Traditional Bulgarian yogurt

Bulgarian yogurt is unique from other kinds of yogurts and is famous all over the world. The Bulgarians feel proud of their special traditional yogurt. It is the healthiest yogurt and has many benefits. Their yogurt is sour. In other countries, this yogurt is popularly known as “Bulgarian yogurt” but in Bulgaria, it is known as “sour milk”. Bulgarians have been known for their yogurt from ancient times. It is said that their yogurt has been in existence for about 4000 years.

The Bulgarian yogurt is made up of two starter bacteria, namely Lactobacillus Delbruck subspecies bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus. These two starter bacteria make their yogurt unique and special. These bacteria have a special quality of thickness, acidity, aroma, and taste. The process of its preparation is unique and specific. It is prepared by the combination of Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus.

The streptococcus bacteria prepare the environment for lactobacillus bulgaricus. After the creation of such a favorable climate, the lactobacillus bulgaricus gets multiplied and converts the milk into yogurt. Every year, about 400,000 tons of Bulgarian yogurt are consumed. This is because the taste is different from all the other yogurts in the world, and that’s also why Bulgarians are proud of it.

Bulgarian yogurt has different health benefits. It promotes long and healthy life and can even be used as a cure for hangovers. There are various other reasons why Bulgarians are proud of their yogurt:

1.     One of the most important and basic reasons is the bacteria that can convert the milk into yogurt.  It was discovered by a Bulgarian scientist, Dr. Stamen Grigorov.
2. The taste of the Bulgarian yogurt is different from all the other yogurts worldwide. This is another main reason Bulgarians are so proud of it.
3. The process of making yogurt is straightforward, so most of the Bulgarians used to only make the yogurt at their homes. 
4.     Bulgarian yogurt is famous all over the world, and it has many health benefits. This makes the Bulgarians proud as well.

How can you make traditional Bulgarian yogurt at home?

1.       To make Bulgarian yogurt, the first step is to activate the starter culture. Even if the activation batch is liquid, it is still fine.
2.     After activating the starter culture, heat the pasteurized milk at 160° F.
3.     The next step is to cool the milk to 107-110 ° F.
4.     Shift the milk into containers and cover them. Let the milk incubate at 110° F for about 10 to 12 hours in a yogurt maker.
5.     Check after 5-6 hours to see if it is set or not. If it is not set, then let it continue to incubate for 5-6 more hours. You must still check every 45-60 minutes, however. When the milk is set, you should switch off the yogurt maker.
6.     The next step is to keep the yogurt in the freezer for about 5-6 hours.
7.     Finally, the Bulgarian yogurt is ready to eat! Look for a vegan certification symbol on yogurt if you want to make this a vegan dish. The logos represent a high level of vegan standards, so you don’t have to check every ingredient.