Make Whey…and Use It Too!
Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet, eating her curds and whey;
Along came a spider, who sat down beside her,
And frightened Miss Muffet away.
Perhaps you have heard of this little childhood rhyme, and perhaps, like me at the ripe old age of three, you had no idea what sort of food “curds and whey” was. I recall asking one of my grammar-school teachers. Her reply? Cottage cheese… And ever since then I’ve felt compelled to check the air around me for dangling arachnids as I devour a bowlful. But, there is evidence that the dish referred to in the rhyme is the English sweet known as junket. Either way, milk is curdled. Curds, and whey…
Perhaps, like me, you are well-aware that there are many other curdled things made by adding a souring agent to milk or cream. Yoghurt, sour cream, kefir (the production of all three of these demand that edible bacterial cultures be introduced which devour lactose, producing an acid which forms curds) and all cheeses (made by compressing these curds or those formed by introducing an acid directly) would be impossible without this initial phase of “curds and whey”.
Perhaps, like me, you have decided to be a bit more self-reliant by producing some of these food-stuffs at home and wonder, when all is said and done, what to do with all of the leftover whey. Well, for one, it can be added to the sauce or gravy of many dishes. In the Punju dish mattar panir, for instance, it is often added to the tomato-laden gravy where it adds a subtle, sweet-sour sparkle. It can be used to thin saucy legume dishes during the final simmering (adding any acidic substance at an earlier stage of cooking inhibits the softening of legumes); certainly it can be added in small amounts to many soups. It is, after all, protein-rich, and often used as a nutrition-boosting additive in many pre-packaged foods.
But perhaps, like me, after a session of panir-making or yoghurt-straining, you have no immediate way of using all of this whey that sits there so pale, so golden, so lovely in a container on your counter-top. You hate to discard it, so you freeze it, thinking that you will find ways of using it in the near future. And then, over time, you realize that you have so many containers that are taking up so much room… but it’s too much of a shame to just let them all thaw to pour down the drain. Sacrilege, you think. You arrive at a cerebral sticking-point.
And then, maybe, a thought strikes you. You could save space, save energy and dehydrate it…
And, truly, it isn’t very difficult to turn all of that whey into a concentrated powder. Whey powder, to use at whim without thawing, to keep in a handy place in the kitchen, to add to gravies, soups, stews, sweet drinks, almost anything. And here is how to do that:
1)Take your saved quantity of whey and bring it to a boil, lower the heat a bit to maintain a gentle boil, and stir it occasionally as it reduces.
2)It will eventually become a thick, caramel-coloured goop, so be sure to stir more frequently as it nears this stage. I threw in a quick handful of salt while it was reducing; perhaps this is unnecessary, but by doing this I felt reassured that the resultant powder would be spoil-proof. When it is rather thick and deep-golden in colour, remove it from the heat and pour this onto a waxed-paper or parchment-paper-lined baking tray. Allow to cool and set.
3)I then broke this candy-like slab roughly into pieces about 1″-2″ wide, and allowed it to dry thoroughly for a few weeks. I forgot about these pieces for some time actually. The edges and surface of these pieces will become pale as it dries.
4)I then took these hard pieces, gently smashed them in a mortar-and-pestle, and then sifted the powder from this. The larger “pebbles” that remained in the sieve I then placed in an electric grinder and pulverised, then poured through the sieve. You could, instead, continue the pulverising in the mortar-and-pestle if you wish. The resultant near-fine powder I poured into a jar and screwed on the cap. Whey powder dissolves in water, so a good soaking makes the cleaning of any utensils used simple enough, and what was once many quarts now fits within my hands. Much easier to use now, perhaps…
[Miss Muffet illustration at introduction by William Wallace Denslow. Public domain, and used freely with that knowledge here]
Asha said,
December 21, 2007 at 7:01 am
Great idea!!
It was ’something to do’…
Anita said,
December 21, 2007 at 9:14 am
OMG! You take the cake! I now crown you the king of drying! Dehydrated whey powder! OMG!!!!!!!!!! Home made!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How many hours did that take?! That there seems like a lot of whey powder….Now lets have some recipes for using this powder!
There should be a way to use solar powder to do this.
But I know how it feels to put something nutritious down the drain…some of the whey you can save for the next session of paneer-making ( I have a bottle in the fridge from a couple of months ago). The whey from yoghurt makes a terrific vegetarian soup base.
I remember that nursery rhyme…
I had 8-10 quarts of it…sitting in the deep freeze from the past year! So, I must have made panir like at least 5-6 times. Yeah, it took a few hours, but I was doing other projects nearby at the same time, so no big deal. Easier than making khoya as it doesn’t catch as quickly. Yoghurt-whey makes a good soup base eh? I’ll remember that. Sun-drying eh? That might work if the whey was poured out in a very thin layer in pans set in the sun- nice idea! But, I figure it is less energy to boil it down than keep it frozen.
musy said,
December 21, 2007 at 9:38 am
Fantastic! This is truly marvellous! I knead the dough for chapati/parantha with whey
and cook the numerous daals and sabzis with whey 
Happy Holidays, dear!
