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Byaslag
Mongolian fresh pressed cheese
Byaslag is the mild, springy fresh cheese of Mongolian herders, made in summer from cow's or yak's milk in Arkhangai and Khövsgöl, where yak herds graze the high valleys. Warm milk is curdled with soured milk, the curds pressed under a stone, and the finished cheese is sliced and eaten fresh, dried in the sun, or dropped into milk tea where it softens. No rennet is used, so it is vegetarian. A common mistake is boiling the milk hard after adding the sour milk, which makes the curd tough and rubbery. Chef's tip: press it overnight for a firmer cheese you can slice thinly.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
- 16 ¾ cups whole milk
- 2 cups kefir or plain yoghurt
- ½ tsp salt
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What you'll need
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat 16 ¾ cups whole milk slowly to about 185°F, just below simmering, stirring now and then so it doesn't catch.
15 minStep 2: Stir in 2 cups kefir or plain yoghurt and keep warm over a very low heat, without stirring, for 10–15 minutes, until firm white curds float in clear yellowish whey.
15 minStep 4: Shape into a flat round in the cloth, set it on a board and press under a heavy weight (a pot of water works) in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.
720 minStep 5: Unwrap and slice. Keep in the fridge for up to 5 days, or slice and dry in a low oven to keep longer.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 150 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbs
- 6 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does byaslag take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 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 plain yoghurt?
- Greek yoghurt loosened with a little milk.
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