A lot of Indian households use dairy products regularly. In fact for many children, milk is a part of the diet and probably the first thing that they have in the morning. Milk is extremely nutritious for health and gives the bones the needed strength for development. The only downfall of milk is that it has an extremely short shelf life and develops a weird smell if it's not consumed within a couple of days.
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However, just because old milk attains an unfavourable smell, it doesn't mean that this milk is unfit for consumption. The old milk can be used for a lot of purposes if one doesn't want to drink it directly. Here are some thoughtful ways of using one or two days old milk. Remember that these tips and tricks do not apply to the type of milk that is 4 to 5 or even more days old.
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* Ghee
In India, people have been using old milk as well as malai or cream that gets accumulated on the surface of the milk. Ghee is simply made by boiling milk on low heat until it gets to a boil and then allowing it to become half of its initial quantity. After some time the residue of the milk will start thickening. The colour of the mixture will turn golden and the milk will separate itself from the solid mixture. Following this, one will be able to see some foam on the upper surface of the utensil. After separating the foam on the surface, one can continue to stir the rest of the milk until it also becomes solid and golden brown. Once all the mixture has become solid and golden brown, it can be taken out of the pan and stored properly in the refrigerator.
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* Baking
Another way to use a couple of days-old milk is to bake something with its help. Milk is a very important part of the baking process and is used to bake different types of cakes, breads, and muffins. One can also make different types of desserts, such as waffles and pancakes with the help of old milk. As a lot of other flavouring ingredients are used to bake different types of desserts, the aroma of these ingredients helps overpower the old taste and flavour of the old milk. Even if the milk has turned slightly sour, it can still be used as it will enhance the taste of desserts.
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* White Sauce
White sauce or creamy pasta sauce are made by using a lot of cheese. However, using a huge amount of cheese is neither healthy nor economical for making pasta at home. A great way to give pasta a creamy and cheesy texture is by making a white sauce at home by using milk and some all-purpose flour. One can simply take a couple of days old milk to make this delicious white sauce for pasta. The milk has to be heated on low flame for some time after which one can add 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour to thicken its consistency. Make sure that there are no lumps in the mixture by stirring it continuously. One can also add some oregano and chilli flakes to the sauce and heat it until it becomes properly thick.
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* Cheese
Another great idea to make the best use of old milk at home is to make cheese with it. Milk can be used to make different types of cheese, such as mozzarella, ricotta, and even paneer. All of these varieties are pretty easy to make at home. To make paneer one has to simply heat milk and then add either vinegar or lime juice inside the milk. Within a few seconds, the solid particles from the milk will start separating leaving very thin liquid behind. This is paneer which can be separated from the liquid by using a clean sieve-like cloth.
* Curd
Curd is also a byproduct of milk that is usually made at home by using old milk and some culture. One has to take lukewarm milk and add a very small amount of culture to the milk. This mixture has to be kept in a dark place that is preferably warm and not extremely cold. Within a few hours, one will see that the milk has been transformed into a very good quality curd. This curd can also be used to make thick sweet lassi and raita at home.
* Buttermilk
Buttermilk is one of the most beloved Indian beverages that is consumed by people in India during the summer season specifically. A couple of days old milk can be used to make buttermilk by first making curd and then diluting it with water. As buttermilk is made by using different types of spices, such as cumin seed powder and chat masala, the old taste and smell of milk can be easily overpowered.