Patrick Oconnell
Karish cheese, also known as cottage cheese, is a popular soft cheese in Egypt. It is made from the random fermentation of milk and has been produced since ancient times. Karish cheese is often served as a dip, mixed with olive oil, mint, spices, tomato, and pepper, and served with hot pita bread or crackers. It can also be used in a variety of recipes and is commonly eaten for breakfast or dinner. Fried cheese, or gebna maqleyya, was a common food in Egypt during the Middle Ages and continues to be enjoyed today, with cheese often served alongside bread, jams, and olives for breakfast.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cheese type | Karish, a soft, white cheese |
| Ingredients | Milk, olive oil, mint, spices, tomato, pepper, vinegar or lemon juice |
| Preparation | Milk is mixed with salt, brought to a gentle simmer, and then a spoonful of vinegar or lemon juice is added. The milk curdles and solids are separated from the whey. |
| Serving suggestions | Karish cheese is served as a dip with hot pita bread or crackers. It can also be served as a salad or stuffed in pancakes. |
| Consumption | Karish cheese is consumed at breakfast or dinner and is used in many recipes. |
| Nutritional benefits | Karish cheese is a good source of protein and contains probiotics. |
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What You'll Learn
Karish cheese is served as a dip with pita bread or crackers
Karish cheese is a soft, white cheese that is popular in Egypt. It is made from skimmed milk and probiotics, and it is often used as an ingredient in many recipes. Karish cheese can be served as a dip with pita bread or crackers.
To make Karish cheese at home, you will need milk, vinegar or lemon juice, and salt. The milk is gently heated and a spoonful of vinegar or lemon juice is added to it. This causes the milk to curdle and separate into solids and whey. The solids are then mixed with salt to form the Karish cheese.
Once the Karish cheese is ready, it can be served as a dip. To make the dip, mix the cheese with olive oil, mint, spices, tomato, and pepper. Transfer the mixture to a serving dish and garnish with fresh mint and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve the dip with hot pita bread or crackers.
Karish cheese is a versatile ingredient that can also be used in other dishes. It can be served as a side dish or appetizer, or used in recipes such as qatayef, a dessert of pancakes stuffed with cheese and fried. Karish cheese is also used to make mish, a sharp and salty Egyptian cheese that is fermented in a bath of milk and spices.
In Egypt, cheese is often served at breakfast, along with bread, jams, and olives. Karish cheese is a popular choice for this meal, as it is a soft and creamy cheese with a rich taste. It can be enjoyed on its own or used as a spread on bread.
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It is served as a side dish or appetiser
Karish cheese is a soft, white cheese that is popular in Egypt. It is made from cottage cheese, which is dried and then mixed with olive oil, mint, spices, tomato, and pepper. It can be served as a side dish or appetiser, often with hot pita bread or crackers. Karish cheese is also used in a variety of recipes and can be eaten at breakfast or dinner.
Karish cheese is a versatile ingredient that can be used in many dishes. It is a good option for those looking to reduce food waste, as it can be made using leftover milk. The process of making Karish cheese is simple and economical, requiring just a few main ingredients: milk, salt, and either vinegar or lemon juice. The milk is gently simmered and then a spoonful of vinegar or lemon juice is added, causing the milk to curdle and separate into solids and whey.
As a side dish, Karish cheese can be served on its own or as part of a larger spread of appetisers. It can be paired with a variety of breads, such as pita, crackers, or Egyptian flatbreads like ēish baladi. Karish cheese also goes well with olives, jams, and other breakfast foods.
When served as an appetiser, Karish cheese can be presented in a variety of ways. It can be offered as a dip, with pita bread or crackers for spreading. It can also be served as part of a cheese platter, alongside other Egyptian cheeses such as domiati, ultrafiltered feta-type cheeses, or mish, a sharp and salty fermented cheese.
In addition to being served on its own, Karish cheese can be used as an ingredient in other dishes. It can be added to salads, stuffed into pancakes or sandwiches, or used as a topping for dishes like koshary, Egypt's national dish that mixes pasta, rice, and lentils. Karish cheese's creamy texture and subtle flavour make it a versatile ingredient that can enhance a variety of savoury dishes.
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Fried Karish cheese is served with bread by street vendors
Fried Karish cheese is a popular dish in Egypt, with a long history dating back to the Middle Ages. Street vendors often serve this delicious and healthy dish, which is enjoyed by people from all walks of life, including the rich and poor, and even Mamluk sultans!
