In the culinary traditions of different nations, there are many ways of processing milk, in particular, fermentation. In Russian cuisine, using this method, yogurt is obtained, in Bulgarian cuisine, and yogurt in Georgian cuisine.
Matsoni is a traditional sour milk drink of Georgian cuisine, the history of which goes back many centuries. According to legend, it has a lot of healing properties and is one of the sources of Caucasian longevity. The yogurt tastes like sour yoghurt with a pungent note that stimulates the appetite. In Armenia, this product has a similar name - matsun - and a similar method of preparation.
Real yogurt is made from the milk of Georgian and Abkhaz cows that graze in the foothills of the Caucasus. They are very mobile and eat fresh grass almost all year round, which has a beneficial effect on the composition, fat content and quality of milk. The correct starter culture contains a combination of Bulgarian bacillus and lactic acid streptococci.
Matsoni is prepared by fermenting cow, goat, sheep, buffalo or camel milk under special conditions: a sufficiently high temperature and dishes that retain heat. The milk is heated to 90 ° C, then cooled to 45-55 ° C and the sourdough is added. The resulting mixture is placed in a thermos or other vessel, which is wrapped in warm blankets, fur coats, etc. and left in a warm place without moving for 4-6 hours, and then cooled. Some of the finished yogurt can be set aside as a starter for the next batch.
Matsoni is successfully used in many dishes of Caucasian cuisine. If you whisk it with cold water, you can get a refreshing and well-quenching drink called tan or a filling for okroshka. Matsoni is added to soups, meat and vegetable dishes, dough for khachapuri, make various sauces and pastes for sandwiches, and also replace sour cream with them.
In comparison with milk, yogurt is absorbed much better and causes allergies less often. And the lactic acid bacteria that form its microflora not only produce vitamins and nutrients, but also destroy harmful microorganisms and suppress putrefactive processes in the intestines. This has a beneficial effect both on the work of the gastrointestinal tract and on the general state of health.
