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Irimshik
Irimshik: dried sweet Kazakh cottage cheese from boiled milk
Irimshik is the sweet, caramel-coloured dried curd that Kazakh herding families make in summer on the jailau pastures: milk is soured with a little starter, heated until it splits, and the curds are cooked slowly in their own whey until they turn golden and fudgy, then dried in the sun. It is nibbled with tea in winter, from Almaty flats to steppe villages. This version needs no rennet, so it is vegetarian. A common mistake is draining the curd too soon; the long cook in the whey is what browns and sweetens it. Chef's tip: stir more often as the whey reduces, because the curd catches easily at the end.
- Total time
- 180 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
For the irimshik
- 12 ½ cups whole milk
- 2 cups kefir or soured milk
- 2 tbsp sugaroptional
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Bring 12 ½ cups whole milk to the boil in a heavy pan over a medium heat, stirring.
Step 2: Stir in 2 cups kefir or soured milk. The milk will split into soft curds and greenish whey within a minute.
5 minStep 3: Simmer gently for 2–2½ hours, stirring every 10 minutes and more often towards the end, until most of the whey has boiled away and the curds turn golden-brown and fudgy. Common mistake: draining early; it stays pale and bland.
150 minStep 4: Stir in 2 tbsp sugar for the last 10 minutes if you like it sweeter.
10 minStep 5: Spread on a tray lined with baking paper, break into small pieces and dry in a 140°F oven for 2–3 hours, or in the sun, until firm. Keeps in a jar for a month.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 150 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbs
- 10 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does irimshik take?
- About 180 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 165 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 10 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 whole milk?
- Semi-skimmed milk with 1 tbsp cream per 240ml (1 cup).
- What can I use instead of kefir or soured milk?
- Oat, soy or almond milk, same amount (use unsweetened for savoury dishes).
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