Karish cheese, also known as Gebnah Karish or Kariesh, is a soft, white cheese made from cow's milk. It is a type of cottage cheese that can be easily made at home with just a few simple ingredients: milk, salt, and either vinegar or lemon juice. The milk is gently heated and mixed with a dash of salt, and then a spoonful of vinegar or lemon juice is added to curdle the milk. The solids are then separated from the whey, and the cheese is ready to be used.
To make the fried Karish cheese dish, the cheese is cooked in oil until it is golden and crispy. It is then served with bread, typically pita bread or flatbread, and sometimes crackers. The bread may be used to dip the cheese into, or it may be served as a sandwich, with the hot, crispy cheese inside.
In addition to being served fried, Karish cheese is also commonly used in an Egyptian dip or salad. To make the dip, the cheese is mixed with olive oil, mint, spices, tomato, and pepper. It is then served with hot pita bread or crackers and enjoyed as a delicious and healthy snack or appetizer. The dip can also be customised to one's taste by adding ingredients such as green bell pepper, chilli pepper, onions, paprika, or cayenne pepper for an extra kick.
Karish cheese is a versatile and nutritious ingredient that is loved by Egyptians and can be prepared in a variety of ways, making it a staple in Egyptian cuisine.
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Karish cheese is used in a pancake dish called Qatayef
Karish cheese is a soft, white Egyptian cheese. It is often used in a pancake dish called Qatayef, which is of Fatimid origin and is commonly served during the month of Ramadan. Qatayef is a dessert that is popular in Middle Eastern countries, including Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, and Jordan.
Qatayef is made by frying pancakes on one side, stuffing them with a filling, and then frying them again. The pancakes are then dunked in a simple syrup and served hot and crunchy. The syrup is typically made with water, sugar, lemon juice, and rose water or orange blossom water.
The pancakes can be stuffed with various fillings, including nuts, sweet cheese, or ashta (thick cream). The sweet cheese filling is typically made with farmer's cheese or ricotta cheese, yogurt, sugar, and traditional Middle Eastern ingredients like cardamom and rose water. The cheese is shredded and mixed with the other ingredients, and the pancakes are stuffed with a small spoon. For the nut filling, walnuts are typically mixed with cinnamon and simple syrup. Some people also add banana to the mixture.
To make the Qatayef batter, you will need flour, fine semolina, water, yeast, sugar, and salt. The ingredients are blended with water to form a runny batter, which rests while the filling is prepared. The pancakes are then fried on one side, stuffed with the filling, and fried again. They are then dunked in the syrup and served immediately.
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Karish cheese is eaten at breakfast or dinner
Karish cheese is a soft, white cheese that is commonly eaten in Egypt at breakfast or dinner. It is made from cow's, goat's, or buffalo milk and has a creamy, light texture that melts in the mouth. Karish cheese is often used in a dip or salad, paired with pita bread or crackers.
Karish cheese is a versatile ingredient that can be incorporated into various dishes. It is a popular breakfast option in Egypt, where it is commonly served with bread, jams, and olives. Karish cheese can be enjoyed on its own or used as a spread on ēish fīno, a small baguette, or ēish baladi, a flatbread that is a staple in Egyptian cuisine.
Karish cheese is also suitable for dinner, as it can be used in many recipes. It can be added to salads or used as a topping for crackers or pita bread. Karish cheese is a nutritious option, as it is a good source of probiotics and has been found to have health-stimulating properties.
One popular way to serve Karish cheese is in a dip. The cheese is mixed with olive oil, mint, spices, tomato, and pepper to create a flavourful and creamy appetizer. This dip can be served with hot pita bread or crackers, providing a delicious and healthy option for any meal.
Karish cheese is also used as a base for other dishes, such as the traditional Egyptian cheese balls or fried cheese. Fried cheese, or gebna maqleyya, was a common food in medieval Egypt and is still enjoyed today. It is cooked in oil and served with bread, making it a tasty and versatile option for breakfast or dinner.
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Frequently asked questions
Karish cheese, also known as Karish cottage cheese, is a soft, white cheese that is the most popular soft cheese in Egypt.
Egyptians serve Karish cheese in many ways. It can be eaten at breakfast or dinner, used in many recipes, or served as a dip with hot pita bread or crackers.
Karish cheese dip, or "Gebna Karish bel Tamatem" in Egyptian dialect, is a creamy cottage cheese dip with spices, mint, tomato, and olive oil.
To make Karish cheese dip, you mix dry cottage cheese with olive oil, mint, spices, tomato, and pepper in a bowl. Then, transfer the mixture to a serving dish and garnish with fresh mint and a drizzle of olive oil.
Karish cheese is a rich and nutritious food with many health benefits. It is made using skimmed milk UF-retentate and probiotics, which have been shown to have positive effects on health in rat studies.
