Have a tummy ache as a result of your pizza-and-donuts binging over the weekend? Have a cup of yogurt or Airan as we call it around here, and you’ll be good in no time.
Forgot to protect your little one’s face from sunburn? No worries, just slather some of the creamy white goodness and it will be gone by tomorrow.
Forgot to pick the kids up from school today? Sorry, you’re on your own on that one.
Airan is pretty versatile and definately has many different uses in our house (except for picking the kids up from school) and I’m certain you will find it of great benefit to your family as well. Everything from smoothies to recovering from sunburn, this homemade yogurt is a superb remedy to keep in the refrigerator at all times.
We call homemade yogurt Airan but I realize that in Turkey that is a slightly different drink (yogurt and ice water blended together which is delicious too). Whatever the case, homemade is always superior to store bought and this item is a staple in our refrigerator. Not only does it provide beneficial live cultures in the form of probiotics, it is also great at marinating meat because of the high-enzyme content. We also enjoy making Tuzlook (savory spicy concoction) to use as dip for chicken and raw veggies or as a straight up drink.
Pour milk into a heavy-bottom pot and set at medium-high heat. Heat milk until it reaches 180°F (80 °C) using a candy thermometer. Watch that milk closely! {Note: I typically do Airan in 1-gallon batches)
While milk is heating, combine 1 tablespoon of sour cream and yogurt containing live cultures. Set aside while milk is being prepared.
When milk is heated to 180°F, quickly take it off the heat and place in a previously prepared ice bath in the sink. Alternatively, you can take the pot off the heat and simply wait for it to cool to 110°F.
Add your sour cream & yogurt starter to the cooled milk and give it a quick whisk. 
Okay, this is where there’s division in the ‘crunchy’ community. Some claim that keeping the yogurt warm for another 24 hours is beneficial for the live bacteria and is necessary for the yogurt to innoculate. I beg to differ. I have used this method many times before and it always turns out perfect. Pour into your container(s) and let stand in the warmest location of your kitchen for 12-24 hours. Some the yogurt in the dehydrator for 12 hours at 110°F. I’ve done both methods and prefer to avoid that extra step of placing it in the dehydrator. Both turned out great, though the one that was kept warm in the dehydrator was considerably more tart than my method. 
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