Katyk: characteristics and methods of preparation

Even in the modern world, where every person has the opportunity to go to the supermarket and buy there the most unexpected ingredients for their own culinary experiments, many gourmets want something special — one that is not found everywhere. In this context, any products can be curious, especially if they are widely used even in Russia, but are far from being everywhere. These include, for example, the Katyk, about which many have heard, but not all have tried.

Moreover, the ignorance of what it is, makes many potential buyers pass by, even if they saw the Katyk on sale. Let's try to figure out in detail what it is.

We should start with the fact that some people at the genetic level are unable to drink fresh milk in adulthood - it is not digested in the body, "out of age", and provokes serious problems with digestion. Although it is not worthwhile to generalize, in general, this problem is characteristic mainly of Asian peoples. However, even such people can find a way out, because in a sour form the product not only does not provoke problems, but is also absorbed more fully.

In Central Asia, where there is not much food suitable for humans in the natural environment, the fermented milk product used to be almost the main factor of survival.

Respectively, Katyk is a drink, one of the varieties of sour milk, available for consumption even for people with lactose intolerance. Tying him to a particular people is difficult, because the Tatars say that he is Tatar, and the Uzbeks say that he is Uzbek, and the same can be said about most of the peoples of Central Asia and the Urals. A similar drink can be found today in Bulgaria, where it was apparently brought by the Bulgars - the nomadic Turkic people, who became one of the ancestors of the modern Slavic population of this country.

Home katyk has been around for about two thousand years, and real legends have been made about its properties. It is believed that people who regularly use it are distinguished by an increased amount of strength and good health. This, in general, is not surprising - modern scientists have long proved that practically everything necessary for the proper functioning of the human body is present in milk. It is assumed that the legendary Turkic longevity is based precisely on the use of Katyk.

The classic version of the dish does not necessarily provide for an exceptionally milky taste - ingredients that are spicy, sour, sour or sweetish can be included. Dessert options are often done with the addition of fruits and berries.

Today, Katyk is also produced industrially, but naturally it is sold mainly in the regions where the respective peoples live. Shelf life of a home product is about three days in the refrigerator, but the thermostat may last a little longer.

It would seem that all dairy products are very similar to each other - then it is not very clear what makes Katyk different from them and why it stands out as a completely separate product. There are actually quite a few differences:

• the difference with the vast majority of our usual products, such as ryazhenka or kefir, is at least in the raw material - cow's milk is used mainly in our area, whereas for Central Asian cuisine goat or sheep will be more typical;
• Unlike yogurt, Katyk usually does not ferment itself - its preparation requires the presence of a starter in the form of an old product
• Most dairy products are made from fresh milk, but for katyk, the milk is first pasteurized and then evaporated, which results in a very thick and fatty mass.

The product is often compared with yogurt, but there are differences, and they are significant.If the reader is closer to Armenian or Georgian cuisine, perhaps he has an idea of ​​what is matsoni. In fact, these two products are so close to each other that many researchers do not even see the difference between them, considering it appropriate to expand the area of ​​distribution of the katyk even in Transcaucasia.

The finished product is very similar in consistency to sour cream and stands out for its bright creamy taste.

Like any dairy product, this drink may have completely different indicators of BJU, depending on its own fat content. For example, you can often find information that this is a good product for weight loss, and this is true if you use the modern low-fat version with a fat content of 0.1%. Fats here, therefore, 0.1%, proteins - 2.8 grams, carbohydrates - 4.2 grams for every 100 grams. The energy value, which is logical, is also low - 56 kcal per cup.

However, the point of the natural katyk is precisely to collect all the useful things from milk at the maximum concentration. Such a product may have a fat content and 6%, and then the BJU picture is completely different: per 100 grams of drink there are 2.8 grams of proteins, 6 grams of fats and 3.6 grams of carbohydrates. A glass of such a drink will tighten already at a good 160 kcal, and given that it is recommended to drink it instead of water, to lose weight on such a diet is unlikely to succeed.

Legends are often mistaken when trying to explain the phenomena of the world around them, but in the case of katyk and health, they are probably right - this product contains so much that the person who regularly uses it is simply affected. We should start with the fact that even the bacteria that cause fermentation are beneficial for the body. Complement the picture of the various components necessary for vital activity - silicon and copper, phosphorus, iron and zinc, as well as vitamins A and B, D and E.

