Mathaa or ਮੱਠਾ (Punjabi) in our home is simply hung curd, also known as strained yogurt where excess liquid from the yogurt is, well, strained out. Hung curd is called so because typically yogurt is put in a muslin cloth and hung over the kitchen sink to allow gravity to do its work. Water slowly drips leaving behind a creamy strained yogurt. But, it’s faster and easier to hasten the process by squeezing out the liquid. Some might call this chakka though I believe that term is better suited to thick, set yogurt found at local farm to shop dairies in India. If you know another word for mathaa, please share. As well as serving mathaa with parathas and missi roti, this yogurt dip is great to serve with chips and crudités.
Ingredients for Mathaa or Punjabi Yogurt Dip
- Yogurt – 2-3 cups
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh coriander/cilantro 5-6 sprigs, finely chopped
- Green chillies 2-3, finely chopped
- Onion 1/2 cup, finely chopped
- Red chilli powder ~ 1/4 tsp (optional, skip if using green chillies)
- Bhuna Jeera/Cumin powder ~ few pinches (optional)
- Garam masala ~ a pinch (optional)
- Finely chopped or grated ginger and garlic (optional)
You’ll need a muslin cloth or cotton kitchen towel, a strainer.
To make mathaa, start by placing a kitchen towel over a large strainer. Place the strainer on a large bowl to catch the dripping liquid. This liquid is whey which is leftover after milk is curdled to form yogurt or curd. Whey contains some lactose and lactalbumin. Does whey protein ring a bell? Those health powders are nothing else but the same whey! You could reserve this liquid for using it to make dough later on or even to add to a dal. It is completely edible and nutritious.
Strain the whey to make strained yogurt
Once you’ve measured about 2-3 cups of yogurt, add it to the center of the kitchen towel/muslin cloth. Bring together corners of the kitchen towel and twist it tight as if wringing the cloth. This will induce a pressure onto the dahi and it will start dripping whey. If you have time, then let the twisted, balled up yogurt sit in the strainer allowing it to gently drip whey over time, which could be a few hours. Hastening this requires squeezing water by hand. I often do this. You should have thick, creamy yogurt within 10 minutes. Once you’ve done this, leave the yogurt in the strainer.
Season and mix the yogurt, the dip is almost ready!
While dahi rests, clean fresh coriander, green chillies and onion. Then finely chop each. You can skip green chillies and use red chilli powder instead. Green chillies can be very potent. I do not always use ginger and garlic. But adding those two aromatics will enhance the flavor of this yogurt dip. Put all the chopped ingredients in a bowl. Season with salt, pepper and other spices that you plan on using. I added a pinch of chilli powder in addition to green chillies. Adjust according to your taste and preferences. Finally, add the strained curd to this bowl. You’ll have to scrape some of it off the cloth. Mix well. Chill or serve right away. Mathaa is ready!
You could chill mathaa before serving. I would advise using it as soon as possible because salt in the dip will eventually make the onions sweat and some more whey to separate from the curd. I recently served this mathaa with missi roti. It is also a good spread for making sandwiches and of course entertaining. If you make it, share your comments below!
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Mathaa – Punjabi Yogurt Dip
Equipment
- Strainer/muslin cloth
Ingredients
- 2-3 Cups Yogurt
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 5-6 Sprigs Fresh Coriander/Cilantro chopped
- 2-3 Green chillies finely chopped
- 1/4 to 1/2 Cup Onion finely chopped
- Pinch Bhuna Jeera/Cumin Powder optional
- Pinch Garam Masala optional
- Pinch Red Chilli Powder optional
Instructions
Straining Yogurt
- Start by placing a kitchen towel over a large strainer. Place the strainer on a large bowl to catch the dripping liquid.
- Measured 2-3 cups of yogurt and place in the center of the kitchen towel/muslin cloth. Bring together corners of the kitchen towel and twist it tight as if wringing the cloth. Squeeze out liquid by hand. You should have thick, creamy yogurt within 10 minutes. (Read notes, point 1)
Season and mix the dip
- While dahi rests clean fresh coriander, green chillies and onion. Then finely chop each. (Read notes, point 2)
- Put all the chopped ingredients in a bowl. Season with salt, pepper and other spices that you plan on using. Finally, add the strained curd to this bowl. You’ll have to scrape some of it off the cloth. Mix well. Mathaa is ready! Use within a day or two.
Notes
- If you have time, then let the twisted, balled up yogurt sit in the strainer allowing it to gently drip whey over time which could be a few hours.
- You can skip green chillies and use red chilli powder instead. Green chillies can be very potent. I do not always use ginger and garlic. But adding those two aromatics will enhance the flavor of this yogurt dip.