home made yoghurt - tips ?

[prk888]

yes I've Goggled this topic and lots of good informative stuff available

My request is has anyone got any useful tips or suggestions gleaned from experience before we start making our own?

e.g. best containers to use? best yoghurt to buy and use to get started? is a thermometer essential in your view? where's the best store to get this stuff? what's the optimum quantity to make? etc

Thanks in advance

[Hardback]

I've found that full cream UHT milk gives the best results and yielded a thicker product. I use glass jars to make mine in, works a treat. I've never used a thermometer before.

[prk888]

Thanks Hardback. As a diabetic, UHT milk v, skimmed (or even the 2%) would be a no no surely ? Or not?

[Matej]

From my own experience, yogurt made from UHT milk is runnier than yogurt made from raw milk.

On the other hand consuming raw milk in Thailand can be a bit tricky, considering weather and heat.

So I use whole UHT cow milk. I heat it up so it's warm, then I add plain yogurt, mix it together, fill glass jars and put it in yogurt maker for 9 hours ...

To spice it up you can use whatever you like, honey, cinnamon, poppy seed, nuts, fruit ...

For healthy people I don't recommend eating low fat dairy products at all.

[JHolmesJr]

Try making kefir while youre at it.

Host of benefits.

[prk888]

Just googled kefir Mr Holmes

where can you get the real kefir here in Pattaya?

[Rimmer]

Moved to Western Food forum

[JHolmesJr]

Just googled kefir Mr Holmes

where can you get the real kefir here in Pattaya?

I doubt you will get it there….Bangkok may have some specialty stores but it will be really expensive.

Best way to get into Kefir is to make your own.

I think you can buy the grains online….just google 'buy kefir grains'….then make your own.

I tried it for a few weeks and felt great...

[moonseeker]

I actually wanted to post this info a couple of weeks ago, but did not think it would be of interest. I like fresh and good yogurt (Thai stuff is horrific) and just felt the large FARMERS CHOICE "GREEK" & "REGULAR POT or similar" was adding up to quite a bit of cash and why not try another way, against advise of friends.

Got myself 2 bottles of 1 L Meiji Full Milk / Blue Top and 1 each of the Farmer's yogurts, small for about 60 Baht each.

Now, absolute hygiene is very important, don't re-use bottles, don't stick anything in there to stir etc. etc.

1) Pour out a small amount of Milk from a fresh bottle of Full Milk, preferably not directly out of fridge, but slightly warmer.

2) Add 3 small/tablespoons of yogurt, whichever your preference, I prefer the creamy GREEK.

3) Close the bottle and shake it well.

4) Open the bottle and just leave the top on the bottle as protection, don't screw it on.

5) Leave the bottle quiet for 10-14 hours, I pick a shaded place with average temp. of 29-32 C on my balcony, if by then the yogurt is not thickened enough, add a couple hours.

6) Stick it in the fridge, I have kept it - to experiment - up to 12 days and it stayed perfect.

7) POUR the yogurt after a brief shake, don's stick anything in there. Add honey, coffee-powder, Choco, Muesli or whatever :-) in the bowl.

8) Shortly before running out, repeat the process with your own-made yogurt and a fresh bottle of Milk. Again, pour it, don't use anything that could contaminate it.

My friends told me it will only work for 2-3 times, if at all. I have done it up to 10 times, without seeing or tasting any difference. Both types of FARMER'S CHOICE turned out great.

If I run out, or forget to make fresh one, I just go and get a small cup in Friendship and some milk and start again.

I am the opposite of cheap, just wanted to see if it works against my friends opinions, but I might keep going with my 1L = < (less) 50 Baht GREEK Yogurt. :-) You do the math. Hope it helps somebody who lives on a budget. Nothing wrong with that.

There might be a minimal difference in consistency vs. the bought-one, I am sure they add stabilizers etc. In fact, I feel my own-made one is creamier & tastier, have never tried low-fat??? Might be worth a try if you on a diet. BUT use the bottle, the one in the fridge section.

Enjoy & Good night! MS>

Edited January 25, 2016 by moonseeker

[tolsti]

Just googled kefir Mr Holmes

where can you get the real kefir here in Pa

I have seen it in Best Supermarket, Dolphin Roundbout.

[mrjohn]

There’s plenty of advice online (most of it much better than you have been getting on here)

I’ve been making yoghurt in Thailand for 10 years. It’s ridiculously easy.

First you need to buy some live yoghurt to act as your starter. Check the label. Make sure it contains live bacteria. Farang food shops usually have some and Makro quite often does.

You need some fresh milk, a thermometer, some pots to put it in and a large pan to heat up the milk. I use small plastic containers from Tesco with screw top lids.

You also need to sterilise everything. Yoghurt is made from one strain of bacteria working on the milk so, you do not want any other bacteria invading the process.

Pour the milk into a pan and heat it slowly over a low heat. A low heat should ensure that the milk does not burn on the bottom of the pan. Make sure the pan is big enough, for example, if you make 2 Ltrs of yoghurt you need a 4-5 Ltr saucepan to avoid the milk boiling over.

Meanwhile sterilise containers and any other utensils you are going to use. I do this in a steamer (an essential tool in any kitchen in Thailand.)

The milk needs to reach a temperature of 85°C although I usually find it comes to the boil when I’m not looking.

Maintain that temperature for about 5 minutes and then take it off the heat and allow it to cool.

Putting the pan into a bath of cold water will cool it down much more quickly.

When it’s cooled to under 40°C add your pot of starter yoghurt and gently stir it in with a sterilised spoon.

Pour the warm milk into the clean pots. I use a small jug for this.

I then put the yoghurt into a foam box which keeps it at a nice even temperature. It should be ready after about 12 hours. Put it in the fridge and it will keep for at least a month.

The longer you ferment it, the more sour it will become.

From this basic product I’ve made an excellent cheese and sensational yoghurt ice cream.

[tolsti]

Just googled kefir Mr Holmes

where can you get the real kefir here in Pa

I have seen it in Best Supermarket, Dolphin Roundbout.

Just been in there to get some bread and there is kefir on the shelves. But it is in Russian so you need to be able to read it. It is with the sour cream and the Yolida yoghurt

[JHolmesJr]

Just googled kefir Mr Holmes

where can you get the real kefir here in Pa

I have seen it in Best Supermarket, Dolphin Roundbout.

Just been in there to get some bread and there is kefir on the shelves. But it is in Russian …...

Of course. I stand corrected…Kefir was first made in the caucasus mountain region of former ussr…russians are big on it.