The secrets of making healthy yogurt at home
Print Edition
WALK into almost any Chinese supermarket these days and you'll likely see a range of yogurts from both domestic and foreign brands. But amid all these choices, not all yogurts are created equally in terms of their nutritional value — some contain sugar or artificial additives that make them less healthy than one might think.
Actually, with only a few simple ingredients and tools, it's easy to make delicious and nutritious yogurt right at home.
Turning milk into yogurt requires two basics: the right bacteria and an appropriate temperature. Common starter cultures include Lactobacillus Bulgaricus, Streptococcus Thermophilus, Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Bifidus and Lactobacillus Casei.
The most straightforward yogurt-making method though is to mix a liter of fresh milk with a cup of unflavored yogurt that already contains a live culture. Heat the milk to right below boiling and remove the skin on top if formed, then let the milk cool until it’s warm to the touch, then add a cup of the warm milk to thin the texture, then transfer to an oven or insulated container to keep the temperature at around 45 degrees Celsius overnight.
One healthy trend is Bulgarian yogurt, a relatively new variety in China where more people are starting to appreciate naturally-flavored yogurts.
The Bulgarians have a long history of making and eating yogurt. What makes the yogurt of Bulgaria special is the specific bacteria culture used by its makers.
Boyana Walsh is a full-time singer and vocal coach in Shanghai who was born and raised in Bulgaria. As a yogurt fanatic, she’s very picky when it comes to yogurt, so when she left Bulgaria in 2001 to begin a career as a professional singer, she started making her own.
“I’ve lived in eight different countries, and travelled to twice as many others. I was surprised to find that in almost every country I found a local version of something called ‘Bulgarian Yogurt.’ But sadly, most of those products were highly disappointing,” she said.
Walsh has a long history of gifting her homemade yogurts to people in her community, who convinced her to start selling her creations. She started a small yogurt business only three months ago and now sells her products on a made-to-order basis.
She learned the craft of making yogurt as a child. Bulgaria has a strong yogurt- and cheese-eating culture, and many people like Walsh grew up watching their parents and grandparents make these products at home.
Fittingly, Walsh uses a bacteria known as Lactobacillus Bulgaricus. She got her culture from Bulgaria and keeps it alive the same way people do back home — by using a small portion of her last batch as an ingredient to make the next.
“Lactobacillus Bulgaricus destroys most of the bad bacteria which live in our bodies and which cause bacterial infections,” she explained. “It also helps people with gastrointestinal problems, lung diseases, and even cures dairy intolerance.”
She also makes yogurt in the traditional Bulgarian way.
“I manually boil the milk, and do everything by hand. I wouldn’t switch to using machines, because the whole process is very sacred and special to me. It also brings totally different results,” she explained.
The quality of milk is crucial when making Bulgarian yogurt in particular. As Walsh’s grandma told her, “If the milk is not good, your yogurt will never set; it will stay liquid.” Walsh added that the best results come from milk that isn’t pasteurized or processed. Full fat milk is also preferred.
Once the culture has been put into a pot with milk, the most important step in making the yogurt is to leave it absolutely still for 10 to 14 hours.
“The slightest movement will prevent the bacteria from doing its job, and the milk will not turn to yogurt. Because of this, I like to think that homemade Bulgarian yogurt is a peaceful food,” she said.
You can leave out sweeteners when making healthy natural yogurts at home; but when craving something sweet, brown sugar, honey or maple syrup are good options to add a bit more flavor.
“Here’s a little tip for beginner yogurt makers: both sugar and honey add thickness to the texture, so if you have a sweet tooth and you’re struggling to get a solid yogurt, add something sweet. I like maple syrup as a healthy sweetener,” said Walsh.
Yogurts are good to enjoy on their own, but if you make too much the left-overs can be used in both sweet and savory dishes.
In Bulgaria, many traditional foods contain yogurt. Some breads, pastries, cakes and puddings are made with yogurt rather than milk.
An all-yogurt based traditional soup called Tarator is a favorite starter, especially in summer. It is made with cucumbers, garlic, walnuts, dill and yoghurt.
“One of the types of Bulgarian yogurt I make has a cottage cheese texture. I use it as salad dressing, or as a healthy substitute to butter on a piece of bread,” Walsh said.
The shelf-life of natural homemade yogurt varies by season and temperature. Yogurt made with live bacteria like Lactobacillus Bulgaricus has to be kept refrigerated, or it will go off within three days in winter and two in summer. If stored at the right temperature, it will be at its best for about two to three weeks.
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