Let us consider in more detail the situations in which the Katyk will help to become healthier.

• The human body of this product is able to squeeze the maximum. Therefore, even a small amount of high-calorie product usually saturates for a very long time.
• Katyk should not be taken solely as a drink, because at its base you can make both desserts and various sauces, allowing you to diversify the diet with benefit. At the same time, there are practically no such people for whom this ingredient is contraindicated - in particular, it is freely given to children.
• Bacteria present in the composition contribute to the normalization of digestion - in particular, constipation with regular use of katyk can be forgotten. The product as a whole maintains the balance of bacteria in the intestines, avoiding many diseases.
• Katyk perfectly cleans the body from everything that is superfluous, collecting both slags and toxins. Moreover, scientists note that it can not only prevent putrefactive processes, but also help treat an existing problem.
• This drink is often too high in calories, but in the end, its ability to cleanse the body of everything superfluous and to establish a metabolism is useful for losing weight. Of course, you should not lean on such a product - in an effort to achieve an ideal body, you should consult with your dietician about dosages.

• Many pregnant women and nursing mothers are forced to strictly monitor their diets so that potentially harmful products do not get there, but the kyk does not belong to those exactly. Moreover, when breastfeeding it is not only possible, but worth using, since all the beneficial substances from it pass into breast milk, increasing its quantity and improving its quality. This dairy product is recommended for pregnant women to combat toxicosis.
• Katyk, indeed, gives strength and helps to restore the body after any stress. It is appropriate after a serious illness and as the prevention of any diseases, and also indispensable for overcoming the consequences of exhaustion of any nature.

• For people with diabetes, this drink is not only an excellent opportunity to diversify their own poor diet - Katyk also helps maintain blood sugar levels at a normal level. At the same time it is worth refusing sweet varieties of the drink.
• Great is the use of the Turkic lactic acid product for blood vessels, which due to its use increases the elasticity of the walls. An additional advantage would be to prevent the appearance of cholesterol plaques that can cause thrombosis.
• Katyk diuretic, which perfectly cleans the whole body, can become an excellent prevention of the formation of kidney stones or urinary system.
• Thanks to the drink greatly reduced the chances of osteoporosis.
• The Turkic product has a positive effect on the health of the nervous system, allowing it to recover faster. A person who drinks katyk regularly does not give in to stress and boasts a regular and sound sleep.
• Modern women do not only drink Katyk, but also use it as an external cosmetic. Most often it is used as a mask for the face or hair, aimed at eliminating wrinkles, and there are no restrictions on the type of skin.

For all its benefits, in some cases, the Katyk may even be harmful. First of all, it is worth being more cautious to those people who suffer from high acidity of the stomach - the lactic acid product will only exacerbate mucositis

Finally, the high fat content of the drink (unless it is a question of modern low-fat varieties) with its regular use can provoke a sharp weight gain, because the product should not be abused, and people with a tendency to obesity should strictly control the amount of alcohol consumed.

You can cook katyk in different ways, but if you have never tried it and live far from the places where traditional preparations of this drink are made, you will have to start at least with something. Be prepared for the fact that the first experience will certainly not give exactly the result that should be - in particular, because they often begin with more affordable ingredients and a simplified cooking scheme.

For the very similarity of a katyk, take the usual cow's milk in the amount of one and a half liters and three tablespoons of homemade sour cream. It should be understood that the ingredients should not be in store if possible - only a natural product guarantees the usefulness of the finished drink and its authenticity.

The first step will be pasteurization - for this, the milk is heated for five minutes in a saucepan over minimal heat, trying to ensure that it does not boil, because of this, the benefit is lost. After heating will kill a possible infection, the liquid must be removed from the fire, and let it cool to a temperature of about 35-38 degrees - the accuracy of this indicator is crucial, otherwise, the leaven will work for a long time or will not work at all.

