Katyk
Katyk is a fermented milk drink traditional for the peoples of Bashkiria, Transcaucasia, Central Asia and other Turkic peoples, as well as Bulgaria.
This drink is made from milk fermented with the help of special bacterial cultures - Bulgarian bacillus and milk streptococci. At the same time, the choice of milk used in its preparation is quite wide: cow, buffalo, goat, sheep or their mixture.
Being a special kind of curdled milk, katyk differs from it in that only boiled milk is used for its preparation, due to which the maximum fat content of the product is achieved. This fact can be explained by the fact that when boiled, the liquid from milk evaporates by a third, that is, the volume of water decreases, but the amount of fat does not change. The result is less volume with a higher fat content. The fermentation process takes 6 to 10 hours. The temperature is set in the range from 20 to 40 degrees. The finished product is often given a slightly reddish hue by adding beets or cherries.
The technology of making Tatar katyk is somewhat different from the traditional one described above. Firstly, it is made only from baked milk. Milk is kept for a long time in an earthen vessel at a temperature of 90 degrees. As soon as the milk acquires the consistency of heavy cream, it is cooled to 40 degrees, adding sourdough to it. Then the earthen vessel is well wrapped and placed in a warm place, where the future katyk is infused for 8-10 hours. When the drink is ready, it is placed in the refrigerator, where it is stored.
The requirements of our time, based on concern for health, have become the reason that you can find katyk on sale, the fat content of which is less than that of a traditional drink.
The history of the drink goes back over 2 thousand years. Even at that time, the beneficial properties of katyk were noted, its ability to maintain excellent well-being and strengthen health.
In some cases, the katyk is decanted, resulting in the formation of a suzma (another name is suzbe). This product is a cross between sour cream and cottage cheese.
It is recommended to store finished katyk no longer than 2-3 days, otherwise it acquires an overly sour and pungent taste. However, even with such a significant change in taste, katyk is edible. It is added to fatty soups or broths.
In Central Asia, fresh drink is usually consumed as an independent drink, like kefir, although it is also added to salads as a dressing due to its high acidity. Katyk is widely used in the preparation of cold chalop soup.
Useful properties of katyk
Katyk is widely appreciated not only by the inhabitants of those countries where it is a traditional drink. The circle of his admirers is much wider. This fact is easily explained by the fact that with a low calorie content - only about 56 Kcal per 100 g, the drink has a lot of useful properties.
So, thanks to the microorganisms that make up the katyk, the drink is well absorbed by the body. The content of a colossal amount of trace elements and vitamins helps to maintain good health, youth and vigor of the mind and body.
The special composition of katyk helps to suppress pathogenic microflora in the intestine, stop putrefactive processes and restore the balance of beneficial microflora. In addition, one of the beneficial properties of katyk is its beneficial effect on the digestive processes.
Finally, drinking the drink increases appetite, helps with weight loss by detoxifying the body and lowers blood cholesterol levels.
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