Indian Cheese - Kalari

#ashokasays Did you know 299:

Today when we think about Jammu and Kashmir, mostly negative thoughts set in about terrorism and dissent etc. And when we think about good stuff about J&K its usually about beautiful landscapes and valleys. Lets read about some amazing cheese they make. On the thought of cheese we usually connect ourselves to either European food or American ones. But here in Jammu, what most people don’t know is that it is also a foodie haven and home to one of the world’s most unique cheeses, the Kalari.

If you are a cheese lover, today's post is specially for you. A traditionally ripened Himalayan cheese indigenous to Udhampur, Kalari is made of cow or buffalo's milk and has a stretchy and dense texture, with a mild mozzarella-like flavour. Kalari is the Gujjar name for this cheese. Alteratively, this cheese is often called “milk chapatti” or “maish krej” in Kashmiri. It is a very dense cheese that is usually sautéd in its own fat and salted while serving.

The main ingredient for making cheese – milk – is still available in plenty thanks to pastorals like Gujjars and Bakarwals. They are the nomadic shepherds of the Kashmir valley who move their herds of dairy cattle and their own settlements up and down the mountains based on the changing seasons.

Widely consumed in Jammu and Kashmir as a street snack, flattened kalaris are salted and sautéed in their own fat on a hot griddle. After sautéing, the cheese develops a crisp golden layer on its exterior but retains a soft, creamy, gooey molten interior. Flavoured with spices and served hot, Kalari is topped with chopped vegetables and rolled into a kulcha that is served with garlic and chilli chutney.

Fresh, moist and mildly sour, this is the famous Kalari Kulcha, a lip-smacking snack that beats cheesy calzones by miles.

So on your next visit to Jammu, may be you can try this. Or there is good news for you.
For those living outside the Valley, Himalayan Cheese (http://himalayancheese.com/) also home delivers this cheese to most pincodes across India. 

So if you thought paneer was the only desi cheese in India, think again!

INCREDIBLE BHARATHA