Van herbed cheese - Misplaced Pages

Turkish sheep or cow cheese

Van herbed cheese
Country of origin	Turkey
Region	Van Province
Source of milk	Cows, sheep, goats
Texture	semi-hard
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Van herbed cheese (Turkish: Van otlu peyniri; Kurmanji Kurdish: jajî) is a type of cheese traditionally made from raw sheep milk, though cow and goat milk may be used or added. It is semi-hard in texture, and is produced primarily in the Kurdish villages in the Van Province of Turkey.

Eastern Turkey has a centuries-long history of producing ripened, herbed cheeses. They are typically semi-hard, and have a salty taste alongside the herb aroma. Herbs typically used in these cheeses include alliums, thyme, Silene vulgaris, and Chaerophyllum, among others. Traditionally, cheesemakers making this cheese use rennet to coagulate raw sheep's milk, then mix the herbs in with the curds to drain and be pressed. The cheese is then brined, and matures underground for 2–3 months. The herbs used in the cheese have antibiotic properties, and therefore increase the cheese's shelf-life.

Otlu, produced mainly in the Van Province of Turkey, is perhaps the most popular of these cheeses. Traditionally, it is made in small dairies and villages, however, as the cheese has grown in popularity, it has seen increased production in larger cities across Turkey.

Herbs used

Ranunculus polyanthemos L. (Ranunculaceae)
Nasturtium officinale R. Br. (Brassicaceae)
Gypsophila L. spp. (Caryophyllaceae)
Silene vulgaris (Maench) Garcke var. vulgaris (Caryophyllaceae)
Anthriscus nemorosa (Bieb.) Sprengel (Apiaceae)
Carum carvi L. (Apiaceae)
Anethum graveolens L. (Apiaceae)
Prangos pabularia Lindl. (Apiaceae)
Prangos ferulacea (L.) Lind. (Apiaceae)
Ferula L. sp. (Apiaceae)
Ferula orientalis L. (Apiaceae)
Ferula rigidula DC. (Apiaceae)
Thymus kotschyanus Boiss. et Hohen. var. glabrescens Boiss. (Lamiaceae)
Thymus migricus Klokov et Des. – Shoct. (Lamiaceae)
Mentha spicata L. subsp. spicata (Lamiaceae)
Ziziphora clinopodioides Lam. (Lamiaceae)
Ocimum basilicum L. (Lamiaceae)
Eremurus spectabilis Bieb. (Liliaceae)
Allium schoenoprasum L. (Liliaceae)
Allium fuscoviolaceum Fomin (Liliaceae)
Allium scorodoprasum L. subsp. rotundum (L.) Stearn (Liliaceae)
Allium aucheri Boiss. (Liliaceae)
Allium paniculatum L. subsp. paniculatum (Liliaceae)
Allium akaka S. G. Gmelin (Liliaceae)
Allium cf. cardiostemon Fisch. et Mey. (Liliaceae)

v t e Turkish cuisine
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Cheeses	Beyaz peynir Braided cheese Circassian cheese Civil peyniri Çömlek cheese Dolaz cheese Hellim Kars gravyer cheese Kaşar cheese Kaşkaval cheese Künefe peyniri Lavaş cheese Lor cheese Mihaliç cheese Saganaki cheese Teleme peyniri Tomas peyniri Tulum cheese Van herbed cheese
Soups	Çorba (main article) Analı kızlı soup Balık çorbası Ezogelin İşkembe Kuzukulağı çorbası Mercimek Tarhana Toyga soup Yayla çorbası Erişte aşı Keledoş Kelle paça Chicken soup
Dishes	Arnavut ciğeri Ayva dolması Balık ekmek Börek Buğu kebabı Bulgur Bursa Cantik Pide Çorbalık kesme Şevketibostan yemeği Şırdan Çiğ börek Çılbır Colocasia with lamb Corn poppy with lamb Domates dolması Etli makarna Kabaklı peynirli börek Kavurma Erişte Kelle Paça Kömbe Kuru köfte Elma dolması Harput meatballs Ispanaklı Selanik Böreği İçli Pide İzmir köfte Kapuska Karnıyarık Keşkek Kuru fasulye Lâpa Lahmacun Lepsi Libje lebje basta Mallow with lamb Mantı Menemen Mirik meatball Musakka Papucaki Patlıcan dolması Patlıcan kızartması Patlıcan kebabı Perdeli pilav Pilav Piyaziye Puf Böreği Siron Su Böreği Soğan dolma Tas kebap Tatar böreği Türlü Uzun erişte Van köfte Yahni
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Frequent ingredients	Vegetables Bean Bell pepper Eggplant Leek Lentil Spinach Tomato Herbs & spices Almond Black pepper Chestnut Cinnamon Cumin Dried apricot Garlic Hazelnut Mint Nut Onion Oregano Paprika Parsley Pistachio Pul biber Red pepper Thyme Urfa pepper Walnut
Unique instruments	Cezve Çaydanlık Kazan Mangal Oklava Sac Semaver Tandır
Related cuisines	Arab Balkan Caucasian Central Asian Greek Iranian Kurdish Levantine Mediterranean Middle Eastern Mongolian Ottoman Tatar
Food portal Turkey Portal

v t e Turkish cheeses
Abkhazian cheese Basket cheese Beyaz peynir Braided cheese Circassian cheese Circassian smoked cheese Civil peyniri Çömlek cheese Çökelek Dolaz cheese Golot cheese Hellim Kars gravyer cheese Kashkaval Kasseri Künefe cheese Lavaş cheese Mihaliç Peyniri Lor Saganaki cheese Sürke Teleme cheese Tomas peyniri Tulum cheese Van herbed cheese

References

^ Tarakci, Zekai; Temiz, Hasan (August 2009). "A review of the chemical, biochemical and antimicrobial aspects of Turkish Otlu (herby) cheese". International Journal of Dairy Technology. 62 (3): 354–360. doi:10.1111/j.1471-0307.2009.00495.x. ISSN 1364-727X.
^ Hayaloglu, Ali A.; Fox, Patrick F. (March 2008). "Cheeses of Turkey: 3. Varieties containing herbs or spices". Dairy Science and Technology. 88 (2): 245–256. doi:10.1051/dst:2007015. ISSN 1958-5586.

Categories:

Herbs used

See also

References