Matsoni: cooking recipe. Matsoni is a priceless gift of the Caucasus

One of the relatives of Greek yogurt is matsoni. The benefits and harms of the product are determined by its unique composition. A drink that can be made from different types of milk necessarily contains a special sourdough. In its composition, in addition to many active organisms, contains the Bulgarian stick. It is her presence that provides the thick composition with its unique sourness.

Composition and useful properties

The recipe for matsoni, which has spread throughout the country from the Caucasus, has not changed for several centuries. If desired, a healthy delicacy can be prepared at home. If everything is done correctly, the characteristics of the product will be as follows:

• Calorie content is minimal, no more than 63 kcal per 100 ml of liquid. Matsoni also has a low glycemic index, so you can safely drink it with obesity and diabetes.
• The abundance of protein and amino acids, the presence of carbohydrates make the drink unique. It not only supplies the body with building material, but also fills it with forces for the required degree of activity.

Tip: Not all children are positive about matsoni, but if it is possible to introduce a drink into the child's diet, it is worth doing it. The presence in its composition of a number of important elements guarantees an improvement in the condition of the child's tooth enamel, strengthening of the bones and the normal development of the skeleton.

• The presence of lactic acid organisms stimulates bowel cleansing. This has a positive effect on the processes of digestion, improves immunity, normalizes the quality of absorption of vitamins and minerals of the mucosa.
• Matsoni is rich in vitamins, minerals, ash and organic acids. These are obligatory participants in biological processes and chemical reactions.

Matsoni has several more positive properties that manifest themselves with the systematic use of a thick liquid:

1. Cleansing the body leads to an improvement in complexion. Irritations and acne disappear, the epidermis looks fresher, its elasticity is restored.
2. Matsoni increases the functionality of the heart, liver, kidneys. It cleanses blood vessels from plaques and normalizes blood cholesterol levels.
3. Natural mass improves the functioning of the nervous system. It allows you to get rid of insomnia, nervousness, anxiety and depression.
4. The abundance of protein and increased chemical activity of the product contribute to a set of muscle mass. Athletes should take note.

To improve the condition of the body and prevent pathologies, it is recommended to drink 1-2 glasses of a fermented milk product per day. Of course, if there is a history of acute or chronic conditions, this point should first be agreed with the doctor.

Yogurt in modern dietetics and cosmetology

Today, matsoni is actively replacing kefir from many diets and healthy eating programs. It is used not only in its pure form, but also used to make fruit and berry cocktails, the liquid base of main dishes. If you want to quickly and very gently cleanse the body, you should eat exclusively matsoni and nuts for one day. Moreover, the sour-milk composition should be the basis of the diet.

The use of matsoni during weight loss allows you to cope with bouts of hunger, while starting the process of destruction of fat cells. The liquid perfectly calms the nerves and prevents mood swings. It cleanses the intestines, while strengthening the immune system and preventing the development of deficient conditions.

Another thick mass is increasingly used in home cosmetology. If it is not only consumed internally, but also applied externally, you can count on the early manifestation of positive effects. Here are just a few options for using the composition:

• Matsoni can replace cosmetic milk for removing makeup.
• Based on the mass, masks and lotions are made. The universal component goes well with fruits, vegetables, vegetable and essential oils, eggs, honey.
• Mixtures for body wraps from a fermented milk product get rid of cellulite and correct the silhouette.

The main thing is not to use the product if you don't like it. People who are irritated by the taste or smell of the mass very rarely observe positive changes in their condition or appearance.

Potential harm of yogurt

Like any sour-milk type food, yoghurt can cause a negative response from the body. This usually manifests itself due to the abuse of a drink or its intake against the background of contraindications:

1. Hepatitis.
2. Pancreatitis.
3. Stones in the kidneys and gallbladder.

A product that has expired will not benefit either. To minimize possible risks, you need to choose a product not by price, but by composition and quality indicator.

Selection rules and options for using matsoni

Today in stores you can find matsoni from different manufacturers. It is advisable, of course, to try a real drink at least once, and then choose from store offers one that will best match the original. In addition, there are a few other things to keep in mind:

• Be sure to check the date of manufacture of the composition, its expiration date. Even when these indicators are normal, and there are streaks or signs of swelling on the container, it is better to refuse to buy.
• Real matsoni is not as liquid as kefir. It is better to buy a mass that will be so thick that it can lie on a spoon with a slide, swaying slightly.
• The taste of the product is rich and sour, a slight sharpness is welcome.
• Opened products can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, but it is better to drink it within a day.

