Chhurpi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chhurpi |
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Production of Chhurpi in Nepal
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| Other names | Durkha |
| Country of origin | Tibet |
| Region | Tibet |
| Source of milk | Yak, Cattle |
| Texture | Soft or hard |
| Named after | Lua error in Module:Wikidata at line 70: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). |
Chhurpi (Tibetan: ཆུར་བ།, THL: churwa) or durkha is a traditional cheese consumed in Tibet. The two varieties of chhurpi are a soft variety (consumed usually as a side dish with rice) and a hard variety (chewed like betel).
Preparation
Chhurpi is prepared in a local dairy or at home from buttermilk. The buttermilk is boiled and the solid mass that is obtained is separated from the liquid and wrapped and hung in a thin cloth to drain out the water. The product is rather like the Italian ricotta, which also is made from whey. It is soft, white, and neutral in taste. However, it is often left to ferment a bit to acquire a tangy taste.
To prepare the hard variety, the soft chhurpi is wrapped in a jute bag and pressed hard to get rid of the water. After it dries, it is cut into small cuboidal pieces and hung over a fire to harden it further.
Churpi is a traditionally fermented milk product, and is of great importance in hilly regions of India, apart from health benefits, it also helps the economy of the Himalayan regions in India, Nepal and Bhutan. Lactic fermentation plays important role in the production of Churpi. Various fermented products are consumed by the native population of hills in this region, such as:
I. Khambir (Bread), II. Rguntshang (Grape drink), III. Chhang (Barley drink),
etc., and all of them got produced by indigenous fermentation.
Churpi a popular homemade cheese product fermented from milk, is also very popular among different ethnic groups of the Himalayan region in Nepal, Arunachal Pradesh, Darjeeling, Sikkim and Bhutan.
Churpi is broadly categorised : a) Soft Chhupri for immediate consumption and b) Hard Chhurpi for preservation and to be consumed later
Churpi is a masticator for gaining extra energy. The processing method depends and slightly varies from place to place in the Himalayan Region. In the deep interiors of Nepal – Churpi is prepared from Yak Milk. Whereas chhurpi in Ladakh is prepared from Dzomo Milk (a crossbreed of cow and yak). Native populations consume it with meals, meat, vegetables and soups to enjoy food and flavour, additionally deriving health benefits as well. In the hill region, Chhurpi is an integral part of the lifestyle. However, this food product is limited to hills only and is untouched till now by the general population of India.
The microbial and chemical compositions of Churpi.
Contents of Soft Chhurpi
Aerobes 9.24 CFU/g, Yeast 8.30 CFU/g, Mold 8.30 CFU/g,
Contents of Hard Chhurpi
Aerobes 5.58 CFU/g, Yeast 2.23 CFU/g, Mold 6.77
Consumption
Soft chhurpi is consumed in a variety of ways, including cooking with green vegetables as savoury dishes, as a filling for momo, grinding with tomatoes and chillies for senpen ( chutney)and as a soup. In the mountainous regions of Tibet, chhurpi is consumed as a substitute for vegetables because it is an excellent source of protein.
Hard chhurpi is usually consumed by keeping it in the mouth to moisten it, letting parts of it become soft, and then chewing it like a gum. In this manner, one block of chhurpi can last up to two hours. Its high protein content and tanginess have made the cheese a popular treat for dogs in western nations.
See also
In Spanish: Chhurpi para niños
