# Can I make yogurt with rice milk?



## Rainbow Brite (Nov 2, 2004)

I've given up drinking cow's milk, and would like to eliminate as much dairy as possible from my diet. I'm not even a huge fan of yogurt, but have been trying to eat really healthy, and it seems to be benefical. I was wondering, if I bought a yogurt maker, could I use rice milk instead (I don't want to use soy). Would it still be beneficial?
Thanks so much


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## xenabyte (Jul 16, 2004)

It would be very beneficial from a probiotic perspective.

Two minor problems:

If you are using Kefir Grains to do your Rice Milk, the grains will eventually stop reproducing, but should continue to 'ferment' the rice milk ok. So minor deal, if you don't plan on giving away grains.

To make yogurt from non dairy sources does take a bit more 'work' and specific methods. I'm actually looking into this myself, as I love rice milk, and would love a non dairy, non soy yogurt myself!

I will post any recipes I find and let you know how the experimenting goes...

The DOM'S Kefir Site has several seed, nut milk recipes and some yogurt, but he does not specifically mention rice milk for yogurt. He does add in some form of citric juice to his Kefir brews made form these sources, so that's a start....

I saw his recipe for making Soy Yogurt, and am thinking it might work, with the tweeks he uses, for trying as a starting point for rice yogurt.


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## xenabyte (Jul 16, 2004)

Here is an edited version of the 'Dom's' Soy Milk Yogurt, as a starting point for us to tweek the recipe. I was hoping someone else already has tried making yogurt from Rice Milk and has a 'tried and true' recipe though!

*Soy Milk Yogurt*

Makes 1 litre

1 litre [4 cups] freshly made soy milk
1 tablespoon liquid malt extract [rice or barley malt]
Approx. 1/2 cup of commercial yogurt or yogurt starter culture
1 to 2 tablespoon of lemon juice [any citric juice will do]
Sterilized jars and lids
Yogurt incubator [or favorite alternative method]

Heat milk to 180° F, then cool the soy milk to 113° F.

Add 2 tablespoons of lemon or preferred citric juice to 1 tablespoon of malt extract in a pot and bring to a boil then rapidly cool by placing the pot in a bath of cold water and add this to the soy milk

Inoculate by mixing in 1/2 cup of yogurt or yogurt starter

Pour the inoculated soy milk into sterilized jars, place a lid and incubate at 104-113° F for about 4 to 8 hours using a yogurt incubator.

The longer you incubate, the more tart or sour it will turn out. Soy milk yogurt takes less time to incubate then dairy milk yogurt.

*A thicker style soy yogurt*

A thicker soy milk yogurt is achievable with various ingredients.
Adding agar agar powder when cooking the soy milk, will produce a nice thick soy yogurt.

Add approx. one small teaspoon of Agar powder, which is first mixed with 1/4 cup of water, adding it when you are heating your soy milk.

Cooking the soy milk for the 7 minutes will dissolve the agar, which is crucial. You can also use agar which comes in opaque, flat long pieces from Asian grocery stores. Use a piece about 2 cm [app 1"] square. You need to experiment with this, so it is a good idea to note how much agar was used and how thick the soy yogurt becomes. If you think it's still too thin, just use more agar, or visa versa. Be careful though, for a little agar goes a long way, in that, it doesn't take much to thicken the yogurt more.

You can also use "Kudzu" [Japanese arrowroot]. I find that about 1 tablespoon of Kudzu powder or corn flour cooked with the 2 litres of soy milk is sufficient to thicken the yogurt.

*Making Soy Yogurt with Added Fruits*

Fresh or dried fruits may be included in Soy milk yogurt. The fruits must first be sterilize before inoculation by cooking the fruits for approx. 3 to 5 minutes. Add a small amount of water with the fruits in step 2 above, then cook for 5 minutes with the malt and citric juice. Cool to 113° F and follow the rest of the soy milk recipe.


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## Rainbow Brite (Nov 2, 2004)

Thanks so much!

I haven't actually made my own rice milk yet- just bought it








So any info on the keifer is really appreciated- I don't really know what they are, but similar to probiotics right?

I was going to ask for a yogurt maker for my b-day, but want to know if anyone's done it with rice milk.

If using rice milk isn't all that great, how much dairy would be used in making yogurt? I know, that probably makes me sound sooo dumb, but hey if I don't ask I won't know right









I don't want to use soy, b/c when I started drinking it, dd started spitting up tons, and has stopped shortly after I stopped drinking it.....

Thanks again for this info!


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## xenabyte (Jul 16, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Hbbg*
Thanks so much!
I haven't actually made my own rice milk yet- just bought it








So any info on the keifer is really appreciated- I don't really know what they are, but similar to probiotics right?

Well, 'Probiotics' are any substances that support the beneficial flora and fauna (friendly, good bacteria and healthy yeasts) in your digestive system. Most 'probiotic' suppliments are composed of dehydrated or 'suspended' bacteria that are healty for you and that 'reactivate' when ingested.