Matsoni does not have to be consumed in its pure form; you can cook several dozens, if not hundreds, of a variety of dishes from it. A fermented milk drink is used as a dressing for okroshka or salads, used to prepare various sauces and marinades. It can be added to pastry dough or mixed with herbs for a topping on sandwiches. The mass goes well with cereals, fruits and vegetables. It can also serve as the basis for cold soups.

We are all familiar with the benefits of dairy products firsthand. All these kefirs, yoghurts, fermented baked milk and curdled milk are to the taste of both adults and children. But is it worth limiting the list of such food only to the usual positions? Do you think that these are all possible options for healthy dairy products? It turns out that no, and if you study in more detail the assortment of supermarkets and shops, then on their shelves you can find a very interesting and unusual product called matsoni.

What is it, how to use it, and what benefit for the body will its inclusion in the usual diet bring? We answer all questions in order.

matsoni properties

Matsoni is a national Georgian fermented milk product, which is obtained by sour milk. It even has something like a legend associated with it. It is believed that the drink appeared thanks to a negligent hostess who poured freshly milked milk into a jug that was not washed from the remnants of fermented baked milk. She left the latter in the sun, and when she remembered the mistake, she found in the container a strange thick substance with a pleasant sour taste.

It may seem to an inexperienced person that there is no fundamental difference between matsoni and domestic yogurt. In fact, such a healthy drink differs from the dairy product we are used to in that it is made by ripening at high, sometimes even very, temperatures, which is why its consistency resembles low-fat sour cream.

What is matsoni made of?

Useful properties of matsoni are fully explained by its qualitative composition. The process of fermentation of the final product occurs due to a large number of lactic acid bacteria - Bulgarian sticks and streptococci. In addition, proteins, vitamins, calcium, iron, phosphorus and other important trace elements are involved in the cooking process.

the benefits and harms of matsoni

The benefits of such a product for the human body are truly enormous, and it is as follows:

• Sour-milk dishes have a positive effect on the intestinal microflora, suppressing pathogenic
  bacteria. The latter disrupt the normal activity of the digestive tract, release poisonous decay products into the body, contributing to its untimely aging;
• Matsoni helps to strengthen the immune system, since the body's defenses directly depend on the number of all the same beneficial bacteria in the intestines;
• Almost all popular lactic acid drinks contain calcium, which is necessary for our teeth, hair, and the musculoskeletal system as a whole. But a rare manufacturer remembers that such a microelement is fully absorbed only in the company of vitamin D. Matsoni contains both substances, which makes it a very useful product for children and pregnant women;
• Milk of this type optimizes intestinal motility, removes problems with stool, strengthens the heart muscle and the walls of blood vessels;
• The product contains a protein necessary for building the cells of our body;
• The drink perfectly quenches thirst and hunger, gives vigor, lowers cholesterol, cleanses the liver and has a mild diuretic effect;
• Special attention deserves the calorie content of fresh matsoni, which is only 60 kcal per 100 g. This makes it an ideal product to diversify the diet menu.

After reviewing all this, you might think that such a drink is a complete benefit, and the possible harm of yogurt is pure fiction. In fact, it really should not be used, but only in exceptional cases. For example, people with gastritis and high acidity of gastric juice, ulcers and patients with serious disorders in the digestive system can feel its harm. Again, all this is possible only if you abuse the product and drink a couple of glasses a day. By the way, even with excellent health, such a dosage can provoke diarrhea.

how to make yogurt at home

Given the history of the appearance of the drink, the question of how to cook the healthiest yoghurt at home can be considered irrelevant. It is made obscenely elementary, and a minimum set of products sold in any market or store is required.

So, the classic recipe for making Georgian yogurt implies the presence of these two main ingredients:

• liters of pasteurized high-fat milk;
• a couple of tablespoons of finished sourdough (you can take store-bought yogurt).