Now there’s a list to be proud of: chapati, parantha, daals, subzis. Thanks Musy m’dear, and happy holidays to you as well!…(!!)
Manisha said,
December 21, 2007 at 2:36 pm
How long can this be stored? This, for me, is a purely academic question because any whey that is generated in my kitchen is quickly consumed in dals and dough for rotis. Like Musy said.
But hats off to you! And that, too, without all those annoying, extra, grammatically incorrect exclamation points. One suffices to show surprise and/or shock. Fifteen is rather overdoing, according to me.
Anita’s got powder on her mind. Just keep it at edible non-hallucinogenic ones. Solar powder! What next‽ Lunar powder‽ CFL powder‽ And, yes, say hello to the interrobang – probably more appropriate even if non-standard.
Always you bring something of interest to the table! Interrobang…I had never heard of it before, and now I’ll have non-weather-related material with which to start conversations with strangers: “Tell me, how often do you use an interrobang?”
How long can it be stored? I imagine forever and ever. I shall graciously leave mine to my nephew!
Suganya said,
December 21, 2007 at 3:22 pm
You got that much powder? How many slabs of paneer did you make? I always add whey to the gravies I make in the next few days. Gives a milky undertone.
Thanks for the tip! I think I made panir at least 6 times…possibly a bit more; the thing is, I only recall eating it in one dish…oh wait, no. I am now recalling an obsession I had with saag panir. Still…well, a few sandwiches too. Maybe.
bee said,
December 21, 2007 at 4:09 pm
that is just brilliant. people pay a lot of money for this.
How much?!
mansi said,
December 21, 2007 at 4:15 pm
wow, that sure could be used instead of the large whey protein Powder bottle lying in my pantry!!
Definitely! A friend’s mother is recovering from a string of surgeries right now and I am contemplating making her some high-protein soup to help with the healing process.
Anita said,
December 21, 2007 at 9:49 pm
See, how effective the additional exclamatory marks are?! They add fodder to the fuel…and get TLO, the brimming fount of knowledge, to tell us new stuff…though my keyboard is not configured yet…unless there is a way to trick it? [You okay with the three-dots?].
Yes…we must be dignified now and avoid those strings of exclamation points!…(!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
Or not… hehhehehehe
bee said,
December 23, 2007 at 9:23 pm
i paid 20 bucks at costco once for a big container of whey powder (or was it soy powder?) and threw it out ‘cos it tasted like crap with all the added vanilla and heavne knows what else.
Sounds divine… (not!) As the years pass and I keep reading labels, I find myself going “home-made” more and more; I know the “convenience addicts” find it absolutely ridiculous- some of these things I do, but I just don’t outright trust these large food corps with one thing on their mind. Lately I’ve begun a rant about Bird’seye and their new “steam in the bag” thing: more plastic in the landfill!
Cynthia said,
December 24, 2007 at 6:29 pm
This is freaking brilliant! Where was this idea when I made paneer a couple of months ago?!
Happy Holidays.
Happy holidays to you as well Cindy! Panir never stays away from the kitchen or table too long…
Cindy said,
December 25, 2007 at 8:41 pm
Well you may have a powder left, but after boiling it to make it such, you will have denatured the proteins, and also all the important immunoglobins which is a big reason to eat whey in the first place.. In fact, you are not supposed to keep it above body temperature, or add citrus acidic type juices to it either for the same reasons.
Do your own research and see if what I am telling you is not the truth.
I am a health care provider and use this stuff all the time..To receive any benefit from whey, it must either be eaten in its pure state, or filtered to a powder thru very specific procedures.. The powder I use costs close to $60 and that is why.
This effort is a waste of your time..Sorry..but that is the fact. Youd be much better off just drinking the liquid when it is fresh.
Ah…So, you are saying that whey made with citrus juices (vs. rennet) is not good, nor is using it for cooking as it would raise the temp too high. (Say, as the liquid of choice to moisturize a bread dough). I suppose milk should never be brought to a boil then…hmmmm Pasteurization, puddings, kheer, payasam, halvah, and most cheeses would have a strike against them.
And isn’t whey already acidic in nature?
What you have stated could very well be true, however I never claimed that a powder made by this long reduction was equivalent to “whey protein (isolate) powder”. I don’t think I would ever buy that stuff, as I don’t like to rely on a food product made by complex machines, which is why I don’t take vitamins or other nutritional supplements. So, even though this powder might very well be totally useless nutrionally, as would using fresh whey from panir-making (as the milk is brought to a boil before adding lime/lemon juice- double whammy of said no-no’s), I do like the flavour it imparts…I recently got raves on some mashed potatoes I made using it, so I’m happy thinking of it as another device for delicate sweet-souring…
As for it being a waste of time, well, no…not really. I find it very calming and find time to contemplate while I stir. And that, for me, is never a waste of time…
I couldn’t find any information on the effects of temperature on raw whey. If you have any links to pages of info on this subject handy, I, as well as some of my readers, would love to read them. Other than that, thank you for your comments and expansion of the subject..
