Food Talk
 Curdish affair

Dahi is a veritable lifesaver during summer, says Pushpesh Pant

DAHI, ‘white as full moon in winter, made with creamy buffalo milk’, is something worth fantasying about. Legend has it that Kalidas, travelling incognito, was "discovered" by his patron Raja Bhoj when the poet specified the items of food desired by him and used this simile.

This dairy produce figures prominently in folklore, music and dance in India — be it the poetry of Surdas and Raskhan or the scintillating steps of kathak — dadhi ki mataki jhataki pataki aru doodh ko peeya bikher diyo. Lord Krishna, the enchanting prankster, could never have enough of it.

Curdled milk is not only easily digestible but also a coolant beyond compare — a veritable lifesaver during summer. Lassi, chhaans — the traditional ways of serving the daily dose of dahi — continue to hold their own against the challenge of colourful, fizzy cold drink colas and synthetically fruit-flavoured.

Tarhkewala dahi

Ingredients
 Yoghurt five cups
Cooking oil 3 tbsp
Black mustard seeds ½ tsp
Coriander seeds ½ tsp
Red chillies 6-8
Curry leaf 15-20
Onions (finely chop) 3 tbsp
Ginger (finely chop) 1" piece
Green chillies (seed & finely chop) 2
Turmeric powder 1 tsp
Red chilli powder ½ tsp
Tomatoes (finely chop) 75 gm
Salt to taste

Method
 Hang the yoghurt in muslin and once the whey is completely drained, transfer to a bowl, level with a spatula and reserve in the refrigerator until cool.

Heat oil in a wok, add mustard, coriander and red chillies, and stir over medium heat until chillies become bright red. Add curry leaf, stir until they stop spluttering, add onions, stir until translucent and glossy, add ginger and green chillies, and stir until onions are lightly coloured. Then add turmeric and red chilli powder (dissolved in 2 tbsp of water), and stir until the moisture evaporates. Now add tomatoes and salt, and stir-fry until the moisture evaporates, remove and pour over the yoghurt cheese. Serve as an accompaniment.

Then, there are the myriad raita and pachadi based on dahi. In South, no meal is complete without thair — good-old curd. Thair syadam or curd rice- tempered with curry leaves and mustard seeds, pepped up with green chillies and ginger is a wonderful summer repast that can easily be incorporated in our summer menu.

In its yoghurt avatar, maybe enriched with fresh fruit, it is gaining popularity as a healthy breakfast. Chaat uses dahi in generous measure — bhalle, mongodi, bade and papri none can do without it. While in most of north India, dahi has savoury companions, in the west and east it is also relished sweet. Mishti doi in Bengal, redolent with the fragrance of Mother Earth soaked effortlessly from the clay vessel, is a minor classic and so is shrikhand in Maharashtra delicate in hue and lighter than many much-touted soufflé.

Dahi is the common accompaniment with parantha and used widely as a marinade. We have once been treated to an unusual vegetarian kebab made with dahi — hung and pressed like paneer to facilitate the creation of this novelty. An even more ambitious chef regaled us with filling his seekh kebab with mint-laced hung yoghurt claiming that he was following an old hakim’s prescription for summer. There was even a time when the culinary skills of a young bride were tested by her ability to set curds.

You can try out the innovative recipe we share with you here to beat the heat. Use it in lieu of a vegetable or dal with roti or rice for a light lunch or dinner.

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