Kamal Ghorui
Hung curd may be the most familiar item on this list, but it still does not get the attention it deserves.
Made simply by straining regular curd through a muslin cloth, hung curd becomes thick, creamy, and versatile. Many Indian households already use it for kebabs or sandwich spreads without thinking of it as a separate kind of curd.
During summer, it can replace heavy mayonnaise-based dips and spreads quite beautifully. A bowl of hung curd mixed with coriander, garlic, black pepper, and cucumber can instantly become a cooling dip for snacks.
It also absorbs flavours exceptionally well. From pudina to peri-peri masala, hung curd adapts to almost everything sitting inside the Indian spice box.
More importantly, it reminds people that healthier eating does not always require imported ingredients or expensive superfoods. Sometimes, the smartest summer foods are already sitting quietly inside the kitchen.
