Yogurt
- cool and versatile
| Pakistan is a hot country all around.
The province of Punjab where I grew up is in the northern
part of the country. From May to September the temperature
ranges somewhere from 95-110 degrees centigrade. The
heat is mostly dry and not humid, which is a relief in
some ways. However, Punjab is very green, there are five
rivers in this little province, usually people have a
misconception about Pakistan being a desert. There are
some dry and sandy areas but most areas are green and
have lots of trees and plants, it is quite pretty actually. |
| Yogurt is used consistently during these
months to provide a cooling effect. It was always made
at home fresh every night in clay pots. The clay pots
add a subtle flavor to the yogurt. Yogurt was not sold
in containers in supermarkets, things may have changed
by now but certainly that was not the case when I was
growing up. However, I do recall that fresh yogurt was
sold by weight in markets, from a huge clay pot. Sometimes,
when we had unexpected guests or a party, only then yogurt
was bought from the market. |
| I
love yogurt; it is a chef’s dream
come true. I think it is the second most versatile item,
first being the potatoes. I can do so much with it and
that is what gets me all excited! I can add some of the
fragrant spices and use it as an excellent marinade for
chicken or lamb for grilling; use it as a cooling dipping
sauce, Raita, to go with my signature samosas; add sugar
and a favorite fruit for dessert; or a very popular traditional
Pakistani cool and sweet drink, called Lassi. During
the summer months Lassi was served frequently instead
of tea in the afternoons with fresh fruit salads and
other light desserts. I have tried many different types
of yogurts from different food stores but my favorite
is the Greek yogurt. You can buy it at Fox and Obel Food
Market in Chicago, IL. It is the best and really a treat! |
| There
are quite a few recipes in my book, which use yogurt
in different ways. However, I strongly believe that
recipes are supposed to be used as a guide and a blueprint,
the real fun is in feeling free to create something
of your own. I like to encourage my students to experiment
with different flavors, and then you can have the best
of both worlds. You can create a traditional Pakistani
meal following the recipes or you can follow your imagination
and create something unique, we may have some disasters
at times but who cares! You know, there is a reason
why we have so many food take-out places everywhere.
I don’t think anyone will go hungry, do you? |
|
|
Homemade
Yogurt
2 cups warm milk
1 teaspoon fresh yogurt
1 half quart clay pot |
| Boil the milk and set aside to cool
off for about 10 minutes. Pour warm but not boiling
milk in the clay pot, add the fresh yogurt and leave
it uncovered in a warm place. Yogurt will set in about
6-8 hours. The best time to do this is in the evenings,
so every morning you would have a fresh pot of yogurt
available. |
| When weather gets cooler, it helps to
carefully wrap the pot in a clean blanket. |
| You can use whole or skim milk depending
on how creamy you would like your yogurt to be. |
Mango
Lassi - Mango and yogurt drink
1 cup diced fresh mango
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
4 tablespoons sugar
2 cups whole milk, chilled |
| Combine
diced mango, plain yogurt & sugar
in food processor. Blend for 1-1/2 minutes. Keep aside.
Pour milk into processor & process until the mixture
becomes frothy. Add the mango puree to the milk and
process for about 1 minute. Pour into glasses with
a few ice cubes. |
| You can use any whole or skim milk for
the Lassi, depending on your own taste. |
|
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