Hung Curd

Hung curd is simply yogurt whose water/whey has been drained completely. Hung curd is extremely delicious and has smooth creamy texture. Hung curd is very healthy, low in fat and rich in nutrients and minerals. Hung curd can be used for many recipes like for the Marinating Paneer Tikka or to make Indian sweet Shrikhand etc. It is also used to make Dahi Kababs, Thick Creamy Raita, Sandwiches, Dips, Desserts, Parfait, Curries or even Chutneys.

Hung curd can be made very easily at home. It has a very simple procedure to follow – Tie some curd in a muslin cloth and leave it hanging for few hours or till all the water drains out. Hung curd and whey can be used for different recipes.

Ingredients

• 4 cups – Fresh Curd (Dahi or Greek Yogurt; curd made from 1 liter of milk). Click here for Curd/Yogurt recipe

Tools Required:

• 1 deep bowl
• 1 big strainer or sieve
• 1 long muslin cloth (or cheesecloth or kitchen cotton napkin)
• 1 heavyweight bowl (or any heavy vessel)

Method

1. Preparing tools: Place a strainer on a big bowl and then line a muslin cloth on the strainer.
2. Pour the fresh curd over the lined muslin cloth and bring the four edges of the cloth together. Tie the edges of the cloth tightly to make a big knot on top
3. Gently press or squeeze the tied curd ball and let the whey drip down, collecting in a bowl
4. Now place a heavy bowl or lid on the tied muslin cloth which will help drip the excess water/whey from curd faster
5. Keep the whole thing in the fridge for about 4-5 hours or overnight.
6. After the required amount of time, remove everything from the fridge and open the cloth and you will get a creamy hung curd. Whisk it well to achieve thick, smooth and creamy textured.
7. Use this hung curd immediately for any recipe or store it in a container and refrigerate it for later use.

Notes:

• Always use fresh homemade curd for delicious tasting hung curd. Do not use sour curd.
• Do keep a bowl beneath the muslin to collect the whey from the curd.
• Alternatively, you can make hung curd outside at room temperature instead of the fridge if it is not too hot. Keeping in fridge avoids the curd from becoming extra sour
• Thicker Curd: Usually it will take around 4-5 hours for the hung curd to be ready. But if you want more thick and creamy texture then keep overnight for 10-12 hours in the fridge
• Storage: Once the hung curd is ready, store in a container and refrigerate it. It can last up to 1-2 weeks.
• Whey: Do not discard the whey collected from the curd. This whey is rich in nutrients and can be used to make Paratha, Thepla, bread dough or cake batter, curries, soups, pulao etc.