Fermented Milk Products from All Over the World. Dadiah (Indonesia)

Dadiah or Dadih is a fermented milk product that can be found in Indonesia and West Sumatra. Buffalo milk is used for the making of dadiah, although not just the milk is special but also its preparation process as well. The buffalo milk is taken fresh and poured into tubes made out of bamboo. The whole milk is not heated or prepared in any other way. Then, the bamboo tubes are covered with banana leaves, for protection, and the milk is allowed to ferment in a spontaneous manner, at room temperature. The fermentation process does not take longer than 2 days. Thus, dadiah is made by the lactic bacteria that can be naturally found in the milk of buffalos, although some think that the bacteria may also come from the bamboo tubes or banana leaves utilized in the process.

Although it was rather popular a while ago, it is not that easy to find dadiah these days in Indonesia, at least not in supermarkets. If you want to try it while you’re visiting Indonesia, you need to visit the local traditional markets. It won’t be hard to find it, as it will always be packed in small bamboo tubes. Served plain, as it is, dadiah is a rather sour type of yogurt, with a sharp flavor that may require a bit of accommodation time if you are not used to it. But, if you mix it with ampiang, which is a recipe for traditional rice cookies, and palm sugar, dadiah will start to taste better. The tangy sourness of the yogurt mixes well with the sweetness of the sugar, transforming it into a pleasant type of breakfast.