Sour milk product is obtained through acidification of milk through bacterial fermentation. Nowadays, there are two ways to get sour milk – you can either buy sour milk manufactured by dairy industries from a store, or you can make it at home yourself. But we should keep in mind that milk in a closed package with the use-by date passed, or that has been kept in non-compliant conditions doesn't ferment into sour milk at all. All you will find in the package is a liquid with an unpleasant smell and a disgusting taste.
Benefits of Homemade Sour Milk (Maziwa Mala)
Fermented dairy products are popular for a good reason. They have a nice distinct taste, smell, texture, and dietary and healing properties.
In general, we may say that all the types of sour milk are easy to digest and the human organism assimilates them well. Furthermore, they improve appetite, stimulate the functions of the pancreas and the liver and the secretion of bile.
And there are more benefits. The milk proteins of sour milk are partially curdled due to the acidic environment, so they are readily digestible, which means the amino acids in their composition are absorbed well into our bloodstream. This can be called external preliminary digestion, something that doesn’t diminish the biological value of proteins as their amino acid content doesn’t change.
The protein content of sour milk manufactured is usually 2.9%. The somewhat altered state of milk casein due to the activity of living lactic acid bacteria reduces the possibilities of allergenicity. Compared with the proteins in fresh milk, the proteins in fermented dairy products cause fewer allergic reactions.
The advantage of the commercially manufactured sour milk with 2.5% fat content is also that, even if a lot is consumed, it doesn’t give a lot of food fats or calories – the human body gets around 50 calories from a 100-gram portion of the product. At the same time, the fat content of sour milk is sufficient to ensure the absorption of the necessary micronutrients from the product and to give the product flavors that are palatable to many people.
As in the case of other fermented milk products, we should stress the suitability of sour milk for people who have problems digesting milk sugar. The lactose content in sour milk is lower, and the lactic acid bacteria consumed together with sour milk help to partially cleave lactose.
The carbohydrate content of the 2.5% sour milk that is on sale is around 4%. The human body gets micronutrients from sour milk as well. Speaking of minerals, sour milk contains a considerable amount of calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, sulphur and sodium compounds. We get a small number of microelements such as selenium, zinc, molybdenum, cobalt, and iodine from sour milk.
Regarding vitamins, sour milk mainly contains various vitamins of the B-group (notably vitamins B2, B5, and B12): some of them come from the original milk and some are generated by the living lactic acid bacteria.
There are some additional bonus features. The lactic acid in the composition of fermented milk products stimulates the functions of various digestive glands, so it fosters the digestion process. The regular consumption of sour milk also improves the function of the intestines, helping to avoid constipation.
When drinking sour milk that has not been pasteurized the gastrointestinal tract of the consumer is enriched with lactic acid bacteria to a greater or lesser extent. The use of probiotic bacteria in the starter of sour milk is especially beneficial as they also contribute to improving the health of consumers. The bacteria in a certain selected starter can produce compounds in sour milk that have an antibiotic effect. Sour milk with this composition is recommended in several special diets.
Below is How to Make Sour Milk(Maziwa Mala) at Home
You can make sour milk from raw milk at home. In this case, the fermentation process takes place spontaneously if the conditions are right.
INGREDIENTS:
• 1 liter/4 cups plain dairy milk.
• One serve (50-100 ml) (¹/₅ to ¹/₃ cup) of other fermented milk drink.
• Sugar to taste.
STEPS:
- Clean all containers and equipment with hot water. This should kill any bacteria that may contaminate the milk. Prepare a warm place for the milk to ferment. Mostly a warm spot away from direct sunlight.
- Heat the milk until it steams, do not let it boil. This is to kill any bacteria already in the milk. Once it is cool enough that you can touch the side of the vessel for ten seconds comfortably, use a funnel to transfer the milk to your container. Try not to get milk on the rim of your container as is may provide a pathway for unwanted bacteria.
- Add your fermented milk to the container and close the lid, give it a shake and place it in the warm place you prepared earlier. Leave it out to continue curdling and loosely covered.
- Let the milk incubate for 12-14 hours, try not to disturb it and do not open the container yet. The warm, clean conditions should let the beneficial bacteria grow and ferment the milk.
- Open the container after 12-14 hours. The fermented milk should be about the same color as normal milk and be only slightly thicker, it should have a mild yogurt smell with a hint of tang and a smooth slightly tangy taste.
- Chill immediately in the fridge. Add sugar to taste before serving. Two to four teaspoons of sugar per cup are about normal. Enjoy!
NOTE: You can increase the nutritional value of sour milk made at home or bought from a store by adding sugar, jams, mueslis, and kama-meal to it, or by using it as a component when preparing other dishes such as doughs, batters or marinades.