National recipes for cheeses and drinks. Chanakh cheese - preparing an Armenian delicacy at home

First, it’s worth understanding what a vat is?

Chanakh is a cheese in the form of a square block, weighing up to 4 kg and having a fat content of 45%. There is a special demand for this type of cheese in Georgia and Armenia. In the photo you can see that chanakh differs from other types of cheese in the absence of a crust on the surface. Of all the variety of cheeses, it can be identified by the following characteristics - white color, salty taste. The cheese is stored in a salt solution, and after 49 days it is ready for consumption.

If you look at it, Chanakh is a pickle variety. The ripening of the dairy product occurs in a marinade that contains salt, spices, and honey.

History of Chanakh cheese

For the first time, the product was ripened in large pots, so-called vats, filled with pieces of cheese mixed with spices. Hence the name of the cheese, from the pot of the same name. In Yerevan and Georgia, sheep's milk is used as the main raw material for cheese. In industry, to reduce the cost of cheese, cow's milk is used.

The cheese is predominantly salty, but it is possible to obtain spicy notes by adding red pepper to the marinade.

This product is in demand in cooking due to its pliable consistency, easy breaking, and easy preparation at home.

Remember that ripened cheese is suitable for consumption only during the first 2 months, after which it loses its beneficial properties.

The product is distinguished by beneficial properties - first of all, the absence of rennet. The composition is dominated by nutrients that contribute to the successful functioning and normalization of the nervous and muscular systems.

Chanakh can be consumed either fresh or prepared with its participation in dishes such as:

• khachapuri
• vegetable salad
• chicken rolls
• casserole

The product contains 285 calories, from 19 to 20 g of protein, an average of 22 g of fat, and does not contain carbohydrates. As you can see, the calorie content is not so high, which allows anyone to consume it.

Cooking at home

There is no Caucasian family that does not know the recipe for making vats.

Basically, all recipes are the same, but each family puts its own distinctive notes into the cheese, predominant in taste, and the recipe is passed down from generation to generation. And yet, how to prepare a vat? The main product is milk - cow's, goat's, heated to a temperature of 32-35 C. Then reduce the heat and leave in this state for 25-30 minutes. Next, the starter is added, and using a wooden spatula, the future cheese is stirred for 15 minutes. Next, you need to let the consistency cool, and after reaching room temperature, strain through linen cloth or a sieve. After all the steps done, the cheese needs to air and dry. Remember that at this moment self-pressing occurs. Now, I think, there are no questions left about how to make Chanakh cheese.

According to the rules, the product will be ready in 2 months and all this time it must be in a salty liquid, be it ordinary boiled salted water, or water with real Armenian spices. Initially, the salt concentration should be no more than 15%, after which it is necessary to gradually add salt. During the salting period, it is necessary to maintain the temperature within 10-15 degrees.

Homemade freshly soaked cheese is usually served with bread, fresh herbs and vegetables, for example, the photo below.

Cooking methods

Many cuisines around the world use Chanakh cheese in their dishes. One of the most common recipes for cooking with chanakh is lazy casserole.

Armenian lavash must be divided into 2-3 parts, placed on a baking sheet and greased with melted butter, lay out the filling, cover with lavash again and so on for 4 layers. The last thing should be the cheese filling. Place the mixture in a preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. The casserole filling is grated cheese, sour cream, egg. You can use the filling to your taste. It all depends on your taste preferences.

The most popular dish was carrot salad with citrus marinade and chanakh cheese.

Let's figure it out step by step:

• Chop the washed carrots into small pieces. Place in a multicooker with vegetable oil, turn on the “deep fry” and “start” program;
• Next, let's make the hot marinade. Squeeze the orange juice and separate the zest. In a small bowl, whisk together the zest and juice and the juice of half the lime. Add 3 tablespoons of sugar. Cook syrup from the resulting mass;
• Dry the deep-fried carrots from oil, add the resulting marinade and leave for 20-25 minutes. If desired, you can add cilantro feathers;
• Chanakh cheese should be cut into cubes, approximately 2 cm;
• Place pickled carrots, cheese squares, salt and pepper to taste on the prepared dishes. To make the dish more elegant, you can add pre-roasted pine nuts.

Chicken rolls remain a popular snack using chanakh.

