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A favourite summertime beverage, buttermilk, also known as chaas, is best savoured sweet or salty. Buttermilk is the liquid that remains after the butter is removed from the malai or fresh cream, as the name implies. A glass of buttermilk works well with most meals and gives the body a cooling impact in the sweltering summer months. Buttermilk can be utilised in a wide range of unexpected ways; its applications are not simply limited to just being a beverage. These are six culinary applications for the humble buttermilk.
Read more: Make Your Own Vegan Buttermilk At Home
Biscuits
Making fresh buttermilk biscuits with leftover buttermilk is one of the tastiest and most satisfying uses of leftover buttermilk. Buttermilk functions as an acid, a liquid, and a fat when it's used in biscuits. Its acidic nature causes it to interact with the baking powder, soda, and leavening ingredients, assisting in the dough's rising. In addition, it gives the biscuits a somewhat sour flavour and acts as a liquid to aid in dough formation. Pro tip: To get alternate layers of butter and flour with lots of air pockets, roll and fold the dough. This is the secret to creating airy, flaky biscuits.
Moru Curry
Moru curry, or Pulissery, is a Kerala-style buttermilk dish that is refreshing and light. On a hot and hectic day, this simple dish can quickly make you feel refreshed. It is prepared by adding curry leaves, dried red chillies, mustard seeds, and other spices to buttermilk. Steamed rice goes well with this stew. It's a great option for everyday dinners because of its refreshing flavour and easy preparation.
Buttermilk Dips
Because it provides tang and a somewhat thick consistency, buttermilk is a prominent component in many types of dip recipes. All you have to do to make a fantastic dip is add cheese, veggies, herbs, or spices to buttermilk and stir everything together thoroughly. Once the flavours have developed, you may serve the dip right away or store it in the fridge for a few hours.
If a dip calls for milk or cream, try substituting buttermilk. Most of the time, buttermilk may be used in place of the dairy component that the recipe calls for.
Cakes
Using buttermilk in the cake mixture will result in a much softer and more pliable cake. The combination of buttermilk, baking soda, and powder will work nicely to give the cake an excellent rise. Naturally creamy and somewhat sour, buttermilk has a pleasant taste. This will provide a lovely buttery flavour to the cake.
Pancakes And French Toast
It should go without saying that you can always use leftover buttermilk to make the ideal fluffy pancakes. It's the not-so-secret ingredient that gives pancakes a wonderful flavour and simultaneously stimulates the acidity of the buttermilk with the other chemical leaveners (typically baking soda) to make the pancakes as light and fluffy as possible.
In addition to pancakes, buttermilk can be used in the milk mixture for French toast dishes. Depending on how much sourness you wish to add to your French toast and how much buttermilk you have left over, you can either completely or partially substitute.
Soups
Soups may also be made creamier and richer in texture by adding buttermilk. Compared to creams, which are frequently used in soups, buttermilk is a far better option because of its low-calorie content. Similar to curries, soups can benefit from the addition of buttermilk to lessen their spice and enhance their creamy taste.
