Ghare Ghoroot – Persian Black Kashk
Ghare Ghoroot, Qara or black Kashk is one of the by-products of milk. It is popular because of its very sour taste and it has a brown color.
This Iranian edible is usually eaten with Kashk (dry curd) and they are a delicious combination together. This product has a very sour taste and is used as a seasoning for various dishes.
Curd water, yogurt or buttermilk is used to make Qarehqurut. You can also make it using milk (cheese water). You can use any of these liquid ingredients to make Ghare Ghoroot, it should be boiled until it becomes thick enough to turn brown and turn into Qareh Qurut. Stick around as I show you a few ways to make these tasty sour treats.
How is Qarehqurut used?
Qarehqurut has a sour and delicious taste and is served alone. Also, some of it is stuck on the Kashk, which gives a very good taste to it and is very delicious.
Also, Iranians use Ghareh in some dishes; Because it gives a sour taste to the food.
- Qaraqrout in Ash
- In Ghormeh Sabzi
- Some Torshies and Torshak
- In stews, instead of lemon juice, it gives a good taste to the food and thickness it.
The benefits of Qarehqarut
One of the most important properties of Qarehqrout is its low fat percentage, which has made this product a dietary product for overweight and high blood fat people.
Like other dairy products, Qaraqrout contains calcium. Calcium prevents soft bones in children and osteoporosis in adults
Since Qara contains organic acids, it is a disinfectant of the digestive tract, because it prevents the growth of harmful bacteria in the digestive tract.
For this reason, it prevents colon cancer and disinfects the digestive tract.
What are the side effects of taking too much Qara Qorot?
The acidity of Qaraqrout is much higher than Lavashk, and its use can erode tooth enamel and leave destructive effects on the teeth.
Also, excessive consumption of this product, due to its acid content, leads to general weakness of the body and is not recommended. Therefore, people who have weak body or low blood pressure should avoid consuming it excessively.
If a lot of salt is used in it, it is not recommended for people with high blood pressure or heart disease.
Also, if you have stomach problems, it may cause stomach pain due to its sourness and high acidity. So use with caution.
How to make Qarehqurut at home?
There are several ways to make Qare Qoroot, and using yogurt water is one of the easiest. With this method, you’ll also get some homemade, healthy kashk along the way.
How many methods are there for making Qare Qoroot with Yogurt?
You can use two methods to make Qare Qoroot from yogurt:
- Cook the yogurt until it curdles and use the curdled yogurt water to make Qare Qoroot.
- Drain yogurt in cloth, and use the drained yogurt water for Qare Qoroot.
Method 1)
For the first, simple method, follow these instructions:
Making Qare Qoroot with Yogurt (Method 1)
Servings: 5 people (Kashk+Ghareh)
Ingredients
- 2 kg Traditional Yogurt
- 1 tsp Salt
- 2 liters Water (10 cups)
Instructions
- If your yogurt is sweet, let it sit at room temperature or in the fridge for a day to sour. The sourer it gets, the better your Qareh Qoroot will be. Don’t worry if it starts to bubble; that’s a good sign.
- Pour the yogurt into a pot and stir until smooth.
- Add water and stir well until fully mixed.
- Place the yogurt-water mixture over medium heat and bring it to a boil. Once it boils (this can take about 15-30 minutes), let it continue to cook for 15 minutes until it curdles.
- Do not stir it during this step, as stirring will prevent it from curdling. You’ll see the yogurt gradually separating from the edges of the pot.
- Turn off the heat and let it cool slightly.
- Place a strainer over a pot, put a clean cloth or bag over the strainer, and pour in the curdled yogurt mixture.
- Gather the cloth and tie it. Let it drain for 8-12 hours.
- You’ll find soft kashk inside the cloth, which you can taste and add salt if needed.
- Shape the kashk into small balls, place them in a basket, and let them air-dry for at least a day in the sun.
- Qareh-Making Step: Take the remaining water left in the pot and cook it on heat, gradually evaporating the water until the color turns cream to brown, which takes 20-30 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking or burning.