Milk of the desired temperature is poured into the most clean dishes made of glass or ceramics - any extraneous bacteria can disrupt the process of ripening, and metal or plastic dishes will certainly spoil the taste. Next, with a spoon or a spatula (strictly wooden), a leaven is put into the liquid, which in our case is sour cream, but it is better, of course, to get somewhere fresh homemade katyk. The mixture is thoroughly mixed, the neck of the pot is not tightly covered, and she wraps herself up for 6-10 hours - depending on the temperature in the room. Readiness is determined by the sound - just gently chatting capacity, and if the characteristic liquid splash is inaudible, then the Katyk is ready for use or sent to the refrigerator.

Traditionally, the katyk was cooked in the oven - thanks to this, it evaporated and became more dense, and therefore more concentrated. Today, for this purpose, you can use an ordinary oven - it provides even heating, and the temperature in modern ovens is strictly regulated.

Start, however, the standard - the milk should be heated on the stove, not boiling. The oven, meanwhile, warms up to 90 degrees - the optimum temperature for heating. The exact time of keeping in the oven is usually not indicated, you should just wait for evaporation of about one third of the total volume of the product. It may take several hours, up to eight. During the whole process of heating, it is necessary to follow the milk, the crust forming on its surface is to be removed, at the end the mass turns out to be viscous and rather thick. After this, the scheme returns to the above described one - the starter is added to the cooled liquid and mixed thoroughly, and then allowed to stand in a wrapped form.

If in your region there is no tradition of making homemade katyk, then finding the right leaven will be really problematic. Ordinary sour cream as such is only suitable if you are just experimenting, and you have never tried the finished product yourself, but the connoisseur will surely catch a “fake”. However, there are three ways to make a believable (albeit not real) ferment for katyk.

• A popular sourdough recipe for katyk is plain yogurt. For its preparation, you need to take a liter of fresh milk and dilute it with half a glass of sour cream of considerable thickness. The container with the mixture is left for a day without any lid - the resulting product will be leaven.
• An interesting variation of the leaven is obtained by using cherry twigs. To prepare the product take homemade boiled milk, which is poured a little yogurt - for example, prepared according to the above recipe. An additional and very savory ingredient is a cherry sprig, which is chopped straight with greens and added to the future leaven.
• Another recipe for sourdough suggests that cabbage pickle is put into ordinary sour cream - a spoonful for half a cup. Of course, on the basis of this starter culture, the first Katyk is somewhat specific, but the next time you should take it as a starter culture. Literally in three or four consecutive cycles, the cabbage notes will disappear, and the Katyk will become very similar to the natural one, becoming ferment for each next batch.

Turkic cooking is almost unthinkable without katyk, where this sour product is decisive. Most often, it is drunk in its pure form, although in addition to the drink, you can add fruits, berries, or even vegetables to increase the usefulness and flavor. A fermented milk product is appropriate and as a seasoning for salads and other dishes - its sourness is valued in about the same way as in Russian cuisine the taste of sour cream. Having diluted the katyk with water, milk or koumiss, as well as adding salt and other spices there, one can get ayran, better known to the general population. However, you can cook from this ingredient and more complex dishes.

For example, many Kurt cheese balls are specially brought as a souvenir from Uzbekistan, but if you have a katyk, you can make it at home. To begin with, a so-called Suzma is made from a drink - for this, a tablespoon of salt is taken per liter of thick drink. Salted liquid is poured into a colander, pre-lined with gauze, and then gently wrapped in a knot and in this form suspended in a well-ventilated place for about a day, so that the glass serum is finally a dried product and is called suzma.

The process of making Kurt from Suzma is very similar to preparing Suzma itself - a kilogram of basic raw materials will require two teaspoons of salt and half a teaspoon of pepper, with which the mass is kneaded by constantly wetted hands. After that, small balls roll out of the mixture, which are laid out at a short distance from each other, covered with gauze and dried for another three to five days. Ready cheese, which is interesting, even the refrigerator is not needed.

Uzbek okroshka called chalop is prepared even easier and much faster. To begin with, thoroughly mix together half a liter of katyk and cool boiled water, then add a teaspoon of salt and red hot pepper to taste. To a carefully mixed, salted and peppered liquid add a couple of medium-sized cucumbers and 7-8 radishes, cut into slices, as well as greens - garlic and onion, dill and cilantro, as well as purple basil.

To learn how to cook a katyk in Tatar, see the following video.