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Shor
Şor: Azerbaijani salted dry curd cheese for breakfast
In Azerbaijani villages şor is made from what is left after churning butter from soured milk: the curds are heated, drained in a cloth, salted and left to dry into a crumbly, tangy cheese. On the breakfast table in Shaki or Ganja it sits beside fresh herbs, cucumbers, butter and bread, with tea in pear-shaped glasses. This home version uses natural yogurt and milk, and needs about 12 hours to drain and dry. It is set with acid and heat, so no rennet is used. The mistake is boiling the mixture hard, which makes rubbery curds; heat it gently until it just separates. Chef's tip: add the salt after draining, crumbling it through with your fingers, so you can taste and stop when it is pleasantly salty.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 1 ⅛ lb natural full-fat yogurt
- 1 litre full-fat milk
- 1 tsp saltor to taste
- 1 bunch fresh herbs (dill, tarragon, coriander) (optional)to serve
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Whisk 1 ⅛ lb natural full-fat yogurt into 1 litre full-fat milk in a heavy pan and heat over a medium-low heat, stirring gently, for 20–25 minutes, until white curds separate from a yellowish whey. Do not let it boil hard.
25 minStep 2: Take off the heat and leave for 10 minutes so the curds firm up.
10 minStep 3: Line a sieve with a clean muslin cloth, pour in the curds, and let the whey drain. Tie up the cloth and hang it over a bowl in the fridge for 8–12 hours, until firm and dry.
Step 4: Crumble the curd into a bowl and work in 1 tsp salt with your fingers. Press into a small dish, or spread out to dry further if you like it crumbly.
Step 5: Serve with 1 bunch fresh herbs (dill, tarragon, coriander), bread and tea. Keep covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 120 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbs
- 6 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does shor take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 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 natural full-fat yogurt?
- Sour cream or buttermilk, same amount.
- What can I use instead of full-fat milk?
- Oat, soy or almond milk, same amount (use unsweetened for savoury dishes).
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