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Mish
Aged chilli cheese
Mish: pungent aged white cheese with chilli and fenugreek, from Upper Egypt and the Delta
Traditionally made in clay jars that are kept going for years, mish is the strong, salty aged cheese that farmers in Upper Egypt and the Delta eat with bread, onions and tomatoes in the fields. It is sharp, creamy and very pungent, with chilli heat and a bitter-sweet note from fenugreek, and a little goes a long way beside bettaw, roz me'ammar or ful. This safer home version starts from pasteurised white cheese and ages in the fridge for 4 to 8 weeks instead of months on a shelf. White cheeses are often set with animal rennet, so choose one labelled vegetarian. As a home-fermented food it is best skipped by pregnant women, young children and anyone with a weakened immune system. Chef's tip: always use a clean, dry spoon; one wet spoon is the mistake that lets mould in.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 16
Ingredients
- 1 ⅛ lb white cheesepasteurised domiati or feta made with vegetarian rennet
- 1 cup cultured buttermilkpasteurised
- 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 2 tsp chilli flakes
- 2 fresh red chilliesslit lengthwise
- 2 tbsp olive oilto seal the top
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Toast 1 tsp fenugreek seeds in a dry pan over a low heat until a shade darker and fragrant, then crush it coarsely. Don't let it go dark brown, or it tastes harsh.
3 minStep 2: Scrub a 1 litre glass jar and its lid in hot soapy water, rinse and dry completely.
Step 3: Crumble 1 ⅛ lb white cheese into a bowl and mash it with 1 cup cultured buttermilk, the fenugreek and 2 tsp chilli flakes into a thick, lumpy cream.
Step 4: Pack the mixture into the jar with 2 fresh red chillies tucked in, pressing out air pockets. Leave at least 2 cm space at the top and pour 2 tbsp olive oil over the surface.
Step 5: Close the jar and keep it in the fridge for at least 4 weeks and up to 8. Once a week, stir with a clean, dry spoon and smooth the top; it will turn softer, darker and much stronger.
Step 6: Check the jar every time you open it: a sharp cheesy smell is normal, but discard the whole batch if you see fuzzy mould or pink, green or black spots. Once it is ready, keep it chilled and eat it within a month.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 85 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 1 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does mish take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 5 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 16 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of cultured buttermilk?
- Milk with lemon juice or white vinegar: 1 tbsp per 240ml (1 cup) milk, left for 5 minutes.
- What can I use instead of fenugreek seeds?
- Leave them out, or add a little extra mustard seed (you lose the slightly bitter, maple-like note).
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