• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Raks Kitchen
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe index
  • Lunch ideas
  • About Me
  • Amazon Store
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipe index
    • Lunch ideas
    • About Me
    • Amazon Store
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » HOW TO

    How to make curd at home, Homemade curd recipe

    April 11, 2020 by Raks Anand 15 Comments / Jump to Recipe

    How to make curd at home, perfect set homemade curd/ thayir every time. Detailed post with tips, tricks, and FAQs.

    homemade curd
    Jump to:
    • Indian curd
    • Why homemade?
    • Curd or Buttermilk
    • Homemade curd stepwise photos
    • How to make buttermilk from homemade curd?
    • FAQs
    • Tips
    • Troubleshooting
    • Notes
    • Recipes
    • Instant pot Curd
    • Recipe card

    I have replied in detail to many of my reader friends on making curd. Especially people from US, Singapore often ask me the homemade Indian style curd making process.

    And once they succeed and mail me back sharing their excitement, I really feel happy and content that I could help. I have always thought to make a post on this, but somehow it doesn't happen.

    So finally time has come to share, to help beginners and particularly this can be useful at this period of time. It can save you bucks, save your trips outside. Also no need to worry on the stock.

    If you want to learn and perfect the process, please read in detail and patiently.

    Indian curd

    Curd in India is different from rest of the world. In other words, curd is similar to plain yogurt. So if a recipe calls for yogurt you can use curd and vice versa.

    In India, curd is set rather than curdled. Meaning it is a slow process (around 6 hours) of fermentation through which thick curd is set. Usually a starter curd is needed for setting curd.

    Why homemade?

    From the time I started to cook, for almost 16 years, I make my own curd at home. Being South Indian Tamil, we have mor sadam to end our meal.

    So preparing curd at home is economical. Store bought curd is expensive, especially when you use extensively.

    It is very common to make curd everyday in our households. Both mom, MIL make fresh curd everyday.

    Many of us in our family, have the habit of eating curd with breakfast or dinner with idli, dosa or upma too.

    My grandma, mom, FIL loves buttermilk with the idli dosa/ upma. We add little salt to it and use it along eating idli dosa.

    A bowl full of thick homemade curd

    Curd or Buttermilk

    Though everyday curd is set in our homes, consumption of curd is kind of luxury. We always use buttermilk (mor), than the curd as such, in earlier days.

    Now a days though consumption of curd has increased, still, for lunch we include only mor. Also elders at home say it's healthier to use mor than thayir. Mor/ butter milk is said to be body coolant than thayir.

    Homemade curd stepwise photos

    Time needed: 6 hours.

    How to make Indian style homemade curd:

    1. Boiling milk

      Start heating 1 litre milk in a milk pan. It should be large enough to hold the overflowing milk.
      boil-milk

    2. Keep stirring

      Keep stirring occasionally in the beginning. As you see steam rising along the spoon you stir, be careful, your milk is about to boil. Be careful at this stage as it may overflow.
      stir-milk

    3. Cool down

      Once it boils - becomes frothy, raises too. Switch off the stove. Cover with a lid. set aside for cooling.
      boiled-milk

    4. Right temperature

      You should be able to touch the milk with bare hands, if it is warm enough to touch, this is the correct temperature.
      warm to touch

    5. Transfer to curd setting vessel

      Transfer to the vessel you are going to set curd in. Preferably which could retain the temperature for a while.
      pour-to-curd-vessel

    6. Mixing starter curd

      Next, mix about 2 tablespoon of well beaten curd to the milk and stir well.
      mix-starter-curd

    7. Stir well

      With a spoon, give a good mix making sure it gets mixed well.
      stir-milk

    8. Keep covered for setting

      Leave it in a warm place for setting.
      setting

    9. Set curd

      After about 6 hours, the curd will be completely set. Depending on the surrounding temperature, it starts getting set, thicken as time passes.
      curd-set

    10. Refrigerate

      Once set, keep the set curd in refrigerator. Gets more firmer as you refrigerate. Take only required amount when needed and never leave it outside to prevent turning too sour.
      thick-homemade-curd

    How to make buttermilk from homemade curd?

    Take ½ cup curd a tall vessel. Using a balloon whisk, beat smoothly and add 1 & ½ cups water and whisk again to make it smooth.

    mor-or-buttermilk
    Buttermilk - mor

    FAQs

    How I make sure curd is set every time perfectly, properly

    I add a red chilli or green chilli with stalk intact and mix along the starter curd. This double ensures my curd set perfect each and every time.

    My curd is not set and it looks just like milk when I open after many hours. Why?

    Your milk was probably too hot. It kills the bacteria that helps the curd to set.

    Why my curd looks/ is slimy?

