Today's cheese is tel panir!
Tel panir is also called husats panir, which has a literal translation of "braided cheese". Traditionally, it used to be stored in brine and clay pots. However, in the modern day, enamel and glass containers have become an acceptable substitute.
To make it, you start with pouring a gallon of whole milk into a large pot. Heat it at a medium-high temperature, stir it every so often to prevent scalding. But right before it boils and froths, you must remove the milk from the heat. After this, add a half cup buttermilk and a quarter cup of citric acid solution into the milk. The juice of two lemons or a quarter cup of white vinegar are also acceptable.
After all such materials are combined, you must stir it in a gentle manner for about a minute. It should become solid curds and slightly green, watery whey. If this is not your result at this stage, heat the milk again until the curds and whey separate.
Now that you have the curds, they must be strained. Place a cheesecloth over a colander, and place it into the sink. Then, you must pour your soon-to-be cheese onto the cloth, letting the whey drip through into the colander. Once the curds remain, add 1-2 teaspoons of salt, a half teaspoon of mahlab powder, and a half teaspoon of nigella seeds. Finally, grab the rag's corners in order to wring the last of the whey from the curds.
Using the cloth, shape the cheese into balls. Afterwards, place the balls between two plates, setting a weight atop them, in order to remove excess moisture. Afterwards, refrigerate the cheese for two hours.
Next, you retrieve some of the newly strained whey, pouring it into a separate pan and heating it. While this is happening, cut the cheese into several thick slices. Once the whey is sufficiently warmed, place the slices into the pot to soften them up for a few seconds. Once soft, pull the cheese into several fine, long strands, following by braiding them up into nice ropes.
Finally, the brine. This step is rather simple. Place the braids into a container, followed by dissolving a tablespoon of salt in either water or warm whey to make the brine. Afterwards, drizzle the liquid over the cheese until they are nice and properly covered. At last, store the cheese in the fridge for a week, in order to preserve the texture and freshness.
Give it a try yourself!
Author Farokh Talati breaks down the process step by step.
