Garoor

Ingredients

Milk

• 2 litresraw camel’s milk, or whole cow’s milk
• 4 tbspgaroor or live plain yoghurt from a previous batch, as starter

Vessel

• a smoked wooden or gourd vessel
• a few aromatic hardwood twigs, for smoking it

Directions

1. Smoke the inside of the vessel first: burn a small handful of twigs down to embers, drop them in, cover the mouth and roll it so the smoke coats the whole inner wall. Leave 10 minutes, then tip out the embers and wipe away the ash.
2. That smoking is a preservation step. The phenolic compounds it leaves on the wall hold back spoilage organisms, which is how Afar and Issa herders ferment milk safely in desert heat with no refrigeration.
3. Pour the milk into the warm vessel with the starter and cover loosely — never sealed tight, because the ferment gives off gas.
4. Leave at warm room temperature for 24 to 36 hours, shaking it several times a day.
5. It is ready when it is tart, thin and slightly fizzy. Garoor is not meant to thicken into a curd; camel’s milk does not set the way cow’s milk does, and the thin pourable texture is the point.
6. Drink it cool from a cup or a gourd, and keep four spoonfuls back to start the next batch.

Technique

• Smoke the vessel every time. It is part of the method, not a one-off seasoning.
• Do not expect it to set. If you want something spoonable you are making suusac, which is drained and thicker.
• Cover loosely. A sealed gourd builds pressure as it ferments.

Substitutions

• Whole cow’s milk, which sours the same way but sets thicker.
• Goat’s milk, which is closer to camel’s in behaviour.

Variations

• Suusac is the same ferment left longer and often drained.
• Some households dilute it with water and salt as a drink for the hottest part of the day.

History

Afar and Issa herders ferment camel milk in smoked wooden vessels, a practice that preserves milk without refrigeration in the desert.

Frequently asked questions

What is Garoor?

Garoor is a fermented & pickled from Djibouti: soured camel milk left to ferment in a gourd, drunk tart and thin. Afar and Issa herders ferment camel milk in smoked wooden vessels, a practice that preserves milk without refrigeration in the desert.

How long does Garoor take to make?

Garoor takes 20 min plus 1 to 2 days souring of preparation and no cooking at all. The recipe makes makes about 1.5 litres. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Garoor?

Yes, within limits. Whole cow’s milk, which sours the same way but sets thicker. Goat’s milk, which is closer to camel’s in behaviour.

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

Smoke the inside of the vessel first: burn a small handful of twigs down to embers, drop them in, cover the mouth and roll it so the smoke coats the whole inner wall. Leave 10 minutes, then tip out the embers and wipe away the ash.