    No one likes to consume slimy curd. You might be letting the milk cool down too much. Temperature is too low for setting.

    What is the perfect optimum temperature to set curd?

    You should be able to touch the milk with bare hand. Roughly 30- 40 deg C will be perfect.

    Is there any particular type of vessel to set curd?

    Though it is okay to use any type of vessel, I prefer to use vessels with small mouth to help retain heat and doesn't cool fast like broader vessels. I use a traditional thayir sombu kept alone for this purpose only. Jars with lids like mason jars, Clay pots, soap stones should work great as well. My relative sets yogurt in hot pack too.

    Can I pour the milk over and over again on top of existing curd, in the same pot?

    It sets very perfect and quick when you do so, but avoid doing it as it's said to be Not good for health.

    Which milk and curd I am using in Singapore?

    I use Amul blue tetra pack and either use milky mist or curd from previous setting as starter.

    Tips

    • UHT milk/ curd from tetra pack milk sets thicker comparatively to fresh milk.
    • Experiment with different brands of both milk and curd (starter) to find which works best for your region, climate conditions (USA, Singapore...) and stick to it.
    • If you have local quality brands that supply around fresh curd, use it as it has more live cultures.
    • I set my curd in day time than night as the hot environment helps to set the curd.
    • In cold days/ rainy days, I keep the container around hot areas like next to stove while cooking, by the side of appliances where the surrounding is warmer - example by the side of refrigerator or over it.
    • If you have oven and need warm environment, put inside the oven and leave the oven light on, which will provide necessary temperature.
    • Don't have oven and have difficulties for similar environment? I keep inside cooker (the warm cooker - not under fire) as soon as I take out cooked rice from cooker and keep it closed. This fastens the process.
    • Boil milk well, bring to the temperature to warm, instead of just heating the milk up to warm. It makes a whole lot of difference in thick texture.

    Use chilli with stalk to ensure it is set.

    How to make curd at home

    Troubleshooting

    What to do with slimy curd?
    Use it in mor kuzhambu or make neer mor with lots of water.

    How to avoid slimy curd?

    • Do not use a starter which is slimy. The starter curd is what the home set curd gets it's taste, texture from. So clean well the vessels, never use the same slimy curd as starter again.
    • It happens in certain environment, it can happen without our control because of something to do with the weather or surroundings- this is my understanding.
      So, if no matter what, you can get slimy curd even though you were able to get proper set curd earlier, just skip making curd for some period of time and use store bought and start with fresh starter curd to set homemade curd.

    Notes

    If you check the curd, if it is not starting to set, mix once again and keep over hotter place to set. Use chilli with stalk to ensure it is set.

    I love natural flavour of curd and not the overpowering milky smelling curd of some brands. Milky mist works best for starter and I buy Nestle if buying, as it is close to homemade curd.

    Why I set 1 liter curd and not just small portions?

    I keep forgetting setting curd in everyday basis, so I prefer setting as 1 litre and use it for a week. You can even divide and store in different containers if you want.

    I hope I shared everything I know, if I remember anything important for this post, I will sure update. Leave comments if you have any suggestions, tips that work for you, which brand milk works best for you etc. This can help others too.

    indian style curd | Dahi

    Recipes

    Main course

    • Curd rice
    • Thayir semiya
    • Mor kuzhambu

    Drinks

    • Spiced buttermilk
    • Lassi
    • Masala chaas

    Chaat

    • Dahi vada
    • Papdi dahi chaat
    • Dahi puri

    Instant pot Curd

    Now a days I love setting my curd in Instant pot. No more babysitting milk to prevent overflowing. And most importantly, consistent results as it creates the necessary environment/ temperature to set.

    Let's see how to make Dahi (Indian style curd/ yogurt) in Instant pot Duo.

    1. Firstly, take milk in the inner pot. Then press Yogurt button in the panel until you see boil.

    take milk
    boil

    2. Close the lid and wait until it is done. The display will change from boil to Yogt. Now I take out the inner pot and cool down to optimum temperature.

    done
    boiled

    3. Just test it by keeping your hands around the pot to see if you can bear the heat few seconds comfortably. Do not let it cool down too much. It should be warm.

    Add 2 tablespoons of starter curd and mix thoroughly.

    cool
    curd

    4. Now press the Yogurt button again to choose Normal for 10 hours. Close the lid and wait until the timer is up.

    set
    ready

    Once done, keep the curd in refrigerator for setting it thick. Transfer to another vessel to store easily.