• Preheat the oven to 180oC. Let's start preparing the marinade;
• Mix vegetable oil, mustard, honey and various spices to taste.
• Wash and dry chicken breasts;
• Next, cut into pieces no thicker than 2 cm. Beat with a hammer. Dip the breast layers into the marinade and leave for 15-20 minutes;
• While the breasts are marinating, it's time to start filling;
• Cut the chanakh cheese into cubes, sprinkle with freshly cut parsley and spinach. Add egg white;
• Place foil on a baking sheet and place pieces of chicken fillet on it. Carefully place the filling on top and roll it up. You need to add the yolk to the remaining marinade and pour the resulting rolls over it;
• The next step is to chop the onion and prepare the tomatoes. Sprinkle onions on top of the rolls, and place tomatoes, cut into 4 slices, next to the rolls;
• Wrap the edges of the foil and place in the oven for 30-35 minutes. 5 minutes before cooking, sprinkle with grated hard cheese; The readiness of the rolls can be determined by their golden brown crust. It is advisable to sprinkle the finished dish with Chanakh cheese with fresh herbs. Bon appetit!

In conclusion of this article, it is worth noting that Chanakh cheese is an original Caucasian dish, and Caucasian spices should not be neglected! The taste of your Chanakh cheese depends only on you. And don't forget that dairy products are high in fat and calories, which can negatively affect your health. Combine cheese with fresh foods - fruits, nuts, chicken, fish.

Chanakh is a variety of North Caucasian pickled cheese, very popular among Georgians and Armenians. This cheese must be matured in a vat filled with brine and spices. This is where its name comes from. The fat content of a product can often exceed 45%. Chanakh is prepared in the form of square bars weighing 4 kilograms or less.

general characteristics

Chanakh refers to varieties that ripen in various marinades. Their recipe certainly contains salt, and the remaining ingredients vary based on the personal preferences of the manufacturer. The composition may contain special syrup, spices, honey, and even the addition of alcoholic beverages is allowed. The variety of flavors of the finished product is a great advantage of this method of preparation. From one batch of milk you can create a dozen different varieties of cheese. The same applies to the variety of smells. Cheese can be produced both industrially and at home.

A distinctive feature of the cheese is that it does not have crusts. The color of the product varies from white to yellowish. The taste of traditional Chanakh cheese can be called salty and slightly spicy with a creamy aftertaste, but the composition of the marinade can change the flavor. The structure of the product is brittle, but quite elastic. It can be easily broken as it has a pliable consistency.

It is worth remembering that such cheese does not fall apart or crumble. If the dairy product you purchased has these properties, then it is better to stop using it.

This may mean that the manufacturer violated the method of manufacturing the product, or it was not stored according to the rules.

Product manufacturing

Since ancient times, Armenians and Georgians have been preparing this variety from sheep's milk. Sometimes sheep and cow milk are mixed. The modern manufacturer gives priority exclusively to cow's milk due to cheaper production. This allows us to reduce the price of the finished product.

Milk produces a mass characterized by viscousness. It is stirred and poured into molds. After this, the cheesemakers wait for it to settle. Then it is sent to brine and kept at a temperature of 11-12C. Gradually the temperature level is increased to 15C. By the time the product is ripe, the temperature is again lowered to 8-12C.

It is recommended to eat the finished product within 60 days, not exceeding its shelf life. Later it will lose its usefulness and change its consistency and taste. Therefore, checking the production date before purchasing and assessing the external characteristics of the product is mandatory.

Culinary secrets

This product is served as a stand-alone snack. It either remains in the brine, which you can simply sip, or is served cut into slices. Chanakh can also act as an aperitif. Cheese is a good way to awaken your appetite and prepare you for the main course.

The scope of application of this type of cheese is extensive. It can be added to soup, served with pasta, various types of meat or fish. You can also combine it with thick honey and serve it as an original dessert. Fried Chanakh is another great option. The cheese can be heat treated.

Experienced cooks know that if the purchased product turns out to be too salty, it just needs to be immersed in clean water. It should be tasted from time to time to assess how much salt has been drawn out by the water. The calorie content of the product is 285 kcal. At the same time, proteins in cheese are 19.5 g, fats are 22 g.

It contains no carbohydrates or dietary fiber.

Benefit

The most useful variety of the Chanakh variety is the one made from sheep's milk. This is explained by the fact that the likelihood of the presence of some harmful hormonal substance or antibiotic in sheep's milk is much lower than in cow's milk. In addition, it contains a smaller amount of milk proteins, which cease to be absorbed by the human body over the years.

However, it should be noted that the product obtained from raw milk from a cow also has its own benefits. It contains the nutrients necessary to ensure the quality of life of the body. The product stabilizes the functioning of the central nervous system and muscle tissue, saturates the body with vitamins, increases skin tone, and also makes teeth and bones stronger, as it contains valuable minerals.

