Vegan Curd Starter with Oats

Today, I am sharing yet another method of making vegan curd starter at home! The thing is, you can make a curd starter out of almost anything. I learned about the various methods of making a curd starter from FB posts and comments—a big thank you to everyone who shares their curd-making adventures online!

This one is a super-simple method and works so well. So, if making vegan dahi has been on your to-do list for quite some time, just make a batch of this starter and get going!!

Vegan Curd Starter with Oats

Yields: 200 ml curd starter liquid

Preparation time: 5 minutes + fermentation time

Ingredients

• 1 glass lukewarm water (200 ml)
• 1 heaped tablespoon rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon sugar (optional, but recommended)

Method:

1. Take the oats and sugar in a bowl. Add a glass of lukewarm water and mix. Cover and keep aside undisturbed overnight (up to 12-15 hours in winters).
2. The water will be somewhat bubbly on the surface now—it’s now teeming with the “good” bacteria that help set dahi! If it’s not bubbly yet, keep aside for a few more hours.
3. Filter out the oats and reserve the water. It will taste a bit fizzy and have a slight pleasantly sour taste. It can be refrigerated for up to a week in an airtight container.

Usage: To make any plant-based curd, add 2-3 tablespoons of this starter liquid to 500 ml lukewarm milk and keep aside overnight or for as long as you would for dairy curd.