Chikpea Curd

Author Priyanka Jain

Prep time

16 H & 10 M

Cook time

40 Min

Inactive time

16 Hour

Total time

32 H & 50 M

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Chikpea Curd

Out of various vegan curds, this is the easiest to make and perfect for making kadhi (curry)

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Ingredients

• 1 cup dry chickpeas (use dry chickpeas, not canned; they should be raw, not cooked)
• 4 cups of water for soaking
• 3 cups of water for making milk

Curd Starter

• 2 tbsp of soaking water from chickpea

Instructions

1. Soak the chickpeas in 4 cups of water for 8 hours. This can be done early in the morning.
2. Curd Starter: After 8 hours, the water should have bubbles. Save 2 tbsp of this water to be used as the curd starter.
3. Strain the remaining water (this can be used to water your plants).
4. Now blend the chickpeas in the blender with 1 cup of fresh water to form a smooth paste. Don't blend it too much, or it will be difficult to extract the milk. It should be a little coarse.
5. Now add the remaining 2 cups of water and blend for a few more seconds.
6. Place a cotton cloth or a nut milk bag on a container. Add half the quantity of the chickpea paste to the cloth/bag and squeeze to extract the milk.
7. Repeat this with the other half of the chickpea paste.
8. Stir the milk and pour it into a pan and place it on the stove. Stir it again to make sure it doesn’t settle at the bottom, before switching on the stove.
9. Turn the stove on and heat the milk on medium heat. Keep stirring the milk until it begins to boil and the consistency is thick like custard.
10. You may notice foam building upon the surface during this process. Remove it as and when required.
11. Once you have the right consistency, switch off the stove and let it cool down.
12. Keep stirring to make sure it cools down evenly. Otherwise, it will cool from the top and still be hot underneath.
13. Wait till the milk comes to a lukewarm temperature. You can check the temperature by adding a few drops of it on your finger. The ideal temperature to add the starter culture for fermentation is around 38°C to 44°C (100°F to 110°F).
14. Transfer the milk to a non-metallic container.
15. Add 2 tablespoons of the soaking water that you saved at the start of this recipe. This will act as a starter.
16. Stir the starter thoroughly. You can also use your clean finger to stir to give additional bacteria from your skin. Cover the container with a loose lid and let it sit.
17. The process can take anywhere between 6 to 12 hours depending on the weather. If the weather is very cold, you can cover the container with a blanket to keep it warm.

Personal Note

I was determined to come up with a plant-based curd recipe that is easy to make and sets thick. After numerous experiments, I came up with this recipe.

Disclaimer: Some or all allergens may not be listed

Dairy Alternatives

Indian

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