• Milk is heated to 90 degrees, but does not boil!
• Then it is cooled to 40-45 degrees;
• The starter is laid in the basis, and everything mixes well;
• Then you can either simply wrap the container in a warm blanket and leave it in a warm place for several hours, or steam it in the oven for 4-5 hours at a temperature of +50 degrees;
• The resulting whey is drained, and the thick residue is fed in a cooled state.

As you can see, preparing this delicious and healthy Georgian product is as easy as shelling pears, and its low calorie content and benefits will appeal to diet fans and adherents of a healthy diet.

Everyone knows about the taste and useful qualities of fermented milk products. This applies not only to kefir and cottage cheese, because all over the world there is a huge variety of no less healthy and tasty dairy products obtained by fermentation. In this article I would like to discuss a fermented milk drink - matsoni.

Masterpieces of Georgian national cuisine

Matsoni is a traditional fermented milk drink of the Georgian people. The literal translation from Georgian sounds like "sour milk". This unique product is obtained as a result of the natural fermentation of lactic acid bacteria. The fermented milk drink has significant differences from the traditional Russian curdled milk. This applies to the method of preparation, and the consistency, which is thicker in matsoni, and weak gas formation. For its preparation, cow, sheep or goat milk is taken and a specially prepared sourdough is added.

The history of the drink

The first experience of making a fermented milk drink was received in the Caucasus. The story goes that even 200 years ago, a housewife accidentally poured milk into a container where curdled milk had previously been kept and left it in the heat. After some time, she found a thick, sour drink in the jug, and, after tasting it, she was pleasantly surprised. It looked like delicious yogurt. For a long time, the inhabitants of the Caucasus kept secret the recipe for yoghurt, and only in our time it began to be produced at an industrial level. The fermented milk product is common in Russia and Europe, as well as in Asian countries. By the way, scientists say that the secret of Caucasian longevity is associated with this drink.

The composition of the fermented milk product

The uniqueness of the vitamin composition of the product explains the enormous benefits of yoghurt for the human body. First of all, it has to do with fermentation. This process involves two unique bacteria - the Bulgarian bacterium and streptococci, which are thermophilic. Since this drink is of a dairy kind, it certainly contains calcium and protein, the most important trace elements are phosphorus, magnesium, and iron. The fermented milk product is rich in vitamins K, D, A, PP, which are responsible for the processes of biological oxidation and energy metabolism in the body.

What are the benefits and role of matsoni for human health

Many scientists are looking for an explanation of the processes associated with the aging of the body. Studies prove that, first of all, the youth of the body depends on the state of the intestinal microflora. Pathogenic microorganisms, entering the digestive system, contribute to the development of dysbacteriosis and poison cells and tissues, which subsequently undergo premature aging. And lactic acid bacteria bring the microflora in order. Moreover, they are able to increase human immunity and maintain the immune system at the proper level. That is, to keep a balance between beneficial and pathogenic microorganisms.

The benefits of calcium for the formation of bone tissue, teeth and hair beauty are incommensurable. And it is contained in yoghurt, as well as vitamin D, which contributes to the proper absorption of the element. So the fermented milk product is especially useful for a growing child's body.

The drink helps to restore the intestinal microflora and improve the functioning of the digestive system. The lactic acid bacteria of the drink stimulate the peristalsis of the stomach. A glass of drunk matsoni a day prevents discomfort of the gastrointestinal tract, constipation and flatulence.

A sour-milk drink will also be of great benefit for cardiovascular vascular system. The potassium contained in the product strengthens the muscle tissue of the heart, and calcium is responsible for strengthening the vascular walls. The use of matsoni reduces the risk of atherosclerosis and prevents myocardial infarction. With regular use of the product, the level of cholesterol in the blood decreases, which in old age brings the greatest harm and clogs the walls of blood vessels.

The fermented milk drink contains a high concentration of protein, and it is involved in the construction of cells and the development of muscle tissue. Matsoni will not harm those who adhere to dietary nutrition. A glass of product contains less than 100 calories.

The fermented milk product has a diuretic effect, and is also good for the liver.

Is it possible to get harm from eating a fermented milk product

The benefits of eating matsoni are high, but there are some contraindications. AT individual cases the drink can be harmful to health, and this is associated with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. This list is not big:

• stomach and duodenal ulcer;
• increased acidity of the stomach;
• gastritis, pancreatitis;
• urolithiasis disease.

