Curd

Curd is the soft, gel-like mass formed when milk proteins coagulate, the essential intermediate in cheesemaking. Cheese curd is a protein, chiefly casein, gel formed by coagulation of milk; other milk proteins are retained in the liquid portion, the whey. Coagulation is triggered by acid, rennet enzymes or heat, trapping fat and minerals in a protein network while whey drains away. Curd firmness, moisture and pH at cutting decide the final cheese texture, so cheesemakers monitor these parameters closely, and the same curd base appears in products like cottage cheese and dahi.