Feeling a pang for that creamy, tangy goodness of curd after turning vegan?

Don’t fret, we’ve got you covered!

Curd, a versatile ingredient adds a unique taste and texture to both sweet and savory dishes. Traditionally made from milk, curd is now available in a variety of plant-based options that offer a delicious and nutritious way to satisfy cravings without compromising on taste or health benefits.

Introducing vegan dahi or vegan yoghurt – a yummy and nutritious dairy-free alternative. Its made from plant-based milks like peanut, soy, almond, or cashew, and fermented with a vegan yogurt starter.

Vegan dahi is great because it’s a good source of protein, calcium, and probiotics, making it a nutritious snack or meal option.

But what makes vegan dahi so unique?

Here are just a few things:

• It’s lactose-free and casein-free, making it an excellent option for people with lactose intolerance or dairy allergies.
• It’s cholesterol-free and low in saturated fat, making it a heart-healthy choice.
• It’s more sustainable than regular dahi. Dairy production requires a lot of land, water, and energy. Vegan dahi is a more sustainable alternative.

And the best part? It’s super tasty! Enjoy it on its own, with fruits and granola, or use it in various recipes. 

Recipes You Can Try With Vegan Yoghurt

Vegan Raita

Tofu Tikka Masala

Mushroom Biryani

How To Make Vegan Curd At Home?

Vegan curd recipe is an easy process because all you need is some simple ingredients that can easily be found in your kitchen.

Ready to whip your own vegan dahi?

The peanut curd recipe is a great starting point, as it can be used in making raita, curd rice, kadhi and many other dishes which require curd.

Peanuts make the milk creamy, but they have a strong flavour. This flavour can be reduced by adding some rice flour, which also thickens the milk and curd.

Peanut curd

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw peanuts, soaked for 8-12 hours
• ½ cup brown rice flour (optional)
• 800 ml drinking water
• Any of the following vegan curd starters:

o   2-3 tbsp non-dairy yoghurt (curd)

o   A yoghurt starter culture or probiotic capsules (quantity as per pack instructions)

o   8-10 green chilli tops/crowns

o   1-2 tbsp rejuvelac

Steps

1. Soak peanuts in water and rinse them thoroughly.
2. Drain it and blend the peanuts with 200 ml of water until smooth.
3. Add an additional 400 ml of water to the peanut paste.
4. Take rice flour in a separate vessel and add  200 ml of water to it and make rice milk.Ensure there are no lumps in this mixture.
5. Boil the peanut milk on low heat until it thickens.
6. Slowly add the rice milk to the peanut milk, stirring continuously to prevent lumps from forming.
7. Bring the milk to a boil and let it thicken.
8. Cool the milk to a lukewarm temperature.
9. Add a vegan starter to set the curd. The curd usually sets in 4-6 hours (depending on the weather conditions you are living). If the weather is hot, it will set faster and if the weather is cold, it will take more time to set.
10. The curd is ready to serve.
11. Save some of the curd as a starter for the next batch. The starter can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Tips

If you do not have a vegan curd starter:

1. Wash 8-12 green chillies and remove the crowns.
2. Add the chilli crowns to the milk mixture.
3. Keep the mixture in a warm place for 6-8 hours to set.
4. Try making a small amount first, as yoghurt can be unpredictable the first few times.
5. With the chilli tops, you may need to reserve some of the batch and use again with a fresh batch and more chilli tops until you get a firm set of yoghurt.
6. This yoghurt can then be used as a starter for further batches.

 Setting time

• The setting time depends on the climate and the temperature in the room.
• In summer, the curd may set in 4-6 hours, while in winter, it may take 10-12 hours.
• Keep an eye on the curd. Once it starts smelling sour, keep it in the refrigerator.

Storage/Shelf Life

This vegan yoghurt can be kept for 4 to 5 days in the refrigerator.

 Beyond peanut curd, the plant-based curd world offers a diverse range of options to tantalize your taste buds.

From breakfast to dinner and everything in between, vegan curds can add a touch of creaminess, tanginess, and plant-based goodness to your meals. 

Lets explore the world of vegan curds more to discover a symphony of flavours that will delight your taste buds and nourish your body.

Cashew Curd

Its a rich and creamy probiotic-rich food that can be enjoyed either plain or with a variety of toppings.

Creating creamy cashew curd involves soaking cashews, blending them into a paste, and heating the mixture with agar-agar to thicken it. Once cooled, a starter culture is added, and the mixture is left to ferment for 6-8 hours. The resulting cashew curd is a delicious and nutritious dairy-free alternative to yoghurt

Almond Curd

Its a dairy-free alternative made by blending soaked almonds into a fine paste. It adds delicate sweetness and brings a touch of elegance to desserts and smoothies.

Transforming almonds into a delightful almond curd involves soaking, blending, and heating the almond mixture, followed by fermentation to achieve the desired consistency and flavour.

 Soy curd

Its a protein powerhouse, provides a versatile base for dips, spreads, and vegan cheese alternatives. Creating soy curd involves soaking, blending, and heating soybean paste to extract its protein and adding a coagulant to form the curd.

Coconut curd

With its tropical aroma and subtle sweetness, it adds a unique twist to both sweet and savoury dishes. It’s made by blending tender coconut pieces with water to form a fine paste, and then adjusting the consistency by adding lukewarm water followed by fermentation with 5-6 green chilli tops for 7-8 hours.

If you’re too busy and do not have the time to make vegan dahi at home,do check out these vegan curd online options

Final Thoughts:

The vegan yogurt market in India is growing fast. There are many brands offering soy, almond, and coconut-based vegan yogurts that are not only a good source of protein and calcium but also better for the environment than dairy yogurt.

If you want a healthy, eco-friendly, and tasty alternative to dairy yogurt, try out the variety of vegan yogurts available in different brands and flavours.