How is kashk used in Iranian cuisine?
Kashk is a salty, sour dried or liquid milk product used in Iran to season soups and dips. It is dissolved in water or sprinkled over finished dishes, as in ash reshteh, kashk-e bademjan (eggplant dip) and kalleh joosh. Add it near the end of cooking, because it curdles if boiled in a soup.
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In this article
What is kashk?
Kashk is a salty and sour fermented milk product used in Iranian cooking. Traditionally, fermented milk is churned into butter, the sour liquid left behind (dugh) is boiled and drained in a cloth bag, and the solid that remains is salted, rolled into balls and sun-dried. Some English sources call it fermented whey, but one detailed account points out that the whey drains away and kashk is the solid left behind. Labels and sources differ, so read the jar.
How is kashk used in Iranian cooking?
- Ash reshteh: the thick noodle and herb soup is topped with white streaks of kashk.
- Kashk-e bademjan: a fried eggplant dip with a sour kashk base.
- Kalleh joosh: a quick soup of kashk, onion, walnuts and mint, where kashk is the main flavor.
It is mostly a seasoning, used for its salty, sour flavor.
What forms does it come in?
| Form | How to use it |
|---|---|
| Dried balls or chunks | Hard and crumbly; check the pack for how to prepare it |
| Liquid kashk in a jar | Sold ready to use; industrial versions are ground, mixed with water and salt, and pasteurized |
How do you cook with it?
- Stir it in at the end, or serve it on top. It curdles if boiled in a soup.
- Taste before salting the dish, since kashk is already salty.
- Packaged, pasteurized kashk is the safer choice; the source says homemade liquid kashk should be boiled for 20 minutes before eating.
How should you store and buy it?
Dried kashk is reported to keep for a year or more without refrigeration. The source recommends packaged, pasteurized kashk over loose kashk sold from sacks. Follow the storage instructions on the label once a jar is open.
Can I substitute kashk?
The source I used does not name a substitute. Related products exist in other cuisines, but they are not interchangeable. If you cannot find kashk, look for it in a Middle Eastern or Persian grocery store.
What does kashk taste like?
Salty and sour at once. The sourness builds slowly and lingers.
People also ask
Is kashk the same as fermented whey?
Many English sources say so, but a detailed account says the whey drains away and kashk is the solid that remains. Check the product label.
What dishes use kashk?
Ash reshteh, kashk-e bademjan (eggplant dip) and kalleh joosh are the best known.
Can you boil kashk?
Avoid it. Kashk curdles if boiled in a soup, so add it at the end or on top.
Sources
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