Ingredients
Soured milk
- 2 litreswhole zebu or cow’s milk
- 4 tbsplive habobo or plain yoghurt, as starter
To serve
- hot rice
- sugar, or a pinch of salt
Directions
- Warm the milk to about 30°C (86°F) and stir in the starter until evenly mixed.
- Pour into a clay pot or a jar and cover with a cloth rather than a lid, so the gas can escape.
- Leave at warm room temperature for 24 to 48 hours. On the Malagasy highlands this takes a day; in a cooler kitchen, two.
- It is ready when it has thickened and tastes distinctly tart. It should be thick but still spoonable — habobo is not drained, and the loose texture is part of it.
- Stir it smooth and chill thoroughly before serving.
- Serve cold with hot rice, which is how it is eaten at breakfast, or sweetened with sugar as a dessert.
- Keep four spoonfuls back to start the next batch.
Technique
- Cover with cloth, not a lid. A sealed jar traps gas and the curd rises and splits.
- Two days is usually the limit. Beyond that it turns bitter rather than sour.
- Zebu milk is what the highland version uses and it is richer than ordinary cow’s milk.
Substitutions
- Buttermilk as the starter, which is closer in character than yoghurt.
- Reconstituted powdered milk, which is what many Malagasy households now use and which sours perfectly well.
Variations
- Drained through cloth it thickens into a spread.
- Sweetened heavily with sugar and eaten as a dessert with fruit.
History
Made on the Malagasy highlands by leaving milk to curdle in a covered pot, a farm food sold at Antananarivo markets.
Frequently asked questions
What is Habobo?
Habobo is a cheese & dairy from Madagascar: zebu milk soured until thick and tart, eaten with rice or sugar. Made on the Malagasy highlands by leaving milk to curdle in a covered pot, a farm food sold at Antananarivo markets.
How long does Habobo take to make?
Habobo takes 10 min plus 1 to 2 days souring of preparation and no cooking at all. The recipe makes makes about 1.5 litres. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Habobo?
Yes, within limits. Buttermilk as the starter, which is closer in character than yoghurt. Reconstituted powdered milk, which is what many Malagasy households now use and which sours perfectly well.
What is the most important thing to get right in Habobo?
Pour into a clay pot or a jar and cover with a cloth rather than a lid, so the gas can escape.