You can also harm the body with excessive consumption of a lactic acid product. The recommended dose per day is no more than 2 glasses. Otherwise, you can cause the development of diarrhea. The storage time of the drink in the refrigerator should not exceed 72 hours. After this time, beneficial bacteria will turn into molds and cause harm to health.

The combination of a sour-milk drink with products

Matsoni can be used as a separate product. Its taste resembles regular yogurt or sour cream. In cooking, there are many dishes that are based on this product. Salads are seasoned with it, cold soups and okroshka are prepared with it. On the basis of a lactic acid drink, savory marinades and sauces for meat and fish are created. Matsoni is an essential ingredient for the preparation of the national Georgian product - khachapuri. In the Caucasus, it is often used to make dough for a variety of pastries. The fermented milk product is combined with spices. It emphasizes the taste of any bakery products and harmonizes with cereal dishes.

To prepare a healthy drink at home, you need to take a liter of milk and mix it with 300 grams of yogurt, leave this mixture to sour at a temperature of about 40 degrees for 8 hours.

Video about the benefits and harms of the Georgian drink "matsoni"

The benefits and harms of matsoni. Every cuisine in the world has its own special, signature dishes. They are pride and pride.

Each resident must know the recipe for their preparation and treat his guests when they visit his house.

The secret to preparing a specialty dish may even be kept secret in order to keep all the mystery of the meal. Or maybe it has a secret ingredient that only true gourmets know about.

Each nation boasts of its signature dish. Presents it as original and colorful as possible. If we know enough about the signature dish of our country and know how to cook it, then today we will talk about the traditional fermented milk product of Caucasian cuisine - yogurt.

The name is very interesting, as is the recipe. In addition, it is very simple and you can try to cook this dish yourself.

Matsoni or matsun – it is a fermented milk product in Armenian and Georgian cuisine of natural fermentation which requires few costs. According to the retellings, this product was invented a couple of hundred years ago by the inhabitants of the Caucasus mountains.

At first, they kept the recipe for making yogurt in the strictest confidence. Since it was believed that it was thanks to this product that Caucasians were famous for their longevity.

It was the drink of long life, who gave youth and many years of life. Somewhat later, at the beginning of the 20th century, our Russian scientist Ilya Mechnikov established a certain pattern: the inhabitants of the country, who reached the age of a century or more, often used matsoni in their diet.

Therefore, it can be argued that matsun is a drink of centenarians.

The recipe for making yogurt is simple. To do this, you need the milk of a cow, sheep, goat or buffalo. But according to stories, it is the milk of Caucasian cows that is ideal for making true matsun.

The thing is that cows from these parts are more mobile, often in the fresh air and eat fresh grass almost throughout the year. It turns out that they are, how to say, more athletically prepared, and their milk is tastier and healthier.

At the moment, there are already several recipes for preparing this dish.. Although, according to legend, the first matsoni turned out quite by accident. The hostess, after milking the cow, poured fresh milk into a jug. But I didn’t see that there was yogurt in it.

Leaving this jar in a warm place, after a few hours she discovered something thick and sour in taste.

This is how the first matsoni was made. Now we will not definitely prove whether this retelling is true, but several variations of the preparation of yogurt are known.

So, you will need milk and yogurt. You need to heat the milk to about 50 degrees. Then cool to 35 degrees and add 300 grams of yogurt to this mixture. Wrap the pan with some kind of blanket as warm as possible and put it for 7-8 hours in a dark place. Here is the first recipe for you.

According to another variation, you will need a liter of milk, one hundred grams of sour cream and a slice of black bread. Milk should be boiled for two hours over low heat. Don't forget to stir occasionally so it doesn't burn.

Then add sour cream, mix well and put a crust of bread in this mixture. After all the manipulations done, set the pan aside for a day in a warm place. Remove bread before eating.

According to the true recipe for making matsoni, you need milk and curdled milk. Boil milk, cool to about 50 degrees, add curdled milk, wrap in something warm and put in a dark place for about four hours.

If you want to get the finished product much faster, then you can not wrap it up and put it in a warm place, but simmer in a preheated oven. But its temperature should not exceed 50 degrees. Otherwise, it will not turn out matsoni, but baked sour cream or something similar to it.