Probiotic foods are foods that are 'cultured' with these friendly bacteria/yeasts, and are therefore 'alive' with enzymes and other factors that not only help break down the food, but help you digest it once eaten for better nutrient assimilation.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Hbbg*
I was going to ask for a yogurt maker for my b-day, but want to know if anyone's done it with rice milk.

Not sure, I've not heard of anyone specifically doing it with rice milk. It would be 'cultured with the probiotics, but would probably not set up like a firm yogurt, like cow/goat milk does. The proteins are different. But it would be ok to ingest, I would think. It's not an impossible thing, it'll just take a specific recipe to make it more like 'store bought' yogurt. Probably just needs the thickener added. We're having 65mph winds the last few days, or I'd have purchased some rice milk and some arrowroot and tried it already.









Quote:


Originally Posted by *Hbbg*
If using rice milk isn't all that great, how much dairy would be used in making yogurt? I know, that probably makes me sound sooo dumb, but hey if I don't ask I won't know right









Well, rice milk isn't necessarily a bad thing, personally it's my favorite choice (or almond milk, yum!). It'll just take some 'tweeking' of the standard method used for dairy milks.

If you want to make a liter/quart (~4 cups yogurt), you use 4 cups (a liter/quart) of dairy milk. It just thickens, the mass doesn't change.

The milk just becomes 'innoculated' with the friendly bacteria and the bacteria ingest the sugars in the milk and as a by product, they produce 'thickeners' that make it 'set up' in the final 'yogurt' form.

Different bacteria strains make the final product taste different. So yougurt will have one taste/texture. Kefir will have a slightly different taste and is a bit thinner. Also, the brewing medium (what milks you use or 'fake milks) will have a different taste and texture.

If you are just starting out on making yogurt, just follow the manufacturers directions with any 'yogurt maker' you get. Otherwise, you can search the forums here and there are many mom's that have posted alternative brewing 'culturing' techniques to making home made yogurt with no equipment other than a pan to heat the milk, and a container to let it 'set up'.

I hope this helps clarify some of your questions!


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## Rainbow Brite (Nov 2, 2004)

Thank you soo soo much!
I didn't mean that I thought rice milk was bad for you (I use it on my cereal) I just thought it might be bad to make yogurt with.

My b-day is next month, so I really need to decide I should try this







.

If not, I'm thinking of giving up yogurt to eliminate dairy.

Let me know if you try it please!

Thanks again!


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## xenabyte (Jul 16, 2004)

OK, well, I'd posted in 'Got Probiotics' and 'NT moms-January' that I was going to try making 'Vanilla Rice Milk Yogurt'.

It was not the most pleasant tasting stuff, and it was too liquidy....

Here is what I did incase you want a reference for your own 'trials'...

*Vanilla Rice Milk Yogurt (gravy) /bleh!*

6 Tbs Arrowroot powder
1 Liter (quart canning jar) (4 cups) rice milk (I used vanilla Rice Dream)
1 dry packet of yogurt starter
1/4 cup Rapadura
dash Vanilla Extract (organic)

I heated the rice milk to about 180 F, took it off the heat, then added in the sugar and stirred to dissolve. I let it cool a bit more, to about 140 deg F and removed 1/2 cup of the milk. 1/4 of the removed milk I mixed with the 6 Tbs of Arrowroot powder. The other 1/4 cup I reserved to mix with the yogurt culture.

I added in the dash of vanilla extract to the pot of rice milk and then stirred in the arrowroot powder to the rice milk. It almost instantly thickened up to a wonderful 'pudding consistancy'! Then I let it set, and tried not to stir it more. When it was closer to 115 deg F, I added in the last 1/4 cup rice milk that I mixed with the starter. Then I stirred to get it to mix well. Here is where I think it went wrong. By continuing to stir and adding in the other liquids, it kinda thinned down to a 'gravy' consistancy.

I poured it into little half pint size canning jars and then incubated for 4 1/2 hours. When I opened one to see what it had done, it was still thin 'gravy' like consistancy'. I tasted it and well, it was definitely NOT something I'd be willing to eat. I refrigerated the other jars, jic it would set up overnight in the refrigerator, but it didn't and it still tastes kind gross to me.

So that was my attempt. However, I now know that I can make pudding with rice milk, if need be. Just don't keep stirring it!


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## JaneS (Jan 11, 2003)

I've been making cultured rice milk for a long time now in my yogurt maker. I use Rice Dream Original Enriched (the refrigerated kind tastes best) or the organic 365 Whole Foods brand.

I don't think you can make yogurt because rice milk contains hardly any protein. It's the proteins that make cow milk yogurt firmer.

I'm doing it for DS, who only eats dairy on a rotation, so I use Baby Jarro-dophilus or sometimes Nature's Way Reuteri. The taste or the texture isn't that much different than the original taste of the rice milk...so I think it's very good tasting. DS drinks a lot of this and its really great for getting some good quality probiotics into him....which is the goal.


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