    Recipe card

    homemade-curd
    Print Pin
    No ratings yet

    Instant pot curd

    Instant pot curd is easy way to set curd at home with consistent results. Learn how to make homemade curd in instant pot.
    Course Condiments
    Cuisine Indian
    Prep Time 2 hours
    Cook Time 10 hours
    Servings 4 cups

    Equipments (Amazon Affiliate links)

    • Instant pot Duo 7 in 1, 6 Quart
    Cup measurements

    Ingredients

    • 1 liter Milk I used Meiji fresh milk
    • 2 tablespoon Curd Milky mist or Nestle works
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Firstly, take milk in the inner pot.
    • Press Yogurt button in the panel until you see boil.
    • Close the lid and wait until it is done.
    • Now I take out the inner pot and cool down to optimum temperature.
    • Just test it by keeping your hands around the pot to see if you can bear the heat few seconds comfortably.
    • Do not let it cool down too much. It should be warm.
    • Add 2 tablespoons of starter curd and mix thoroughly.
    • Now press the Yogurt button again to choose Normal for 10 hours.
    • Close the lid and wait until the timer is up.
    • Once done, keep the curd in refrigerator for setting it thick.
    • Transfer to another vessel to store easily.
    YoutubeDo you like short videos? Subscribe now!
    InstagramMention @rakskitchen or tag #rakskitchen if you have tried this recipe.

    Other

    • Homemade Urad dal flour | How to make urad dal flour
    • Idiyappam recipe | How to make idiyappam
    • Kozhukattai Dough recipe | Kozhukattai maavu
    • Simple syrup recipe, what is simple syrup

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Anitha

      April 11, 2020 at 4:01 pm

      Hi Raji,
      Please suggest me the UHT milk brand in Singapore.
      Thanks
      Anitha

      Reply
      • Raks Anand

        April 11, 2020 at 4:27 pm

        If you can get it from Indian groceries, Amul blue tetra pack works. Been using Mangnolia earlier otherwise.

        Reply
    2. Vidhya

      April 12, 2020 at 11:09 am

      So well written! This is one of the best recipes I have read online. Detailed and complete, with all sorts of critical questions addressed.

      Reply
    3. طراحی سایت

      April 12, 2020 at 10:22 pm

      amazing thanks for share

      Reply
    4. Anitha

      April 12, 2020 at 11:33 pm

      Thanks !!

      Reply
    5. Malar

      April 13, 2020 at 9:16 am

      When you state about chilli, is it the normal fresh red/green chilli, dried chilli or the small chilli padis?

      Reply
      • Raks Anand

        April 13, 2020 at 2:57 pm

        Green chilli is fresh, red chilli is dried. I will update this in post too (y)

        Reply
    6. Gayathri Narayan

      April 18, 2020 at 12:54 pm

      Thanks for the detailed recipe for thayir. However, People everywhere, from generations, have ALWAYS told me that we should use a Wide-mouthed vessel for setting curd. You say, use a narrow-mouthed vessel to retain the warmth longer. Which one should I use?

      Reply
      • Raks Anand

        April 18, 2020 at 3:01 pm

        Please choose which ever works for you. I have just shared my experience.

        Reply
    7. SPM

      June 21, 2020 at 1:42 am

      Thank you Ms. Rajeswari - very helpful and to the point!

      Reply
    8. Aspiring Cook

      July 22, 2021 at 9:42 am

      I would like to know where I can buy a metal pot like the one pictured in your post?
      Thank you

      Reply
      • Raks Anand

        July 23, 2021 at 5:29 pm

        It's from Chennai, India. I got it in T Nagar, vessels shop

        Reply
    9. Aspiring Cook

      July 23, 2021 at 8:07 pm

      Thank you!

      Reply
    10. Shanthi

      November 24, 2022 at 11:47 pm

      I think you have written paneer instead of milk in d first para under instant pot curd setting….can you check pls ?

      Reply
      • Raks Anand

        November 28, 2022 at 9:18 pm

        Sorry, thanks for letting me know 🙂 Will edit.

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Raks anand

    Hi, I'm Rajeswari Vijayanand! I am the person behind Rakskitchen, sharing recipes with pictures & videos.

    More about me →

    Popular

    • Eggless doughnut recipe, Basic donut, soft & light
    • Medhu vadai, Ulundu vadai recipe - With video
    • ABC juice recipe, Apple Beetroot Carrot juice
    • Microwave hot chocolate recipe | Single serving

    Pongal Recipes

    • Sakkarai pongal recipe (Sweet pongal recipe)
    • Vellai pongal recipe, Creamy rich paal pongal
    • Ezhukari kootu recipe,  For Thiruvathirai, Pongal
    • Ven pongal | Ghee pongal recipe | How to make ven pongal

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Links

    • Privacy Policy
    • FAQ

    Also from Rakskitchen

    • Rakskitchen Tamil

    Contact

    • [email protected]

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 Rakskitchen