How to make Chinese Ginger Milk Curd from scratch: 10 Steps (with Pictures)

Here are step-by-step instructions for making Chinese Ginger Milk Curd from scratch in 10 Steps (with Pictures). Have you been to Macau? Ginger Milk Curd also known as Ginger Milk Pudding or simply Ginger Milk is one of the must-try desserts in Macau – soft, smooth and silky with a strong ginger taste (sweet and spicy). The curd is formed by curdling milk with ginger juice and then allowing it to set. This recipe requires only three natural ingredients which are milk, ginger and sugar. However, bear in mind that it is not easy to make this dessert. A wrong step can lead to failure in coagulation; make sure you read the note below. The most important tool you should have is a kitchen thermometer. If you are going to Macau, look for Yee Shun Dairy Company, a well-known milk desserts restaurant in Macau.

Chinese Ginger Milk Curd Recipe

Servings:

2 persons

Ingredients:

400ml milk
100g old ginger
40g sugar

Method:

1. Wash, peel and cut the ginger into small pieces. Grind the ginger.
2. Squeeze the juice out by pressing the ginger through a sieve leaving the ginger in the sieve and the juice in a bowl.
3. Stir the ginger juice thoroughly and divide it into two bowls.
4. Heat milk in a heavy or thick bottomed pot. Stir the milk with a wooden spoon constantly.
5. When milk starts to boil, dissolve sugar in milk. Keep stirring.
6. Remove the milk from heat. Allow it to cool.
7. Ginger sediment will settle to the bottom of the bowl, so stir again thoroughly before the next step.
8. Place your kitchen thermometer into the milk. When the milk temperature decreases to around 70-75°C, take 200ml of milk and pour it quickly into the middle of the ginger juice from about 10cm above.
9. Do not stir the mixture. Do not move or shake the bowl. Wait for a few minutes. The milk will then be curdled.
10. Serve warm or allow it to cool a little, seal with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge. The curd will be firmer once it is cooled and chilled.

Chinese Ginger Milk Curd
Chinese Ginger Milk Curd
Chinese Ginger Milk Curd Ingredients
Chinese Ginger Milk Curd Ingredients
grind the ginger
grind the ginger
squeeze the ginger juice out by pressing the ginger through a sieve
squeeze the ginger juice out by pressing the ginger through a sieve
divide ginger juice into two bowls
divide ginger juice into two bowls
heat milk in a pot
heat milk in a pot
stir the ginger juice thoroughly
stir the ginger juice thoroughly
pour milk quickly into the middle of the ginger juice from about 10cm above
pour milk quickly into the middle of the ginger juice from about 10cm above
milk curdled
milk curdled

Note:

  • Firmness and smoothness depend on the types of milk and ginger you used. Old ginger is extremely potent and has more sediment (white in color) than fresh ginger. Without the ginger sediment, the milk will not be curdled. The milk must be high in protein. I use milk with 3.4g protein per 100ml.
  • Keep in mind that the ginger sediment will naturally settle to the bottom of the bowl. Make sure you stir the ginger juice well and divide it appropriately.
  • Temperature is very important. The optimum coagulation temperature for Ginger Milk Curd is 70°C. If the milk temperature is too high or too low, the milk will not be curdled or coagulated.
  • Make sure you heat the milk with low heat. If the heat is too high your milk will boil over and develop a skin on top. If solids form during heating, you may want to sift them out before pouring.
  • For 100g of old ginger, you will get about 60 ml (4 tablespoons) of ginger juice. I am using two 300ml bowls. Each bowl contains 30ml (2 tablespoons) ginger juice and 200ml milk.
  • Do not cook the ginger juice. Flavors can be added to the Ginger Milk Curd – put some red bean paste or fresh fruits on top of the milk curd before serving or add some black sesame paste/powder in the milk during heating. I like it cold, how about you?

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