- Once it reaches your desired thickness, turn off the heat. I like it a bit thinner to avoid bitterness from overcooking. Once cooled, store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Notes
This Qare won’t be very dark; it’s more of a creamy color.
Important note: In step 3, don’t stir the yogurt and water. The yogurt needs to curdle, and stirring will make it smooth and prevent curdling.
What type of yogurt should we choose?
Choose traditional or local yogurt. Store-bought pasteurized yogurts won’t work well, and it’s crucial to use a yogurt that can sour. Some of the store-bought yogurts do not sour, no matter how long you wait. Traditional local yogurts on the other hand, sour after maximum 2-3 days.
As mentioned before, leaving a sweet yogurt in room temperature or fridge for 1 day makes it sour. You can cut down this wait time to a few hours by leaving the yogurt somewhere warm (less than 35 centigrade).
Tips:
- Don’t cover the pot so the extra water evaporates.
- Use a cloth with fine holes; if it’s too loose, the yogurt will leak. Fold the cloth in half if it’s too thin.
- Taste the Qare Qoroot and add salt if needed.
- In the final stage, you can add 1-2 teaspoons of corn flour to thicken it faster (optional).
- If your kashk is too dry to shape, add 1-2 teaspoons of water.
Method 2)
In this method, you need a lot of yogurt, and it is better if it is watery yogurt; Because it returns more water.
Making Qaraqrout with yogurt (2)
Ingredients
- Yogurt preferably sour
- Salt
Instructions
- You need to separate yogurt water. Pour the yogurt into a bag and close it tightly. Place a colander under it and place a pot under the colander to keep the water in the pot. Place a heavy thing on the yogurt bag so that the water is absorbed faster. village peoples in Iran use a piece of stone for this.
- Let the water separate. What remains inside the bag is condensed yogurt.
- After making the yogurt water, you should pour it into a pot and put it on a low heat. Wait until becomes thick and brown in color. It may take 2-3 hours or more.
- Add some salt if you want.
- Now turn off the heat and let it cool. Then put it in the refrigerator until it hardens and is ready to use.
Method 3)
This is the easiest way to make Qarehqurut and I introduce it first, because milk is the most available dairy product. This method has 2 advantages: you will make Qaraqrout from milk and you will have homemade cheese on the side.
Making Qaraehqrout with milk (whey)
Ingredients
- 2 kg Milk
- ½ cup Vinegar or yogurt
- 1 tbsp Salt
Instructions
- Put the milk on the heat, add a little vinegar or yogurt to it. The milk should separate into a white solid part and a yellowish liquid (whey). Turn off the heat.
- Here you have to put it in a cheesecloth or sieve or thin bag to separate the cheese.
- Separate the white parts of the cheese. Pour the whey into a pot.
- Then boil the whey. Put it on the heat until it starts to boil and thicken; so that its color changes and becomes brown. This process may take 2-3 hours or more.
- Turn off the heat and let it cool down, the Qarehqorut is ready to be used.
Method 4)
In the 3th method you can use Doogh (Iranian buttermilk) for making Qareh.
Making QarehQroot with Doogh (Buttermilk)
Ingredients
- Doogh preferably sour
- Salt
Instructions
- Boil the doogh. Stir it from time to time until it thickens and its color changes to brown. It may take 2 to 3 hours or more.
- Add some salt if you want.
- Then pour it in a suitable container and let it cool. Then put it in the refrigerator.
- Finally, cut with a knife. Ghareh Ghoroot is ready to use.
Notes)
You can use it to make Qarehqorut when the yogurt has been left in the refrigerator for some days and has turned sour.
Since a large amount of salt may be added to products such as Kashk and Qareh in order to create salty flavor and prevent the growth of some microbes, consumption of such products is not recommended for people with high blood pressure.
After the thick liquid is obtained, stir frequently so that it does not stick to the bottom.
Do not boil too much, it may burn and become bitter.
Fresh cheese that make from milk in method 1 will usually last about 1 week.
