Aaruul — sun-dried milk cheese
Curdled whey is drained, pressed, cut, then dried for days in the sun and wind until hard as stone. It keeps for months, is sucked slowly while riding, or softened in tea.
Curdled whey is drained, pressed, cut, then dried for days in the sun and wind until hard as stone. It keeps for months, is sucked slowly while riding, or softened in tea.
When summer swells the mares with milk, I let nothing go to waste: what we do not drink, I curdle and spread on the felt of the roof, in the full sun. The wind and the sky harden it, and when winter comes, when snow hides the grass, these little white stones keep us alive. Put one in your cheek before the long road, rider — it melts slowly and stays with you all day.
- •Curdled milk (mare, cow, or yak) — full cauldron (base)
- •Steppe sun and wind — several days (drying)
Aaruul — sun-dried milk cheese
Curdled whey is drained, pressed, cut, then dried for days in the sun and wind until hard as stone. It keeps for months, is sucked slowly while riding, or softened in tea.
Why this dish? Aaruul dried on the roofs of yurts all summer to feed the household in winter and warriors on campaign. Managing these dairy reserves was central to Börte's role as steward of the imperial camp.
When summer swells the mares with milk, I let nothing go to waste: what we do not drink, I curdle and spread on the felt of the roof, in the full sun. The wind and the sky harden it, and when winter comes, when snow hides the grass, these little white stones keep us alive. Put one in your cheek before the long road, rider — it melts slowly and stays with you all day.
Ingredients (period version)
- Curdled milk (mare, cow, or yak) — full cauldron (base)
- Steppe sun and wind — several days (drying)
Ingredients
- Plain full-fat yogurt — 1 kg (base)
- Whole milk — 500 ml (yield)
- Lemon juice or acidic whey — 2 tbsp (curdling aid)
Method
- Gently heat the milk and yogurt without boiling, add lemon juice to curdle: the curds separate from the whey.
- Pour into a clean cloth, hang, and let drain for several hours until a firm paste forms.
- Press under a weight overnight to expel moisture.
- Cut into small sticks or diamonds.
- Dry on a rack in a dry, airy place (or oven at 50°C with door ajar) for several days, until hard. Store in a dry place.
How it was made : Drying dairy was the great preservation technique of the steppes, without salt or smoking. On ger roofs, aaruul hardened in the sun; its hardness and acidity made it almost incorruptible, ideal for Mongol military campaigns.
The contemporary twist : 'Nomadic appetizer' version: barely dried aaruul, still tender, rolled in seeds, to nibble like a keeper cheese.
Börte · Charactorium