Possible harm

We must not forget that frequent consumption of dairy products can harm the stomach of an adult due to the fact that the body loses the ability to break down lactose. There is a risk that this will result in a hormonal disorder, the appearance of a rash on the skin, and problems with the gastrointestinal tract. Today, nutritional science advises switching to consuming plant products and drinking as little dairy products of animal origin as possible.

There is another non-obvious feature of the cheese. The liver of cows synthesizes a specific product that has properties similar to narcotics. It can be found in milk and, accordingly, in cheese. The pseudonarcotic effect is manifested in the fact that it is very difficult for a person to stop after eating a couple of pieces. As a result, it turns out that much more is eaten than planned, since the stomach “asks” for more and more. This property is very beneficial to the manufacturer, but often results in a serious problem for the health of consumers.

Of course, we cannot ignore the use of antibiotics by unscrupulous manufacturers that are dangerous to the human body.

Popular recipes

This cheese is used in recipes from cuisines all over the world. Judging by the reviews, one of the most popular recipes with this cheese is “lazy” casserole.

It's easy to prepare.

1. Take the required amount (depending on the size of the baking sheet) of grated cheese, Armenian lavash, sour cream and eggs. This is not limited to – the ingredients are selected individually.
2. The Armenian lavash sheet is divided into several parts, laid out on a baking sheet and greased with melted butter.
3. The cheese filling is laid out, which is covered with the next layer of pita bread. This operation is repeated four times.
4. The entire structure is placed in a preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until a golden brown crust appears.

Another quite popular dish can be called carrot salad with citrus marinade. Of course, the dish is served flavored with a hefty portion of Chanakh.

Let's look at the step-by-step instructions.

1. The carrots are chopped into cubes. Then it goes into a slow cooker with the addition of vegetable oil and is deep-fried.
2. At the same time, a hot marinade is prepared. To do this, you need to mix orange juice with its zest, add lime juice (half a lime) and 3 tbsp. l. Sahara. The resulting mass should be boiled until syrup is obtained.
3. The finished carrots are dried from the oil, mixed with the marinade and waited for about half an hour.
4. Cilantro is added to taste.
5. Chanakh is cut into small slices and added to the dish.
6. Portions are laid out on plates. It is possible to add pine nuts.

Brine cheese produced in the North Caucasus, most often in Armenia. It is considered a national product of the Caucasian peoples. It got its name from a special pot called a vat in which it is made.

Chanakh has an islandy, salty, sour-milk taste, sometimes with bitterness, a brittle texture, and flesh ranging in color from white to light yellow. The heads have the shape of a truncated cone with a height of 15 cm, a diameter of the lower base of 25 cm, and an upper base of 17 cm. The cheese is packaged and stored in brine and does not have a crust. There are small eyes and cracks throughout the entire volume of the cheese body; closer to the surface, the pulp becomes slightly denser.

Manufacturing

Chanakh can be made from pasteurized cow, sheep or goat milk. Fermented milk starter, rennet or pepsin are added to it, as well as, if necessary, calcium chloride.

The milk is heated to a temperature of 70-75 degrees, then cooled to 32-35 degrees and starters are added. The degree of coagulation is checked by lifting the cheese mass with a spatula. If the curd is elastic and dense, its edges are shiny, without individual protein flakes, and the whey is greenish, then the curd is ready for further processing.

It is cut into small grains using special knives with thin blades, a lyre or a harp. After setting the grain, the cheese mass is carefully mixed for 15-20 minutes. The whey is separated.

When the grain is dried, the cheese mass is reheated to a temperature of 33-36 degrees. At the same time, the mass is constantly stirred so that the grain does not stick together. This is followed by the final drying stage for 5-10 minutes and molding.

The vat is placed in a bath and the mass is allowed to settle, then most of the whey is drained and the cheese is laid out in sickle bags. The bags are placed on the table, where the whey drains for 3-5 minutes. The cheesemaker then shapes the mixture into a conical shape by twisting the top of the bag into a knot while squeezing the bottom from all sides.

After 3-5 minutes, the cheese takes on the desired shape and is placed in a perforated mold for 10-15 minutes. Then the cheese is removed from the bag and left in the mold to drain the whey for 2-2.5 hours.

After this, Chanakh is salted in brine for at least 60 days. Every 5-7 days salt is added to the brine, as its concentration decreases quickly. White wine, honey, and syrups can also be added to the brine. After 12-15 days, the cheese is transferred to a second brine, with a temperature 2-4 degrees higher than the first (14-16 degrees).

