Aaruul
HB-0026 · Hand-built original · Mongolian
Mongolian dried curds — fresh milk curds shaped into small rounds or strips and sun-dried into rock-hard, intensely tangy cheese-candy. The traditional Mongolian travel snack and dessert.
MongolianDessert2 hr 30 minServes 1219 kcalVegetarianGluten-freeEgg-freeDiabeticLow Fat / Low Cholesterol
Main ingredient: milk
Pairs well with: coffee, vanilla ice cream, fresh berries, whipped cream
Servings:12quantities adjust to match
Ingredients
- 4¼ qt whole milk
- 4 Tbsp rennet (or the juice of 1 lemon as a home substitute if rennet is unavailable)
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 oz sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Cheesecloth, for draining
Method
- Pour the milk into a large, heavy pot and heat slowly over medium heat, stirring, until it reaches about 95°F and is steaming but not boiling.
- Remove from the heat, stir in the rennet, cover, and leave undisturbed for 45 to 60 minutes, until the milk has set into a firm curd that pulls away from the side of the pot.
- Cut the curd into rough cubes with a long knife, then heat very gently for about 20 minutes, stirring slowly, until the curds firm up and whey separates clearly.
- Stir in the salt, sugar, and vanilla.
- Ladle the curds into a cheesecloth-lined colander and drain for 30 minutes, then gather the cloth, twist, and press the curd under a heavy weight for 1 to 2 hours, until firm and sliceable.
- Unwrap and cut the pressed curd into small bars, diamonds, or bite-size pieces.
- Arrange the pieces in a single layer on a clean drying rack and dry in a sunny, dry, well-ventilated place, turning daily, for 2 to 4 days, until completely hard and dry throughout.
- Store the finished aaruul in a cloth bag or airtight container at room temperature; it keeps for months and is eaten as a firm, tangy-sweet curd snack, often softened briefly in hot tea.
Prep: 60 min · Cook: 90 min · Total: 3 days
Nutrition (per serving, where published)
19 kcalCalories
0 gProtein
4.8 gCarbs
0 gFat
0 gSaturates
0 gFibre
0.1 gSugars
565 mgSodium
0 mgCholesterol
1 mgPotassium
0 mgCalcium
1 servingServing
Estimated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient data