What is kiselo mlyako?

What is kiselo mlyako?

Kiselo mlyako means “sour milk” in Bulgarian and is the everyday name for Bulgarian yogurt. It is a traditional fermented milk, sour and thick, usually white with a slight sheen of milk fat on top.

What makes it Bulgarian

• Two cultures: the tang comes from Lactobacillus bulgaricus (Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus) and Streptococcus thermophilus.
• Unstrained: unlike Greek yogurt it is not strained, so it keeps its whey. It is thick and slightly gelatinous.
• Milk: usually cow’s milk, but goat, sheep or buffalo milk are also used. The flavor and texture vary with the milk, but it is always sour.
• Protected name: EU reporting says the European Commission registered “Bulgarsko kiselo mlyako” as a protected designation of origin in 2023.

How Bulgarians eat it

• Plain, often for breakfast, sometimes with honey or sugar.
• Tarator: a cold summer soup of yogurt, cucumber, garlic and dill.
• Snezhanka: a cucumber and yogurt salad with walnuts, dill and garlic.
• Yaitsa po Panagyurski: poached eggs on garlicky yogurt.
• With banitsa, the cheese and egg pastry.

Making it at home

A starter culture sold as “Bulgarian yogurt” gives the closest result. One guide says to heat milk, cool it to about 115 F (46 C), add the starter and incubate for roughly 5 to 24 hours, then refrigerate. Times depend on the starter, so follow the pack.

Buying tips

• Check that the label lists live cultures if that matters to you.
• Choose plain, unsweetened yogurt for cooking.