Kalari cheese
| Kalari (Kalaadi) | |
|---|---|
|
Kalari cheese | |
| Country of origin | Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir, India |
| Source of milk | Cattle's (Cow's) milk, sometimes Goat's milk |
| Texture | Semi-soft |
Kalari (Dogri: कलाड़ी or کلاڑی) is a traditional ripened cheese product indigenous to Udhampur, Jammu province of Jammu and Kashmir state of India.[1] It is a very dense cheese that is usually sautéd in its own fat and salted while serving. Kalaris are usually made from cow's or buffalo's milk, though kalaris made from goat's milk are also available, and have a whitish color.[2] Traditionally Kalaris are made from raw (uncooked) full fat milk that is separated using soured milk. The solidified part is paced in doonas (small bowls made of leaves) and sun dried. The excess liquid drips down from the semi-porous doonas and rest of the moisture is lost by sun drying. As the ambient temperature is low and the sun is strong in the mountains, the Kalari becomes dry from outside yet retains moisture from inside. Some times fungus grows on this and gives it a unique flavor.
Background
Kalari, traditionally a Ramnagar, Udhampur cheese,[3] is an authentic Dogra cheese and often made part of various cheese-based cuisines, such as the "Kalari-Kulcha," which is a popular snack in the Jammu province. Kalari Kulcha is famous street food of J&K and can be seen in the menu list of road side vendors and big shops. To prepare a Kalari, it is dabbed in salt and sautéd in its own fat, it is covered while sautéing. Preparing Kalari requires some expertise that may be mastered in couple of trials. Some people use butter or ghee for making it more viscous and for making it properly crispy. After some time the Kalari is flipped over and covered again. After sautéing, it gets brownish crispy layer outside and soft, creamy, gooey melted cheese inside (akin to melted mozzarella cheese).[4]
Kalari is often served hot and salted with tomatoes, onions, bread and cabbage.[5] In recent improvisation it is made like a burger with Kalari as the patty in layers of coleslaw like salad, tomatoes, etc. filled up in a bun. The complete ensemble is shallow fried. Earlier Kalari was served on its own without any breads. Later Kalari sandwich came into existence that consisted of Kalari placed in two slices of bakery bread with complete sandwich shallow fried in the pan containing left over fat from frying the kalari. Some tamarind chutney with red chilli powder and salt are also added.
See also
References
- ↑ Regional Research Laboratory, Jammu, Jammu-Kashmir, Annual report, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (India), 1985,
... 'Kalari' a traditional milk-based ripened cheese product is a cherished snack food among Dogra people in J&K state ...
- ↑ Krishna Gopal Dubey, The Indian Cuisine, PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd., ISBN 978-81-203-4170-8,
... Kaladi, a homemade cheese made from goat's or cow's raw milk forms the delicacy of the Kashmiris ...
- ↑ Jatinder Handoo, Sustainable Livelihood for Hills-Policy and Institutional Arrangements for Kalari Cheese in the Hills of Jammu and Kashmir, Center for Civil Society,
... Kaladi cheese, a local delicacy in the hills (Ramnagar, Udhampur) of Jammu and Kashmir ...
- ↑ Best places to eat in Jammu defines how the Kalari is fried and eaten.
- ↑ Yogita Yadav (Jan 1, 2011), "हर मौसम में गुलज़ार रघुनाथ बाज़ार / Har mausam mein gulzaar, Raghunath Bazaar (A garden in every season: Raghunath Bazaar)", Dainik Jagran,
... जम्मू आएं हैं तो जम्मू का एथनिक फूड भी ट्राई कर ... जम्मू के स्ट्रीट फूड में खास है कुलचा ... कलाड़ी वाला कुलचा ... (If you have come to Jammu, you must try the ethnic foods of Jammu ... Kulchas are the street food specialty of Jammu ... Kalari wala Kulcha) ...