🇲🇳 Mongolian Cuisine

Aaruul

Dried Curd Cheese

Prep Time 3 days
Servings 10
Difficulty Medium
Calories 176 kcal

Rock-hard dried curds made from fermented milk, sliced thin and dried in the sun. A portable, long-lasting dairy snack essential for nomadic travel.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1 Heat milk in a large pot until it begins to curdle. Add yogurt starter and stir gently.
  2. 2 Let the mixture sit at warm room temperature for 24 hours until fully fermented and separated.
  3. 3 Strain curds through cheesecloth, pressing out as much whey as possible.
  4. 4 Shape curds into small flat pieces or press into molds about 3cm thick.
  5. 5 Place on a drying rack in direct sunlight and open air. Dry for 2-3 days, turning occasionally.
  6. 6 Aaruul is ready when completely hard and dry. Store in cloth bags for months.

Did You Know?

Aaruul is so hard that Mongolians joke it could be used as a weapon. Children often suck on pieces for hours like candy.