Sour Cream, Curd and Thick Sour Milk (2024)

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Sour Cream, Curd and Thick Sour Milk (1)

Without dairy products, russian foods would not be as diverse or flavorful as they are. Whole milk is used in a variety of dishes, from oatmeal to soups with milk. There are also dishes that use milk products, such as tvorog, kefir, and cheese. Milk was available to even the poorest of peasants, as many peasants had cows or had neighbors who would share milk. Whole milk, butter, and sour cream are important ingredients in many dishes (sour cream is essential to enjoying a bowl of borscht), but there are also other dishes in Russia made from mainly russian dairy products.

Tvorog - Tvorog is similar to cottage cheese, farmer cheese, or quark, and is a thick curd cheese made from fresh milk. The Russian version tends to be a little drier and harder than cottage cheese, with a slightly sweet, fresh taste. Tvorog can be eaten with sour cream, milk or jam for breakfast, and is popular as food for babies because of it’s high protein content. Tvorog can also be wrapped in blini (crepes) or fried into thicker pancakes (cyrniki) with raisins or nuts. For an evening meal, enjoy tvorog in boiled dumplings (vareniki) and have some baked goods with tvorog (like sweet pierogies) for dessert.

Varenets - This drink, traditional in Siberia, is made of sour cream added to baked milk. This dish is popular because of the probiotic cultures that it contains, and because of its sweet taste and creamy color.

Prostokvasha - This variation of sour milk is made by adding a fermentation agent (sour cream, rye bread, or acid) to boiled milk and letting it sit for 12 hours. It’s also possible to make sour milk by leaving milk in a warm place in a container covered with a piece of cloth and letting it ferment by itself. Sour milk is safe to eat for much longer than fresh milk, so in the days before refrigeration, sour milk was a way to preserve milk.

Smetana - No list of russian foodwould be complete without sour cream (smetana in Russian). It’s impossible to eat soups or dumplings without sour cream, and it is also used as an ingredient in a large number of dishes, from appetizers to desserts to baked goods.

Kefir - Kefir is a slightly sour fermented milk drink that can be enjoyed alone or used in dishes. Though kefir is traditionally from the Caucasus, it has been a part of Russian cuisine for centuries. Okroshka, a cold soup popular in the summer, is made with a base of kefir with added meat and vegetables.

Sour Cream, Curd and Thick Sour Milk (2024)

FAQs

What is thick sour milk called? ›

Clabber is a type of soured milk. It is produced by allowing unpasteurized milk to turn sour (ferment) at a specific humidity and temperature. Over time, the milk thickens or curdles into a yogurt-like consistency with a strong, sour flavor.

What can I substitute for thick sour milk? ›

Buttermilk or sour milk, 1 cup.

Substitute with 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice plus enough milk to make 1 cup. Let stand 5 minutes. Or 1 3/4 teaspoons cream of tartar plus 1 cup milk; or 1 cup plain yogurt.

Can you use sour milk for sour cream? ›

Sour milk can be used in place of sour cream. Since it will not be as thick as sour cream, you should add softened butter. For every ¾ cup sour milk, add ⅓ cup softened butter in place of 1 cup of sour cream.

Are sour milk and curd the same? ›

The increased acidity causes the milk proteins (casein) to tangle into solid masses, or curds. Milk that has been left to sour (raw milk alone or pasteurized milk with added lactic acid bacteria) will also naturally produce curds, and sour milk cheeses are produced this way.

Is soured milk the same as buttermilk? ›

For that matter, neither home-soured nor commercially soured milk is “real” buttermilk. As Sandor Katz explains in The Art of Fermentation, true buttermilk is a by-product of the butter-making process.

What is African sour milk? ›

Sour milk is a drink that is popular in Southern Africa and is fermented milk that tastes like a mix between cottage cheese and plain yogurt. Common names for this drink are Inkomazi,Maas,Amasi,Madila.

What is the difference between spoiled milk and sour milk? ›

Spoiled milk usually refers to pasteurized milk that has gone bad, while sour milk may refer to raw milk that has begun to ferment.

What to do when a recipe calls for sour milk? ›

Milk that has gone sour on its own is spoiled and is unsafe to use. To make 1 cup (250 mL) sour milk for baking, use 1 tbsp (15 mL) vinegar or lemon juice and enough milk to equal 1 cup (250 mL). Stir and let stand for 5 minutes before using. This will give the right amount of acidity for the recipe.

When not to use sour cream? ›

It should not be consumed if it develops an off smell, molds or becomes yellow or discolored.

Is soured cream the same as buttermilk? ›

Sour cream is made by using lactic acid bacteria to ferment cream, giving it a tangy flavor similar to buttermilk ( 5 ). However, sour cream is thicker than buttermilk, so it's best to thin it with water or milk when making a buttermilk substitute.

Can you make sour cream from yogurt? ›

STEPS TO MAKE SOUR CREAM FROM YOGURT:

All you need to do is add a few tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar to the yogurt and stir it until the yogurt has thickened. The acid in the lemon juice or vinegar will cause the yogurt to thicken and separate, just like sour cream would.

What is curd called in the USA? ›

Curd or dahi is called yogurt in the United States. Yogurt is a commercialized product that is made from milk that has been heat-treated to kill live bacteria. Dahi is a traditional yogurt that is made from cow's milk, buffalo milk, or goat milk.

Is it OK to eat sour curd? ›

On one hand, consuming curd in any season can help improve digestive and gut health. However, people suffering from cold or dealing with respiratory issues must avoid consuming sour curd as it can trigger these conditions.

Is sour cream a curd? ›

Sour cream is not hung curd & it is very easy to make it. You just need 3 ingredients to make it perfectly. 200 g Fresh Cream.

What is the thick milk called? ›

thick milk is another name for clotted cream. Clotted Cream is the thickened layer that would be at the top of a milk can when farmers opened the cans since cream rises to the top when fresh unpastorized milk is allowed to sit undisturbed for a period of time.

What is another name for soured milk? ›

Soured milk that is produced by bacterial fermentation is more specifically called fermented milk or cultured milk. Traditionally, soured milk was simply fresh milk that was left to ferment and sour by keeping it in a warm place for a day, often near a stove.

What is thick layer on milk called? ›

Milk skin or lactoderm refers to a sticky film of protein that forms on top of dairy milk and foods containing dairy milk (such as hot chocolate and some soups).

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