Hung Curd Dip

                                                           

This hung curd dip flavored with minced garlic, dry mint, and basic Indian spices is a  delicious low-fat yogurt condiment. It is a healthy creamy dip without adding any cheese or cream. If you have strained yogurt / hung curd ready at hand, making this flavorful dip is a breeze. Pair it with your favorite munchies like nachos, chips, baked crackers, vegetable sticks or potato wedges or use it as a salad dressing. You can also serve it as a side dish with fritters and french fries or as a sandwich spread. This refreshing, no-cook, hung curd dip is tangy and mildly spicy in taste and just perfect for  the hot summers !

 

What is Hung Curd?

Hung curd is nothing but a thick creamy yogurt from which all the whey (water) is drained out. It is called chakka in Marathi language. Hung curd can be easily made at home. You just tie some curd in a muslin cloth and keep it hanging for 3-4 hours or till all the water drains out. Hung curd is used in making many dishes from Indian and Middle Eastern Cuisine . Shrikhand ,Dahi Kebab and Hung Curd Sandwich use Hung curd as a key ingredient. Hung curd is also used in marinating Tikka dishes. 

Health Benefits of Hung Curd :

• Hung curd is a good source of calcium that is good for your bones and teeth.
• Hung curd is a good pro-biotic and low in sodium content.
• It is rich in protein, in fact it has twice the amount of protein and half the carbs when compared to the regular curd so a great option for those on low-carb diet.

                       

How to make Hung Curd at home ?

• Keep a strainer over a bowl and line it with a muslin cloth. 
• Add curd into it and gather the sides of the muslin cloth and tie a knot. 
• Now either allow it to remaining hanging for 3-4 hours for the whey to drip down or keep it in the strainer with a bowl underneath in a refrigerator overnight. 
• Apply little pressure after the time period to squeeze out water from the cloth. 
• Resultant is a thick, creamy hung curd devoid of any water content.

What goes into my Hung Curd Dip? The Ingredients:

This Hung curd dip is a a flavorful condiment that can be made i a jiffy and does not require any fancy ingredients. 

• Hung Curd: Hung curd is the obvious key ingredient of this dip. I have used homemade curd made from skimmed milk to make this low-carb hung curd. You may use store bought Greek yogurt if you do not have time to make hung curd at home.
• Minced Garlic: Use garlic paste , garlic powder or finely grated garlic in this dip. I personally do not like the garlic chunks coming in the mouth while enjoying the dip.
• Dry Mint: I have used home-made dry mint powder for that refreshing minty flavor. You may use fresh mint or coriander leaves as well.
• Chili Fakes: I have used dry red chili flakes for the spicy kick. You may used crushed green chilies as well.
• Black Pepper: Use freshly crushed black pepper for best results.
• Salt to taste

Dietary Tips:

• Gluten-free
• Vegetarian 
• Low-carb dip
• Healthy
• Side dish
• No-cook
• Easy to make

Related Event: 

Dahi Dhamal was the 294th week theme @ FoodieMondayBlogHop, a Facebook gourmet group where a bunch of passionate food bloggers share their culinary delights every Monday depending upon a pre-determined theme. Priya VijayKrishna was our hostess for the week and she proposed this curd-based theme where we could post any main course, beverage, dessert or side dish with curd as a key ingredients. This flavorful hung curd dip is my humble contribution towards the theme. Do check out Dangar Pachadi, a traditional black lentil flavored yogurt dip from Tamil Nadu that Priya has shared for the theme. I am surely going to give it a try.

                                     

Preparation Time: 2 minutes (does not include the time to make hung curd)

Cooking Time: Nil

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup hung curd
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder
• Salt to taste.
• Mint leaves for garnishing

Method:

1. Take hung curd in a mixing bowl.
2. Add minced garlic, dry mint powder, freshly crushed black pepper, salt and chili flakes to it.
3. Give a good mix to get a smooth creamy textured dip
4. Refrigerate until use and serve chilled with snack of your choice.

Recipe Notes:

• Use fresh curd to make hung curd at home.
• If it is very hot in your part of the world, hanging the curd for too long may make it sour. You may keep the curd tied in the muslin cloth on a strainer with a bowl underneath it and keep it in the refrigerator overnight. This step will prevent the hung curd to get sour in hot weather.
• If you are a pizza loving person, you can flavor this hung curd dip with a dash of oregano and dry basil along with chili flakes and black pepper.
• You may go wild with flavorings of your choice.
• You can pair this flavorful hung curd dip with your favorite munchies like nachos, chips, baked crackers, vegetable sticks or potato wedges or use it as a salad dressing. You can also serve it as a side dish with fritters and french fries or as a sandwich spread.
• The hung curd dip stays good for a day on refrigeration in an air-tight container.

Would love to hear from you !

I hope you would love trying out this healthy and delicious Hung Curd Dip. If you do so, feel free to share your feedback with use in the form of likes and comments in the section below this post.

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See you soon with yet another healthy and delicious creation from my Kitchen. Until then Stay safe and eat right !

 

Happy Cooking !

Happy Eating !

 

Regards

Poonam Bachhav

 

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• Dahi Ke Kebab

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• Peanut Curd Dip