Ever tried to whip up a recipe when you realized you're out of yeast, or maybe baking powder? Most home cooks have been in such a situation especially during the monsoon-when suddenly craving homemade snacks but then realized that one of the essential ingredients was missing. If this has happened to you, then you'll be happy to know that you have a traditional, kitchen-friendly solution that you probably already have: buttermilk. Being a tangy refreshing staple of every Indian house, it's not just for cooling curries but can also be used as a natural leavener. So instead of buying it at the local store, it provides an easier and healthier option as compared to the store-bought baking agents. It goes well from idlis, and pakoras, to cakes with the right fluff and texture.
What is Buttermilk?
In traditional Indian cuisine, buttermilk is the liquid extracted after churning butter off cultured cream or yoghurt, a little sour. It is often used in many Indian houses because of its cooling effect and nutritional value. Buttermilk contains a lot of lactic acid, probiotics, and most essential nutrients such as calcium and vitamins, which qualify it not only to aid in relieving digestive issues but also as a smart ingredient to incorporate into the food-preparation process. This acidic property makes it a natural leavening agent, which can react with the base ingredients such as baking soda to form carbon dioxide bubbles, that give the dough or batter an airy texture. The characteristic now finds itself more useful in making soft, fluffy snacks such as dosa, idli, and bhature.
How to Utilize Buttermilk as a Natural Leavener in Indian Recipes
Dosa Batter
Dosa, the favourite crepe of South Indians, owes its airy texture to fermentation. Added buttermilk could speed up this process. Buttermilk's acidity helps break down starches and proteins in dosa batter, thus leaving it softer and crisper dosas. Its usage is dual - either as a complete replacement for water while soaking rice and lentils, or added after the fermentation is over. A single cup of buttermilk can wonderfully add a tang to your dosa, puffing it up in the tawa.
Biscuits
If you like flaky, tender biscuits, buttermilk would be the way to go. In buttermilk, acidity breaks the proteins in flour, which creates a soft crumb along with an interacting baking soda that will add rise. Together, this gives biscuits that characteristic fluffiness. Mix cold butter into flour, add buttermilk and let the dough rise naturally before baking for that buttery, melt-in-your-mouth result.
Pakoras
Pakoras or deep-fried fritters are one favourite food during the monsoon. Adding buttermilk to the batter for your pakoras will give them not only a tremendous tang but also lighten the texture so that they are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. There is acid in the buttermilk that reacts with the besan (gram flour) while you fry your pakoras, creating bubbles. They puff up lighter and fluffier. Just substitute water with buttermilk in your pakora batter.
Bhature
Bhature is that fluffy friend of chole which requires yeast or baking powder for such a rise; however, buttermilk can also be used as a natural leavening agent in the dough. It, when used in combination with baking soda, forms air pockets in the dough, allowing you to have nicely puffed bhature with a tangy flavour. Use a cup of buttermilk in your bhature dough and let it rest-thereafter observe how light it seems in texture while cooking.
Indian-style Pancakes
Cheela, or savoury pancakes made from besan or lentils, can be benefited from buttermilk's leavening properties. While adding buttermilk to your batter, you're making it more flavoursome and helping the batter to rise; thus, cheelas become fluffy. The acidic buttermilk will help activate some baking soda if you're adding it; your cheelas will get the perfect lightness.