Eezgii

Ingredients

Curd

• 3 litreswhole milk
• 500 mlsour milk or plain yoghurt, to curdle it
• 2 tbspsugar, optional

To serve

• milk tea
• boortsog

Directions

1. Bring the milk to a gentle simmer in a wide heavy pan, then stir in the sour milk. It will separate into curds and greenish whey within a few minutes.
2. Now do not drain it. Keep cooking over low heat, stirring often — this is what makes eezgii rather than a fresh curd cheese.
3. Over the next hour and a half the whey slowly boils away and the milk sugars caramelise, taking the curd from white through pale gold to a deep nutty brown.
4. Stir more often as it dries out. Once most of the liquid has gone it catches within seconds, and a scorched batch is bitter all the way through with no way back.
5. Stir in the sugar, if using, in the last twenty minutes.
6. It is ready when almost no liquid remains, the grains are golden brown and crumbly, and the whole pan smells strongly of caramel.
7. Spread it on a tray, break it up as it cools, and let it dry for a day in a warm airy place.
8. Store in a jar. It keeps for months. Nibble it with milk tea, or crumble it over boortsog.

Technique

• Low heat and constant attention for the last half hour. Every failed batch is a scorched one.
• The colour is the doneness. Pale gold is mild; deep brown is what most Mongolian households aim for.
• Dry it properly before storing or it will mould.

Substitutions

• Buttermilk or whey in place of sour milk to curdle it.
• Yak milk, which is richer.
• The Kazakh irimshik is the same preparation.

Variations

• Ground and mixed with butter and sugar into a sweet paste.
• Made without sugar as a savoury crumble for soups.

History

Made from the curds left after separating cream, the mixture is stirred over heat until the milk sugars caramelise into golden grains.

Frequently asked questions

What is Eezgii?

Eezgii is a cheese & dairy from Mongolia: milk curds cooked until browned and crumbly, sweet and nutty. Made from the curds left after separating cream, the mixture is stirred over heat until the milk sugars caramelise into golden grains.

How long does Eezgii take to make?

Eezgii takes 15 min of preparation and 1 hour 30 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes makes about 300 g. It is rated medium to make.

What can I substitute in Eezgii?

Yes, within limits. Buttermilk or whey in place of sour milk to curdle it. Yak milk, which is richer. The Kazakh irimshik is the same preparation.

What is the most important thing to get right in Eezgii?

Now do not drain it. Keep cooking over low heat, stirring often — this is what makes eezgii rather than a fresh curd cheese.