AI-generated image
Kurt
Kazakh and Kyrgyz sun-dried salted yogurt balls (qurt)
Kurt is the snack of the steppe: thick, salted yogurt pressed into balls and dried until rock-hard, so it keeps for months in a saddlebag. Herders in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan make it in summer, when the animals give the most milk, and dry it on reed mats in the sun. Children suck on it like a sweet, adults crumble it into soups, or dissolve it in hot water to make a sour drink. Bazaars from Shymkent to Bishkek sell it in white, smoked and red-pepper versions. Chef's tip: drain the yogurt until it's as firm as cream cheese; if it's still wet the balls crack and turn mouldy before they dry.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 20
Ingredients
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Stir 2 tsp salt into 4 ⅜ lb full-fat plain yogurt. Line a colander with a double layer of muslin, set it over a bowl and spoon in the yogurt.
Step 2: Gather the cloth, tie it and hang it over the bowl in the fridge or a cool place for 24–36 hours, until no more whey drips and the curd is firm and crumbly, like cream cheese.
1440 minStep 3: Taste: it should be distinctly salty and sour. Mix in ½ tsp chilli flakes now if you are making a spicy batch.
Step 4: With damp hands, roll walnut-sized balls (about 20 g), pressing firmly, or shape small ovals pressed with your fist so they show finger marks, as herders do.
Step 5: Set on a rack covered with muslin in a sunny, airy spot (or in a 122°F oven with the door ajar, or a dehydrator). Turn daily. A common mistake is drying in a humid kitchen; the balls stay soft inside and spoil.
Step 6: Dry for 3–7 days in the sun (8–10 hours in the oven) until hard right through and light for their size. Store in a cloth bag or jar for months. Eat as a snack or crumble into soups.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 60 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 3 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kurt take?
- About 20 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 20 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of full-fat plain yogurt?
- Sour cream or buttermilk, same amount.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Coastal Mombasa mix
A Mombasa street-food bowl: chickpeas and potato simmered in coconut milk with raw mango and chilli, ladled into small bowls and topped with crisp lentil fritters, crunchy chevdo and red, green and tamarind chutneys. Make the fritters and chevdo ahead and assemble at the table. It's sweet, sour, hot and crunchy all at once.
Okonomiyaki
Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き, 'grilled as you like it') is the pride of Osaka, where it's cooked on hot iron griddles in lively restaurants. Finely shredded cabbage is folded into a light batter with egg and spring onion, then fried into a thick, soft pancake with a crisp outside. It's painted with a fruity brown sauce and zigzagged with mayonnaise. Bonito flakes are usual on top; this vegetarian version uses seaweed flakes and pickled ginger instead. Chef's tip: don't press the pancake down with your spatula while it cooks. Osaka cooks leave it alone so the cabbage steams inside and stays light and fluffy; pressing squeezes out the air.
Masala khakhra
Khakhra are thin chapaties roasted slowly on a griddle until they turn crisp, like a cracker. This masala version adds gram flour, fresh fenugreek, turmeric and chilli to the wheat dough. They are a light Gujarati breakfast or tea-time snack, and lovely with pickle, chutney or a smear of butter. You can also make them in a roti maker.
