Curd is a part and parcel of every meal in a South Indian household. As the temperature in this part of India is always on the higher side, addition of curd in the menu acts as a coolant.
Most Indian households make their own curds unlike many counterparts in the West. The common practice is to boil the milk in the night and cool it . Then add the starter and mix. The next day morning, the milk would have turned to curd . The home made curd is free of preservatives and additives. Curd is also used in making curd rice , pachadis/ raitas and
Method
Take 1 litre milk. Boil it well. When its lukewarm, add a teaspoon of homemade curd, and mix well. Leave it undisturbed for 5 to 6 hours in the summers. In the winters it will take a couple of hours more. Curd is set and ready to use .
Refrigerate to prevent it from turning sour, during the summers.