Saed News: Kefir cheese is one of the products you can make at home using kefir yogurt. These small, flavorful kefir cheese balls can be enjoyed not only as part of breakfast but also as a great snack or a tasty side for your meals or salads.
According to Saed News Cooking Service, kefir cheese is one of the products you can easily make at home using thick, tangy kefir. These small, flavorful kefir cheese balls are not only great for breakfast, but they also make a perfect snack or a tasty side dish for meals and salads. This method of making kefir cheese increases its shelf life, and the addition of olive oil enhances both the flavor and quality. Furthermore, the beneficial probiotics are preserved, allowing you to enjoy the health benefits of kefir. In this article, you’ll also learn how to make kefir kashk (a traditional fermented dairy product). Stay with us!
Ingredients:
About 1 liter of plain, thick, tangy kefir
½ teaspoon sea salt
Olive oil
Optional: Herbs and spices to your taste
Instructions:
Take a clean, thick cloth and place it over a strainer in a bowl. Pour the kefir into the cloth and tie the ends to form a bag. Hang the bag so the liquid can slowly drain out.
Let the kefir hang for about one day until the whey has drained and the mixture is thick enough to roll into a ball with your hands.
Open the cloth and transfer the thickened mixture into a plastic container or bowl.
Add salt and mix well with a plastic spatula. Add your preferred herbs and spices if desired.
Shape the cheese into small balls about the size of a ping-pong ball.
Fill a clean one-liter glass jar halfway with olive oil. Gently place the cheese balls into the oil.
Once all the cheese balls are in the jar, seal it tightly with a lid.
Store the jar in a cupboard or refrigerator. The cheese will remain fresh and tasty for several months.
Note: If the cheese balls begin to crumble after a few weeks, it may mean they were too dry. Next time, you can mix in a teaspoon of fresh cream and a pinch of salt.
Making kefir kashk is simple and similar to making kefir cheese:
Pour the prepared kefir yogurt into a pot and place it over low heat. Allow it to boil gently for 15–20 minutes.
After boiling, turn off the heat and let the mixture cool slightly.
Once cooled, pour the mixture into a thick, clean cloth shaped like a funnel and hang it to allow the excess liquid to drain.
After the liquid has separated, remove the solids from the cloth. You can divide the kashk into small equal portions and dry them under the sun.
Alternatively, for easier storage, add a bit of salt and keep them in a sealed jar in the refrigerator. The sun-dried version has a longer shelf life.
There are other methods as well to prepare kefir cheese and kashk.
