Fermented Milk Products from All Over the World • Sana (Romania)

Sana is a fermented milk product you can find in Romania, which is similar to yogurt but has a sweeter taste. Sana is the result of acidic fermentation of fresh whole milk that was not previously boiled or received any thermic treatment, through decreasing its pH, and, therefore, promoting the coagulation of the milk’s proteins. This particular product contains at least 3.6% fat, being thicker and denser than yogurt. While you can find sana in almost any store in Romania, you can also prepare it at home. If you want to obtain authentic sana, you need raw whole milk from a farm and not the pasteurized versions you find in stores.

If you have the milk, add a little water in a pot and put it on the stove. When the water is warm, add the raw milk that was previously strained. Gradually bring it to boil, by periodically stirring it. Also, add a bit of salt to the milk as well. Once the milk is boiled, allow it to cool down. Half of it will be left to thicken while the other half will be placed in the fridge. Thus leave half of it, by covering it to prevent dust from contaminating it, to thicken at room temperature. It may take up to 24 hours for the milk to thicken well, but you will see when it is ready as a layer of thick cream will be formed at the top. Take the cream and place it in a separate bowl. Then, with a whisk, mix the rest of the content well. This is what it is called lapte batut and can be consumed just like yogurt. Now, take the milk from the fridge, warm it a little, and add 5 tablespoons of the cream you just gathered earlier. Then allow this one to thicken as well, at room temperature. When it is ready, use the whisk to mix it as well. Finally, you have obtained a healthy and delicious homemade sana.