Nai Ge Da (Kazakh Dry Milk Curds)
Hard as a rock! Sour and Salty Ancient Cheese Carried by Nomads
Description
The traditional dried cheese (curds) made by Kazakh and Mongol nomads in the Xinjiang grasslands as a winter preserve. Fermented milk is drained of all moisture and sun-dried until rock hard. Extremely sour and salty, it is the ultimate Silk Road survival food.
Restaurants serving Nai Ge Da (Kazakh Dry Milk Curds)
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On this site you can check dictionary details and, later, places to buy or eat related items.
The Recipe section below is a general reference, not a recipe from the listed shops.
Recipe
Ingredients
- Raw cow (or sheep/mare) milk
- Salt(or Sugar)
Instructions
- [Authentic Recipe]
- (Fermentation/Separation) Leave raw cow, sheep, or mare's milk in a warm place to naturally ferment into sour yogurt.
- Heat this yogurt in a massive pot on low. The heat completely separates the liquid (whey) from the protein/fat solids (curds).
- (Draining) Scoop out only the white curds and place them in a clean cloth bag.
- Place heavy stones on the bag, pressing out moisture to the absolute limit overnight.
- (Shaping/Drying) Mix 'salt' into the clay-like curds for preservation (*Sweet versions use sugar).
- Shape by hand into bite-sized balls or squares.
- Place on a roof or net with good airflow. Sun-dry under Xinjiang's intense sun and dry winds for weeks until rock hard.
Learn more Spice, substitutes, tips
Key spices
Intense lactic fermentation tartness、Strong preservation saltiness
Substitutes at Japanese supermarkets
(Substitute with hard JP cheese or salty Parmigiano)
Pairing
Milk Tea (dunking) / Water(quenching thirst)
Trivia
[Trivia] 'Ge Da' means small lump. Condensed with vitamins, calcium, and protein, it won't rot for months. It is the 'Supplement of Life' constantly kept in the pockets of nomads riding on horseback.
Eating tips & etiquette
[Unique Eating] Attempting to bite it will break your teeth. Suck on it like a hard candy, melting it slowly in your mouth. The intense sourness triggers extreme salivation, curing thirst in the desert. Dropping it into hot milk tea to soften is standard.
Allergen
Dairy