Irimshik

Ingredients

Curd

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

To serve

• black tea with milk
• or crumbled over baursak

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 a greenish whey within a few minutes.
2. Now keep cooking, over low heat and stirring often, rather than draining it. This is what makes irimshik rather than a fresh curd cheese: the whey slowly boils away and the milk sugars caramelise, taking the curd from white to pale gold to deep caramel.
3. Expect this to take an hour and a half to two hours. There is no hurrying it — high heat scorches the sugars before they caramelise and the whole batch turns bitter.
4. Stir in the sugar if using, in the last twenty minutes.
5. It is ready when almost all the liquid has gone, the curd is a deep amber, and it smells strongly of caramel.
6. Spread it on a tray and break it up into crumbs as it cools, then leave it in a warm airy place for a day or two to dry hard.
7. Store in a jar. It keeps for months.
8. Nibble with black tea, or crumble it over bread and baursak.

Technique

• Low heat and constant attention for two hours. Scorched irimshik is bitter and there is no rescuing it.
• The colour is the doneness. Pale gold is mild and soft; deep caramel is what most Kazakh households aim for.
• Dry it properly before storing or it will mould.

Substitutions

• Buttermilk or whey in place of sour milk to curdle it.
• Sheep’s or camel’s milk, both of which are used and both richer.

Variations

• Kurt is the salty dried version of the same dairy tradition; irimshik is the sweet one.
• Ground and mixed with butter and sugar into a sweet paste.

History

Curd cooked down until it browns and sweetens, dried hard and eaten with tea.

Frequently asked questions

What is Irimshik?

Irimshik is a cheese & dairy from Kazakhstan: caramel-hued dried curd cheese, crumbled or nibbled. Curd cooked down until it browns and sweetens, dried hard and eaten with tea.

How long does Irimshik take to make?

Irimshik takes 15 min plus 2 days drying of preparation and 2 hours of cooking. The recipe makes makes about 300 g. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Irimshik?

Yes, within limits. Buttermilk or whey in place of sour milk to curdle it. Sheep’s or camel’s milk, both of which are used and both richer.

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

Now keep cooking, over low heat and stirring often, rather than draining it. This is what makes irimshik rather than a fresh curd cheese: the whey slowly boils away and the milk sugars caramelise, taking the curd from white to pale gold to deep caramel.