni on sour cream with bread crust
Composition:
- milk - 1 l;
- sour cream - 100 ml;
- rye bread crust - 50 g.
Method of preparation:
- Bring the milk to a boil, boil for 5-10 minutes. So that it does not run away, mix it with a metal spoon.
- Pour the milk into the pot (or pots) without filling them completely. Put in the oven. Tomit at a temperature of 160-180 degrees for 1, 5-2 hours.
- Remove the milk from the oven. When it cools down to 40 degrees, pour it into the pan, add sour cream, stir.
- Put the crust in the pan. Cover with a lid. Put in 12 hours in a warm place.
- After a specified time, remove the crust from the pan, pour the drink into the jar and put it in the fridge.
The next day you can taste a home-made dairy drink. The soft taste and thick consistency allow not only to use it in its pure form, but also to be used for salad dressing instead of sour cream or mayonnaise.
Milk and Yogurt Matsoni
Composition:
- milk - 1 l;
- unsweetened yogurt (homemade is better) - 0, 25-0, 3 l.
Method of preparation:
- Heat the milk, without boiling, to about 60-70 degrees, let it cool to 35-40 degrees.
- Add yogurt to milk, mix well.
- Cover and wrap a container of milk and yogurt, leave to ferment for 6-8 hours.
For the preparation of bio-yoghurt, bifidobacteria and Bulgarian bacillus are often used, as a result of which the taste of yogurt matsoni is almost identical to the present.
Matsoni in the Caucasus is compared with the elixir of longevity. This fermented milk drink is healthy and has a pleasant taste. You can make it at home.
