Tchoukou — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

A firm, smoky aged cheese made from cow or goat milk by Fulani herders, sun-dried to a hard texture that can be grated over dishes or eaten as a snack.

Ingredients

4L fresh cow or goat milk
2 tbsp natural coagulant (calotropis leaf extract or lemon juice)
1 tsp salt
Water for rinsing

Instructions

1 Warm fresh milk to about 40C in a large calabash or pot.
2 Add the natural coagulant and stir gently. Let sit undisturbed for 1 hour until curds form.
3 Break curds gently with your hands and strain through cheesecloth, squeezing out whey.
4 Press the curds into flat round discs about 2cm thick. Salt lightly on both sides.
5 Place discs on a drying rack in full sun for 2 days, turning occasionally.
6 The cheese is ready when fully hard and dry. Store in a cool dry place for weeks.

Did You Know?

Fulani women are the master cheesemakers of the Sahel, and tchoukou is one of the very few indigenous African cheeses, predating European cheesemaking influence.