Matsoni is used not only as an independent product, it is added to soups, okroshka, this is an obligatory component of the dough for khachapuri. use this product is also used as a dressing for meat dishes, salads,base for sandwiches.

It is a good substitute for sour cream, mayonnaise, therefore, it is a good dressing for many dishes or an additional ingredient for baking, moreover, it is less harmful than mayonnaise.

Matsoni is a very tasty and very useful product. t. It contains vitamins, lactic acid bacteria, numerous useful microelements. Thanks to such a number of useful characteristics, matsoni has a beneficial effect on human body and greatly contributes to health.

• Improves immunity. Periodic use of this product in the daily diet will reduce the risk of colds and help the body fight viral bacteria;

• It is a pantry of useful components for our hair, nails, teeth and bones. Calcium, which is in the composition of matsoni, contributes to the rapid and strong growth of these parts of the body. Therefore, it is recommended to use it for children for healthy and strong growth;

• Matsoni satisfies thirst and hunger very well, besides it endows the body with vivacity, freshness and you will definitely feel a surge of strength and energy;

• An interesting fact: matsun is useful and necessary for athletes, it helps to quickly build muscle mass, as it is a kind of building material for many body cells;

• Frequent use of matsoni removes excess cholesterol and other unwanted substances from the body;

• This product can be used by those who follow the figure, follow diets, since it contains only 60 calories;

• Matsoni is also useful for pregnant women: it helps to unload the kidneys, relieves puffiness, having a mild diuretic effect;

• If your nerves are naughty, you are restless, then include this product in your diet, it calms the nervous system, helps fight insomnia.

In addition to a huge list of useful qualities, matsoni can also harm the body..

Also, do not abuse this drink. If you exceed the norm, then you can have stomach problems and sit in the toilet for a long time. It is better to drink one, maximum two glasses a day.

Did you like this Caucasian national dish? Try to cook it yourself.

True, you definitely won’t get milk from selected sports Caucasian cows anywhere, but the usefulness of matsoni will definitely not decrease from this.

Matsoni, a Caucasian traditional drink, continues to captivate Russian customers. This fermented milk product has a lot of beneficial properties for the body. The taste and texture are different from the usual kefir or.

Matsoni, aka matsun, is a relative. It is produced from different types of milk and a special starter culture, which contains beneficial microorganisms and Bulgarian stick. The result is a thick drink with sourness.

The product has been prepared in the south of Russia for several centuries. Interestingly, the inhabitants of the Caucasus did not want to share the secret of cooking. Mechnikov managed to find out the recipe. The scientist helped one Georgian to marry a Slavic beauty and for this he was rewarded with a recipe for making matsoni.

Today, this fermented milk product is produced on an industrial scale in the CIS countries, Asia, and Europe.

Matsoni has a low calorie content - only 63 kcal. The glycemic index is also relatively low (GI=20). Therefore, the Georgian drink can be safely included in the diet.

The composition includes:

• proteins and amino acids;
• lactic acid microorganisms;
• carbohydrates;
• vitamins;
• ash;
• di- and monosaccharides;
• organic acids;
• micro and macro elements.

The vitamin composition is impressive: almost all representatives of the B group, as well as vitamins H, C and choline.

Separately, it is worth noting the benefits of matsoni for bones and heart. After all, the drink contains 153 mg of potassium and 127 mg of calcium. In total, there are 17 mineral compounds, including sodium and chlorine, phosphorus and iron, iodine and magnesium, manganese, etc.

The benefits of Georgian sour milk

Matsoni contains many live lactic acid bacteria that cleanse the intestines of pathogens. A healthy gut is the foundation of a strong immune system. However, this Georgian drink has a beneficial effect on immunity not only for this reason. It cleanses the body, saturates with vitamins, enhances cell regeneration, promotes rapid tissue repair. Because of this, matsoni is called the “longevity drink” - its properties together give a rejuvenating effect and stop the premature aging process.

• Frequent use leads to an improvement in complexion, elimination of acne and irritation on the skin, an increase in its tone and smoothing of the epidermal layer.
• Matsun contributes to the healthy functioning of the kidneys, liver, cardiovascular system. In particular, it normalizes cholesterol levels and frees blood vessels from plaques.
• It has a good effect on the nervous system: it helps to cope with nervousness, insomnia.
• Due to its anabolic properties, the drink can be included in the diet of people who want to gain muscle mass.

