Kurt (kurt) - translated from the Kazakh language means kolobok or pellet. It took its basis from the Türkic name "koro" and is understood as dried or dry. Kurt is a pressed and heat-dried hard cheese made from salted sour milk.
Kurt is made in many countries, such as Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tatarstan, Mongolia, Armenia, Georgia. The peoples of Central Asia led a nomadic lifestyle, so the kurt was the most popular among the steppe inhabitants. Such food could be taken with you on long hikes, they were flavored with soups and meat dishes. Curt has the property of being stored for a long time without losing its properties.
How is it prepared
Kurt can be made from different types of milk - from cow, goat or sheep. First, katyk is prepared (a product of fermented milk fermentation), then suzma is made - a clot obtained as a result of filtering the katyk. The katyk is placed in a cloth bag and left to drain for several days. After that, salt is added to the thick mixture and with the help of hands small balls, about 3-5 centimeters in size, are rolled. The size of the balls may vary depending on the country of origin. As the final stage, the resulting balls are laid out on a wooden surface and dried in the sun for several days. If the air temperature is too high, then the kurt is dried in the shade, prolonging the drying for up to one week.
Each nationality has a different taste for kurta. This is due to the difference between the starter culture and the raw material - milk. Some peoples even make kurt from mare's milk - the product is as useful and nutritious as possible. Salt, which is a natural preservative, prevents the product from spoiling, and the healing properties of milk create the maximum usefulness of such a meal.
Types of kurt
The variety of product types is determined by the spices and types of milk included in its composition. There are three kurta: dried, boiled and dried.
The dried product has the highest salinity. Its peculiarity lies in the fact that there is some pattern on its surface - a trace from the hand of a person who formed a semi-finished product. In ancient times, the peoples of Asia gave this phenomenon a special meaning, but in the modern world the process of making a kurt has become more hygienic - it is made by a chef wearing gloves, so there are no traces left.
Boiled kurt is produced using a completely different technology. The semi-finished product is boiled for several hours. After that, it rolls into balls and is transferred to dry in the sun. Thanks to ultraviolet rays, moisture is completely removed from the balls and dries up a little. As a result of cooking, this type of kurt has the most delicate and soft consistency, and the degree of salinity of the product also decreases, but a pronounced creamy taste and smell is acquired.
There is also a boiled kurt in the form of a paste. It can be spread on bread or simply consumed in its pure form. This cheese is cooked in a special broth.
An important nuance: dried kurt can also be added to soup broths and turned into a pasty state. To do this, it must first be soaked in water.
The calorie content of the product is quite large - about 250 kcal per 100 grams. However, it contains more protein (about 25 grams) than fat (16 grams) and carbohydrates (2.7 grams).
Beneficial features
Thanks to the main component of kurt - katyk, the product has great benefits. It contains lactic acid bacteria Streptococcus and Bulgarian bacillus. Thanks to them, this product gains benefits and nutritional value. The live microorganisms involved in the cooking process create favorable conditions for the good assimilation of other products. This mass contains nutrients necessary for the normal functioning of the human body. When katyk is consumed in the body, the growth of unfavorable microflora in the intestine is suppressed, a balance is established between neutral and beneficial bacteria. The product contributes to the overall strengthening of the human immune system, and also prevents premature aging.
One of the important features of this cheese is the ability to prevent nausea, which is so important during long journeys by various means of transport. Also, residents of Asia recommend the use of kurt for people suffering from iron deficiency, anemia, with increased physical and mental stress.
The kurt contains vitamin A (retinol), which helps to improve the functioning of the organs of vision, accelerates the formation of cells and their renewal. Vitamin E contained in the product is beneficial in enriching cells with oxygen and, as a result, prevents premature aging, and vitamin C (ascorbic acid) improves the body's defenses. Vitamin D (calciferol) is also found in kurta and is beneficial in preventing the formation of cancer cells and strengthening the bone and cartilage tissues of the body.
Product harm
In addition to the benefits, kurt can bring some harm to the body of people suffering from certain diseases. Due to the fact that kurt contains animal milk, which in the modern world is considered harmful, a number of unpleasant consequences and diseases are possible, such as allergies, acne, disruption of the gastrointestinal tract and intestines, and various inflammatory processes in the human body.
It is generally accepted that the beneficial effects of bacteria have no advantage over the harmful effects of milk and its enzymes.
Also, scientists have found that cheese contains a special chemical compound, whose composition is similar to morphine. This is due to the animals themselves - cows, whose liver produces morphine and codeine, which are then incorporated into milk-based foods.
Statistics say that fifty grams of cheese contains up to 70 percent fat from the daily fat intake. Excessive intake of fat in the body leads to an increase in cholesterol levels and, as a result, to cardiovascular diseases.
In addition, due to the fact that some methods of preparing cheese do not involve heat treatment, there may be risks for children, the elderly and pregnant women. The product is especially harmful for pregnant women - it contains the bacteria listeria, which can cause an arrest in fetal development or even a miscarriage. That is why scientists and doctors advise pregnant women to completely refrain from consuming kurt.
Another dangerous point in the use of kurt is that it contains the amino acid tryptophan - a substance that can accumulate in the body and cause migraines, headaches and insomnia.
In addition to all of the above, the kurt preparation method involves a high salt content. As you know, salt is hydrophilic. This entails fluid retention in the body, which contributes to an increase in blood pressure, which is associated with vascular and heart diseases in humans. Also, salt causes swelling of the body, can provoke the development of stomach ulcers. Scientists from one of the American institutes in America have proven that a high salt content in the human stomach can cause malignant tumors.
Step-by-step recipe for making kurt
Required ingredients: half a kilogram of suzma, one teaspoon of salt, a quarter teaspoon of red hot pepper.
To prepare suzma, the raw materials must be kept for at least a day in order for it to become drier.
After the suzma has matured for a sufficient time, add salt and pepper to it and knead well. Then balls roll out of the mass.
After that, the formed balls are laid out on a wooden board at some distance from each other and dried a little.
It remains to cover the balls with gauze and put them in a ventilated room for about five days.