In some cases, in order to improve the nutritional characteristics of the cheese and increase its shelf life, the heads are waxed. To do this, they are placed in warm (45-50 degrees) water, where salt is leached from the surface for 20-30 minutes. After this, the heads are removed, tightly covered with gauze and left for 1-2 days to dry. As a result, the surface of the heads becomes smooth and dry. Then Chanakh is placed in a hot mixture of paraffin with petrolatum or ceresin. The cheese is then stored on shelves until it is sold in cool, damp cellars. Waxed heads can be stored for up to one year.

Calorie content

100 grams of product contains 285 kcal.

What goes with it?

Chanakh is a rather salty cheese that can be soaked in water or milk before use. It is added to salty snacks, khachapuri, salads, and served with bread, vegetables, lamb, and herbs.

Chanakh cheese is a brine variety, that is, it is ripened in a marinade prepared according to a special recipe. The name arose from the pot of the same name in which this product was prepared in ancient times. The brine may contain completely different ingredients, for example, manufacturers use wine, honey, syrups, spices, etc. Thanks to this, the final product acquires unique taste characteristics. Both cow's and sheep's milk can be used as the main raw material.

Chanakh cheese has a salty and at the same time sharp taste. This product is characterized by a brittle consistency, but it should not crumble, as this will indicate low quality.

The cheese arrives on store shelves in unusually shaped heads, in two truncated cones. Like other pickled cheeses, it does not have a crust. As for color, it can vary and range from white to pale yellow. It is worth considering that if Chanakh cheese is stored for a long time, it can lose almost all its beneficial properties. Considering this, it is not recommended to keep the product for more than 2 months.

Beneficial features

The benefits of Chanakh cheese are due to the presence of a large number of substances that are necessary for life. It contains calcium and phosphorus - minerals that have a beneficial effect on the condition of bone tissue. Cheese also contains B vitamins, which improve the condition of muscle tissue and normalize the activity of the nervous system.

Use in cooking Chanakh cheese is an excellent independent snack that can be served as an aperitif. You can also put it in salads, side dishes, casseroles and other dishes.

To reduce the amount of salt, it is recommended to soak the cheese in water for a while before eating.

The harm of Chanakh cheese and its calorie content Harm from Chanakh cheese can be felt by people with individual intolerance to the product.

In addition, it is worth noting its high calorie content, so it is not recommended to abuse it during the period of weight loss, as well as for those who are watching their figure or suffering from obesity. Considering the presence of cholesterol and sodium, people with heart and vascular problems should use this cheese with caution.

Researchers and historians claim that Chanakh cheese, as often happens, appeared as a result of a happy accident. It has already become almost natural that every new invention, both in science and in cooking, is created only thanks to the wishes of the mistress of fate, and this is what happened with Chanakh cheese.

It is known that in ancient times, animal rennet was used by people as a natural container for storing milk, and there, as a result of natural fermentation, it turned into a strange mass. And once people tasted it, they could no longer refuse the cheese product. Thus began the centuries-old history of cheese production on planet Earth.

As already mentioned, Chanakh is a brine type of cheese, which is characterized by special gastronomic and consumer characteristics. Chinakh cheese, unlike hard varieties, is ripened directly in a special brine. It is thanks to this aromatic liquid that the finished product acquires its uniqueness and unique taste and aromatic properties.

The bulk of all pickled cheeses are considered traditional products for the inhabitants of the Caucasus and Transcaucasia. For example, Chinakh cheese is produced mainly in Armenia. The fairly warm climatic conditions of this country have contributed to the fact that local cheese makers have perfectly mastered the art of making cheeses with very specific features, which lie in both the method of storage and ripening of the product.

It is interesting that both the first and second occur in a special brine, which is prepared on the basis of various ingredients. This allows you to preserve the original consumer qualities of brine cheese for a long time. Very often, natural honey, different types of white honey, and even syrups are used to prepare brine.

Ready Chanakh has a salty and at the same time slightly spicy taste, characteristic of all pickled cheeses. The product does not have a crust, is quite brittle, but does not crumble. The shape of Chinakh cheese is also very unusual - it is produced in the form of truncated cones.

The color of Chinakh cheese is white with various variations of shades, mainly yellow.

Chinakh cheese is traditionally kept in brine for no more than 2 months; a longer period can lead to the cheese becoming too salty, which will have an extremely negative impact on the consumer properties of the product. In addition, the bulk of the beneficial substances contained in Chinakh cheese will pass from the product into the surrounding brine. Which will deprive the cheese not only of its original taste, but also of its beneficial value for humans.