Curd: An invention of the nomads?
All of us love a bowl of curd on a hot summer day or as an accompaniment with parathas or poha. It is unquestionably an important part of the Indian diet. But this all-too-common ingredient of Indian cuisine, was not invented in our country. Presumably, curd has its roots in many different places and at different times. It most likely originated in the Middle East and Central Asia. No matter where it was found, Bulgaria is known to have played a significant role in bringing this healthy and yummy dairy product to the West and developing it into the well-liked, widely available food item it is today.
Yes, curd was invented in Bulgaria some 4000 years ago! Not so surprisingly, Bulgarians are well known for adding curd to every other dish, be it in shawarmas, or salads. In fact, the invention of curd has a fascinating history. Let’s travel back in time and see how it all started.
Nomadic tribes accidentally discovered curd!
Many Bulgarians believe that around 4,000 years ago, nomadic people accidentally discovered curd. According to legends, the nomads domesticated animals and roamed in the Balkan lands of Europe. Since they had no way of preserving milk, they devised a method of storing it in animal skins. Now, at this temperature, the growth of Lactobacillus bacteria resulted in the curdling of the milk and voila, curd was formed! It is essential to note that an ideal temperature is crucial for curd setting and it seems the nomads accidentally nailed it!
Dr Stamen Grigorov discovered the bacteria in curd
Another reason Bulgaria is credited with being the birthplace of curd is because of the Bulgarian scientist, Dr Stamen Grigorov. He deciphered the microorganism responsible for curd formation. Soon after his wedding, Dr Grigorov returned to the Medical University of Geneva with a clay pot full of homemade yoghurt to investigate it. A year later, in 1905, he discovered that a microorganism caused the conversion of milk to curd. As a homage to the country of curd lovers, the microorganism was named Lactobacillus bulgaricus, forever linking Bulgarians to curd. If you are in Bulgaria, you should definitely not miss out the world’s only Yoghurt Museum situated in Dr Grigorov’s hometown, Trun.
The recipe for official Bulgarian curd is patented!
The true essence of Bulgarian yoghurt is found in its variety rather than in a single standardised product. This is because yoghurt is a personal product for Bulgarians. It is similar to a family recipe that is passed down through generations. Having said that, Bulgaria does have a single authentic recipe which has been patented! This is the recipe that is used to produce the Bulgarian yoghurt sold all over the world.
Following Dr Grigorov’s success with the yoghurt composition, biologists continued his work and quickly discovered a link between Bulgarian peasants who ate a lot of yoghurts and increased lifespan. The notion that yoghurt could extend one’s life stimulated a health craze in many European countries and the demand for Bulgarian curd shot up. This prompted the country to develop and patent this unique recipe. As an initial step for developing this recipe, Bulgarian microbiologists travelled the country collecting samples of homemade yoghurt from clay pots. They conducted several experiments to determine the best temperature and strain of bacteria for making the perfect Bulgarian yoghurt. That is one reason for its popularity. The unique blend of bacteria that is indigenous to Bulgaria cannot be replicated elsewhere!