What are the different types of dadiah and how are they used in cooking?

What is dadiah?

Dadiah, also spelled dadih, is a traditional fermented buffalo milk from West Sumatra in Indonesia. A scientific article in PubMed Central describes about 150 mL of freshly milked buffalo milk poured into a freshly cut section of bamboo, covered with banana leaf, and fermented naturally at room temperature using microbes from the bamboo. After about 24 hours the milk clots into a yellowish-white, pudding-like or tofu-like mass with an aroma of milk and bamboo. The same article also mentions a resting time of two to three days, so times vary. Pages that call dadiah a sweet cooked with rice flour are wrong.

Are there different types of dadiah?

The article does not define formal types. It says dadiah is made in several areas of West Sumatra, including Bukittinggi, Padang Panjang, Solok, Limapuluh Kota and Tanah Datar, and its own samples came from Halaban in Limapuluh Kota. Earlier studies it cites used dadiah from Lintau and from Air Dingin in Solok. One reference it lists is about cow’s milk dadih as an alternative to buffalo milk dadih. In short, the differences we can document are place and milk, not named kinds.

How is dadiah eaten?

• As is: the article says dadiah can be eaten directly after fermentation.
• Ceremonies: it is served at weddings and when the honorary title Datuk is conferred.

We found no verified list of savory or sweet dishes made with it, so we do not list any.

Is it used in cooking?

It is eaten more than cooked. We found no documented recipes that cook it, so we do not give any.

Is it safe?

The traditional method described starts with freshly milked milk. If the milk is raw, the CDC says it can carry germs such as Campylobacter, E. coli, Listeria and Salmonella, and that children under 5, adults 65 and older, pregnant people and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness. We do not give a home method. Dadiah is also hard to find outside West Sumatra; plain yogurt is the closest widely sold food, though the taste differs. This is general information, not medical advice.