Anita said,
December 26, 2007 at 5:46 am
I think you can definitely use some of that white powder yourself!
He, he…
Manisha said,
December 26, 2007 at 12:36 pm
Well, knock me down with a feather! O.M.G. You find it calming to stir? That’s *my* line, remember? But what the heck! I am always willing to share!
Having said all that, does Cindy’s comment imply that I could as well be using water instead of whey in the dough for my rotis or in my dals?
Who knows?!…I find a few incongruencies in the heat-and/or-acid-affect-whey postulate. TLO darling dear, of all people, I thought YOU’d be able to throw some teal-coloured-x-mas-light on the subject!
I’m about to brown onions for a Moghlai dish…what other choice to I have but to think? But I tell ya, I’ve gotten good over the years with managing to smoke a cigarette and sip coffee whilst I stir!
Anita said,
December 27, 2007 at 12:38 am
I’ll tell you I thought I was at IFR when I was reading those lines about the calming effects of stirring…You both are peas of the same pod, I guess!
Oh, it’s just the Zen Buddhist culture that has taken over western society…you ought to see Danny and I try to get my high-strung mother into looking at stones with us…she tends to make loud proclamations concerning our mental health.
Asha said,
December 28, 2007 at 6:34 am
Happy New year Pelicano, enjoy!:))
Thanks, and a happy one to you too!
Meera said,
December 30, 2007 at 12:44 pm
Wish you and yours a very happy new year, Pelicano!
And I wish the same for you and yours!
Manisha said,
December 31, 2007 at 6:21 pm
Dude! Happy New Year to you!
Thanks. Happy New Year to you too!
neroli said,
January 1, 2008 at 2:13 pm
Oh, darlin,’ I came here to wish you a Happy New Year, and here I find that not only have you had frozen whey in your freezer, sharing in my craziness (or is it hungry-ghost thinking ?!?:)—you’ve totally side-stepped it all and gone and dehydrated it!
That’s the sound of one hand clapping, for sure
Happy New Year to you and all who are fortunate enough to be called yours!
Oh my! That’s quite a statement! And a Happy New Year to you and all that is graced by your touch and by your gaze!
Purnima said,
January 9, 2008 at 8:00 am
Hi Pelicano…first time commenting here. I guess thats a lot of powder, lots of Manisha n lots of Anita! You have a lovely blog and the write up certainly is worth re-runs(for me)
I enjoyed the post as well as thoroughly had good time reading the comments! Wishing you n ur near n dear ones a rollicking 2008!(I hv been reading ur lovely comments at Shilpas AR, Manishas IFR and at many more blogs)
I do leave lovely comments don’t I?
I hope that your year ahead is filled with wonderful things…thanks for stopping by!
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June 22, 2008 at 9:14 am
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Amit said,
August 6, 2008 at 9:32 pm
so this stuff isn’t equivalint to whey workout powder????? DAMN
Sorry Amit; but it’s very good for making roti!
Ani said,
December 26, 2008 at 12:17 pm
What is whey- actually whey known as in Hindi. I have a dairy nearby but they dont understand English. How can I make them understand?
Offhand I’m sorry; I don’t know…
Kathleen said,
March 15, 2009 at 10:00 pm
Thanks so much for posting this! I think it’s awesome, and I for one, plan on trying it. I have never produced whey before, but I have a book that tells me how to do it the old fashioned way.
As for the negative comment about this powder you have produced being “useless” ?
I would have to strongly disagree based on what I have read:
Proteins from milk and meat are exposed to very strong acids in our stomachs as part of the natural digestion process, and we cook meat all the time for safety reasons. My point? We get our proteins from foods we eat, – meat and eggs are cooked, and exposed to stomach acids -this does not ruin the protein, so why would it ruin the protein in the whey?
Though there may be some vitamin loss when food is cooked,according to a Doctors’ article on the subject, some vitamins are actually increased by cooking, and the cooking does not destroy the proteins. He stated that the proteins must be broken down by our bodies into their basic building blocks in order for our bodies to use them. It seems to me that you have hit on a great way to make a whey protein powder…and from the sound of it, the protein is likely intact.
Here is a link to his article
http://ezinearticles.com/?Cooking-Does-Not-Destroy-Important-Nutrients&id=117944
Thank you so much for writing, and also for the link! Yes, my own opinion would be the same: I don’t believe that the protein is compromised by this reduction, nor do I believe that sour whey is lacking in health benefits. I’ve often wondered at the ultimate intention of the above commentator: yes, said person is correct in saying that my powdered whey is not the same as a “whey protein (isolate) powder”- which I never intended to replace; my real purpose in this post was to bring commonly-known Indian knowledge to light for westerners, and also just to save some space in my kitchen! (nowadays, I have no problems in using raw liquid whey; it goes into bread-dough, soups and stews, mashed potatoes…uses I have my foodie friends to thank for!)
Johnny said,
June 18, 2009 at 4:55 am
How many grams of cottage cheese do you need to drain to make 500 grams of Whey Poder?
Making Paneer « Pass the Butter Please said,
June 25, 2009 at 7:07 am
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