The benefits of the product were appreciated by practitioners of alternative medicine. So, in order to improve the functioning of the digestive tract, you need to have dinner with a piece of black bread grated with garlic and drink a glass of yoghurt. And for the prevention of angina pectoris or shortness of breath, you should drink a couple of glasses of Georgian drink daily.

For diet food

Due to its dietary properties, matsoni can replace boring kefir in many weight loss systems. It can be safely introduced into the Valley diet and kefir-fruit diets.

Also, on the basis of this Georgian sour milk, they make a variety of fruit cocktails that are consumed instead of a full lunch or dinner.

For a gentle, non-harmful cleansing of the body, they eat a mixture of matsoni with chopped dried apricots, a handful of nuts and prunes.

When losing weight, matsoni is desirable to use for many reasons:

1. Satisfies hunger.
2. Breaks down fat cells.
3. Calms the nerves.
4. Saturates with vitamins.
5. Cleanses the intestines.
6. Strengthens immunity.

Another thing is that there will be no benefit if you do not like the taste. Choking on matsoni for the sake of losing weight is a bad idea.

Harm and contraindications

Matsoni is a healthy fermented milk food, so it is incorrect to talk about its dangers. However, this is an acidic product, so it should not be used for certain diseases of the stomach, accompanied by high acidity.

Harm can manifest itself in the form of a deterioration in the condition, but only with serious diseases, such as:

• hepatitis;
• pancreatitis;
• urolithiasis disease.

Nevertheless, the listed ailments are not direct contraindications for use. But in this case, your doctor should decide whether it is possible to use matsoni.

Culinary Help

• This is a great dressing for salads and okroshka.
• Matsun sauces are prepared for fish and meat dishes.
• The product is added to the dough.
• It is the basis of other dairy products.
• The base ingredient for refreshing cold soups (including the delicious Azerbaijani dish called “dovga”).
• If you mix matsoni with herbs and garlic, you get the original sandwich paste.
• It is combined with hercules and buckwheat, millet, vegetables.
• Connoisseurs of southern cuisine claim that real khachapuri is prepared only with the addition of yogurt.

How to choose

You need to be guided by logic, as when choosing any other fermented milk products. Look at the date of manufacture, composition. The pack or bottle should not be swollen, wrinkled, with traces of smudges.

As a rule, yoghurt bought in a store has a fairly liquid consistency, approximately like kefir. But if you're lucky, you can buy a traditionally prepared drink. Such a product is jelly-like, thick and keeps, slightly trembling on a spoon.

The taste of matsoni should not be rich and sour. There is a very slight sourness and a slight spicy aftertaste.

An open pack or bottle is stored in the refrigerator for no longer than 72 hours, but it is better to drink the drink during the first day.

How to cook at home

Some kind of yogurt can be prepared at home:

• Recipe 1: Mix 350 g plain yoghurt with 1 liter of milk. Leave the mixture for 7 hours in a room with a temperature of 40 ° C. To maintain a stable temperature, you can use a yogurt maker.
• Recipe 2: Mix 200 g of sour cream with a piece of black bread and 2 liters of milk. The mixture should stand overnight in a warm place.

Of course, homemade recipes will not exactly reproduce the classic version of yoghurt. But they are tasty and do not contain harmful additives.

Use in cosmetology

This healthy Georgian drink can be used as a face wash or make-up remover milk. Also on its basis make masks for hair and skin. They are also used for body wraps to reduce body fat and get rid of cellulite.

Cosmetics with matsoni perfectly nourishes, deeply moisturizes, normalizes the acid-base balance, and gives a rejuvenating effect.

You can come up with recipes for homemade masks yourself. Georgian sour milk gives an excellent cosmetic effect when mixed with:

• bee products;
• fruits;
• vegetable oils;
• berries;
• essential oils;
• eggs;
• vegetables;
• herbs and greens.

Sour berries and fruits in masks can harm sensitive and dry skin. And vegetable and essential oils must be used with special care on oily skin and hair.

Use yogurt to maintain health and beauty. Or just enjoy its light pleasant taste.