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Fermented milk from Bhaktapur, Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

Juju dhau (king curd)जुजु धौ

Juju dhau, "king of yoghurt" in Newari, is the sweet, custard-like buffalo-milk curd of Bhaktapur. Buffalo milk is boiled (at one workshop simmered with sugar), poured into unglazed clay pots and seeded with the last batch while lukewarm, then set for three to four hours under rice husk and cloths.

Fully documentedFermented milk4.5 h – 5.5 h

Recipe

No fixed amounts recordedOne Bhaktapur workshop makes about 40 litres a day and 200–300 litres at festivals; no recipe amounts are given.
Buffalo milkReal juju dhau uses buffalo milk, with about twice the fat of cow's milk; a little cow's milk may be added[ktmpost2019][shilpakar2022]
SugarAdded to the boiled milk, which is then simmered and stirred[ktmpost2019]
Juju dhau from the previous batchThe starter[shilpakar2022]
Starterbackslop: juju dhau from the previous batch

Total time across the recorded steps: 4.5 h – 5.5 h

Start
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100 °C

What changes: Buffalo milk is boiled, then simmered and stirred with sugar for about an hour

Step 1 of 4
Boil the milk and simmer it with sugar
Time
1 h
Reported
Temperature
100 °C
Reported
Salt
None given
Acidity
Not documented
Which microbes the steps name, step by step
Lactobacilli
Leuconostoc
S. thermophilus
Lactic acid bacteria

Gosai (2024) describes boiling the milk in an iron pot, two or three times, with cardamom powder, nuts or chestnuts added for taste; it does not mention sugar. The Kathmandu Post workshop adds sugar. Output: sweetened boiled milk.

Flavour
sweet, cooked
Texture
thickened
Colour
Not documented

Microbes at work in this step

heat kills the milk's own bacteria

Method

Measured measured in a studySet fixed by a specification or tested recipeReported one source reports itTypical a general value, not sourced for this fermentUnconfirmed not yet checked against a source

At a glance

Juju dhau, "king of yoghurt" in Newari, is the sweet, custard-like buffalo-milk curd of Bhaktapur. Buffalo milk is boiled (at one workshop simmered with sugar), poured into unglazed clay pots and seeded with the last batch while lukewarm, then set for three to four hours under rice husk and cloths. Made in 4 steps over 4.5 h – 5.5 h. The longest step, cover and set on rice husk, takes 3–4 h (The Kathmandu Post 2019). Lactobacilli and Leuconostoc do most of the fermenting.

Key numbers
Main step3–4 hReported[ktmpost2019][gosai2024]Cover and set on rice husk
Temperature100 °CReported[ktmpost2019]Boil the milk and simmer it with sugar

What makes this one different

Juju dhau is sweetened before seeding and set in porous clay pots that soak up whey, which gives a thicker, creamier curd with an earthy note than plain dahi.

Related ferments

Safety

The milk is boiled and simmered before seeding.

History and sources

Every number is labelled with how it is known. How this atlas is made

Juju dhau has been a delicacy since the Malla era and is part of every Newar feast and celebration. Gosai (2024) dates the Malla kings to 1201–1779 and says the Dhaubadel caste was tasked with preparing curd for them and their courtiers; curd-making is now open to any family.

  1. [shilpakar2022] Shilpakar D., Khanal P., Kusma R. 2022, Isolation, identification and characterization of lactic acid bacteria found in "juju dhau" from Bhaktapur, Nepal, Current Trends in Biomedical Engineering and Biosciences 20(4):556044paper
  2. [ktmpost2019] The Kathmandu Post, 12 July 2019, How two brothers are keeping 45 years of culture alive (a Bhaktapur juju dhau workshop)web
  3. [gosai2024] Gosai S.R. 2024, Cultural and Economic Aspect of Juju Dhau, A Survey Study on Societal Practices at Khwopa, Khwopa Journal 6(2):74–89, doi:10.3126/kjour.v6i2.73150paper
  4. [fao-tmp] FAO 1990, The technology of traditional milk products in developing countries, Animal Production and Health Paper 85, section II.2.3 (Dahi; Nepal)gov