Adygean Cheese 🧀

Описание: #адыгея #адыгейскийсыр
​

​ The national cuisine of any nation is based on the natural resources and climatic conditions of the territory where it lives, on the availability of raw materials and, of course, food preferences, which, in turn, depend on cultural and religious traditions.

​ ​ The ancient history of Adygs is connected with the Black Sea coast, the Kuban steppes, the foothills and mountains of the Greater Caucasus, i.e. with the most diverse landscapes and climatic conditions

​

The history of traditional Adyghe cuisine is rich in various recipes

We will list the dishes themselves and try to tell about the way of their preparation

Chebureks with cheese are called Khalyuzhami.

​ In the mountains of Adygea they even celebrate the Day of Khalyuzh - a national dish in the form of a baked pie - cheburek with Adygean cheese.

In the mountainous part of Adygea there are often bright festivals dedicated to the national dish - khalyuzh.​

​ The holiday of khalyuzh, dedicated to the revival of national customs and traditions, familiarization of young people with them, appeal to the history of the ancient surnames of Adygea, the origins of Adygean culture, is a very popular event

​

Another legendary dish is Adygean cheese

Circassian cheese is a traditional acid-heat coagulated cheese of the Adyghe people who lived in the North Caucasus region of Southern Russia and migrated to Turkey, Jordan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Germany, and the United States after 1858 and therefore it is also called Adyghe cheese.

Although there is no information about the production capacity of the cheese in the world, it was stated that there is an annual market demand of 12,000 tons in the Republic of Adygea

It is stated that in the traditional production method of Circassian cheese, whole milk at nearly boiling temperature is precipitated with an acidic juice of sour milk, very sour whey, and vinegar.​

​

The product belongs to the category of soft cheeses without maturation. It has a muffled sour-milk taste, a delicate texture and a neutral aroma.​

Smoked Circassian cheese has several names: red, Armavir or Kabardian. The product has gained particular popularity in the western part of the North Caucasus. It is smoked for several days until the crust becomes dense and impervious to bacteria or air. The shelf life of a smoked dairy product is 6 months.

​

Adygea cheese is eaten as an independent snack or added to such dishes:

vegetable salads;

rolls;

pizza, khachapuri;

soups;

vareniki;

cheese mass;

pies and pies;

cheese sauces;

wrapped in puff pastry, pita bread.

Fried cheese is especially popular. The structure of the product allows it to be subjected to all types of heat treatment. It can be fried in a regular frying pan or on the grill to give a specific smoky flavor. Fry the cheese in a drop of vegetable oil for 1 minute on each side until a dense crust forms.

HOW TO COOK ADYGHE CHEESE AT HOME

We need:

cow’s milk – 2 liters;

fermented milk product to taste (kefir / whey / curdled milk) – 3 liters.

PREPARATION

Bring the milk to a boil, pour the fermented milk product into it and mix thoroughly several times. After a while, curd flakes will appear on the surface. As soon as this happens, turn off the fire. After a few minutes, the flakes will disappear, and the serum will take on a clear or slightly greenish tint. Pour the finished mass into a colander / sieve / special form for making cheese. After 10 minutes, turn the mass over and leave for 10-12 hours until the whey drains completely.

Ready cheese can be salted or soaked in a solution of salt and spices, but this is optional

​