Milk → curd (dahi)
Warm milk + a spoon of live culture + a warm spot to sleep. That's it.
What you need
Whole milk
500 ml
Live curd
1 tbsp starter
Warm spot
~30 °C
Do this
Warm the milk 🔥
Bring just to a boil. Kill the heat.
Cool to lukewarm 🌡
Finger test: comfortable, not hot. Too hot kills the culture.
Whisk in the starter 🥄
1 tbsp of yesterday's curd. Stir smooth.
Cover, warm, wait 🛌
Oven with light on, warm cupboard, wrapped in a towel. Summer: 6 hr. Winter: 10 hr.
Fridge → set fully 🧊
2 more hours in the fridge finishes the set. Now it slices clean.
If something goes wrong
Watery / not set
Milk was too hot when starter went in, or spot wasn't warm enough. Try again.
Too sour
Left it out too long. Refrigerate earlier next time.
Now that you have curd