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Eezgii
Mongolian caramelised milk curd
Eezgii is a summer dairy food of the Mongolian countryside, made in herding families' gers when there is milk to spare: the milk is curdled with a little sour whey or yoghurt, then cooked down slowly over the stove for hours until the curds turn golden brown and caramelised in their own fat and sugar. The pieces are dried and eaten as a toasty, sweet-salty snack with milk tea through the winter. A common mistake is turning up the heat to speed it up, which burns the bottom; low heat and frequent stirring are key. Chef's tip: a heavy, wide pan gives the most even browning.
- Total time
- 190 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
- 12 ½ cups whole milk
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Heat 12 ½ cups whole milk in a wide, heavy pan until steaming, then stir in 7 oz plain yoghurt or sour whey. Keep it just below a simmer until the curds separate from the whey, about 15–20 minutes.
20 minStep 2: Lower the heat and let it bubble very gently, stirring every few minutes, for about 2 hours. The whey slowly evaporates and the curds shrink and begin to colour.
120 minStep 3: When nearly dry, stir more often for 30–40 minutes, scraping the bottom, until the curds are a rich golden-brown and smell of caramel.
40 minStep 4: Spread on a tray to cool and dry in an airy place for a day, or in a 140°F oven for 2 hours. Store in an airtight jar.
120 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 120 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 8 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does eezgii take?
- About 190 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 180 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 10 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 whole milk?
- Semi-skimmed milk with 1 tbsp cream per 240ml (1 cup).
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