Here’s to our favourite probiotic, curd!

Remember those nostalgic days when your mothers gave you curd and sugar before heading out for an exam, interview or an important event? However, did you ever realise that besides considering curd a good luck charm, what else is its importance? 

• Undoubtedly, performance anxiety tends to give butterflies in the stomach. Curd possesses chemical properties that eliminates this syndrome, curbs anxiety, giving a soothing effect. This makes a person calm and helps them perform better.  

• The sweetener, whether it’s sugar/jaggery or honey added in the curd acts as an instant energy booster. Thereby, fulfilling the energy deficit resulting in reducing the feeling of tiredness. 

The Turks were the first ones to use yogurt’s medicinal use for a varied range of ailments/illnesses and symptoms, such as diarrhoea and cramps, and also to alleviate the discomfort of sunburned skin. If we go back in history around 6000 BC, Ayurveda too refers to health benefits of consuming fermented milk products. For them, making yogurt was the only known safe method for preserving milk then. Travelling to the present scenario, there are more than 700 yogurt products found in Indian cuisine.  

Not to forget, a very important by-product of curd/yogurt, the buttermilk that came from 3000 BC, times of Lord Krishna or our beloved makhan chor. Interestingly, buttermilk still counts to be the key ingredient in traditional cooking, a vital agent for flavouring, baking and marinating. So, all said and done, we realise that curd and buttermilk are human’s best buddy when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle. Curd and buttermilk aid in healthy digestion, makes bones and teeth stronger, boosts immunity, promotes glowing skin, battles dehydration, reduces blood pressure, helps to shed extra kilos, etc. 

Aren’t these two ingredients magical? Let’s try our hands on some action-packed recipes that will help keep you super cool this summer!

1. Vegan Curd Rice

The soft-cooked mushy rice along with curd and salt is unimaginably heavenly! The tempering turns it mildly flavoured making it a tempting meal for any time of the day. You are a vegan? Chill! Your worries will be fixed as this is made with such ingredients which you can consume with absolute assurance. This one is specially made with cashewnut yogurt to give you a special treat, a cool one indeed. Also, bid adieu to indigestion and bloating with this! 

https://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/Recipe/VEGAN-CURD-RICE--SK-Khazana-KhaanaKhazana.html

2. Curd Jowar

Life tastes like jowar, it seems hard to chew but its damn healthy! Yes! It’s true, but we are actually habitual of eating this super grain in our desi breads. However, this time we thought to amalgamate it with curd. Sounds interesting, isn’t it? Well, you’ll be amazed to know that besides curd, jowar also possesses the benefits of making the body thanda, thanda, cool, cool! So, this unique pairing is undeniably a great combination. Did you know? Jowar is gluten-free too. 

https://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/Recipe/Curd-Jowar-Sanjeev-Kapoor-Kitchen-FoodFood.html

3. Tadka Chaas

Call it chaas, chaach, mattha, majjiga, neer moru or by any other name, for everyone who loves this refreshing and appetising beverage, this time the summer will smell like Tadka Chaas! Have it any time of the day, you’ll definitely be on cloud nine. Not just this, you’ll come out with flying colours of success after beating that scorching heat. Since ages, it has been a desi summer cooler to keep the body heat away. Include it in your meals this time to fight acidity, stabilise the calcium intake and guard against dehydration. 

https://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/Recipe/Tadka-Chaas---SK-Khazana.html

4. Aamras ki Kadhi

As soon as summer sneaks in, the craving for mangoes comes along! It makes adults turn into those children with starry eyes to grab that kairi, paka aam, aamras, aam ka achaar, etc. Our childhood definitely had all shades of aam in its different forms. Then be it eating without any care about the juices dripping endlessly, making it such an unfiltered expression of joy! Here we’ve got something distinctive from all the other forms of mango, aamras to be precise. The best way to have it is with some steamed rice or better all by itself. So, keep calm and eat aam! but with a twist. 

https://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/Recipe/Aamras-ki-Kadhi-SK-Khazana.html

5. Strawberry Buttermilk Popsicles

You’ll call it insane love, I call it popsicle! Strawberry Buttermilk Popsicle, oh, they are an enticing couple as our favourite berry now tags along with the super cooling buttermilk. A companionship that should last forever! Hence, the perfect recipe. Feeling those fresh strawberry pieces makes the eating journey all the more worthwhile. Besides, rich in antioxidants, strawberries are great for the heart, takes care of constipation and lifts the mood instantaneously. 

https://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/Recipe/Strawberry-Buttermilk-Popsicles.html