Ingredients
Soured milk
- 2 litreswhole milk
- 4 tbsplive soured milk or plain yoghurt, as starter
- ½ tspsalt
To serve
- hot corn tortillas
- gallo pinto
- fried plantain
Directions
- Warm the milk to about 30°C (86°F) and stir in the starter until evenly mixed.
- Pour into a jar or a clay pot and cover with a cloth rather than a lid so the gas can escape.
- Leave at warm room temperature for 24 to 48 hours. In Nicaraguan heat this takes a day; in a cool kitchen, two.
- It is ready when it has thickened and tastes sharply sour. It should be thick but still spoonable rather than set firm like a yoghurt.
- Stir in the salt. Leche agria is salted, and unsalted it tastes unfinished — this is a savoury dairy, eaten with beans and tortillas rather than with fruit.
- Chill thoroughly before serving.
- Serve cold with hot tortillas, gallo pinto and fried plantain at breakfast.
- Keep four spoonfuls back to start the next batch.
Technique
- Salt it. This is what separates leche agria from plain soured milk.
- Cover with cloth, not a lid. A sealed jar traps gas and the curd separates.
- Two days is usually the limit before it turns bitter.
Substitutions
- Buttermilk as the starter.
- Crema or sour cream stirred in for a richer version, which is common.
Variations
- Drained through cloth it becomes cuajada, the fresh curd cheese.
- The Honduran mantequilla crema and Salvadoran crema are close relatives.
History
Farm milk left to curdle in the heat; Nicaraguan households still eat it as a breakfast staple.
Frequently asked questions
What is Leche agria?
Leche agria is a fermented & pickled from Nicaragua: naturally soured milk, thick and sharp, eaten with tortilla and gallo pinto. Farm milk left to curdle in the heat; Nicaraguan households still eat it as a breakfast staple.
How long does Leche agria take to make?
Leche agria 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 Leche agria?
Yes, within limits. Buttermilk as the starter. Crema or sour cream stirred in for a richer version, which is common.
What is the most important thing to get right in Leche agria?
Pour into a jar or a clay pot and cover with a cloth rather than a lid so the gas can escape.
