When you think of cheese, a plethora of global varieties like gouda, camembert, pecorino, parmesan, and of course a few Indian brands like Amul come to our minds. And if you thought paneer is the only local Indian cheese available across the country, you are grate-ly mistaken. Yes, I admit that having a fat slice of Amul cheese between buttered brun pavs is my one true love and the all-time favourite pull-apart bread with the cheese oozing out of sourdough bread sounds mozzar-hella good. Even paneer for that matter goes well with almost all of the Indian preparations. But, there are some lesser-known cheeses produced mostly in the rural parts of India, and it doesn't get feta than this!
Kalari
Kalari or Maish Krej (Milk Chapati) is an artisanal cheese produced in the beautiful foothills of Jammu and Kashmir. This one has a dense, chewy texture and flavour that would remind you of mozzarella. Traditionally made with raw goat or cow milk, it is churned in an iron pot to create curds. But now, brands like Himalayan Cheese are using modern techniques for more efficiency.
I had a first-hand experience of tasting Kalari Cheese during the lockdown when I discovered it and immediately ordered it online. Even recreated it and ate it like the Kashmiri way. The locals in the valley usually sear the cheese on a pan in its own fat until it's crispy brown on the outside and soft on the inside. Just some salt, chilli powder, and lime to taste, and you are good to gobble up this Kashmiri street food!
Where to get it: You can order online from Himalayan Cheese who ship across India.
Bandel
We gotta thank the Portuguese for this quirky cheese. Originating from the Portuguese settlement called Bandel, the cheese is dry and crumbly in texture, mouth-puckeringly salty, and comes in two varieties in Kolkata's New Market- smoked and plain. Bandel even has a reach to the contemporary Mumbai where popular chefs like Manu Chandra, Sabyasachi Gorai, and the chefs of Bombay canteen incorporate it in their menus.
Interestingly, Bandel cheese is considered the "mother" of the famous Chhena that has given us delicious sweets like roshogullas and Sandesh. Just like any other crumbly cheese, you can use it in salads, baked dishes, pasta, make a grilled cheese sandwich for a smoky kick, or indulge in the moreish taste on its own. The best part? You can store Bandel for a long time without refrigeration to continue your cheesy affair with it.
Where to get it: Head to the iconic J. Johnson or Mallick & sons in New Market Kolkata to buy the homegrown Bandel.
Kalimpong Cheese (which doesn't actually exist...err...yet)
Before going further into the details, let me clarify this cheese's existential crisis. Going back to the 1950s is when the Swiss missionary set up a dairy in Kalimpong and used the Swiss brown cows and equipment from Europe. Sadly, it shut down in the late 70s and its equipment were auctioned to a dairy in a nearby village. It tried continuing to make a similar cheese but shut down soon. And now, there's a Cheese Movement is going on to revive the taste and texture of this Swiss-yet-Indian cheese.
It is said that the Swiss Dairy used to make an Emmental-like semi-hard cheese that got its name as the Kalimpong Cheese. Although now there are several kinds of cheese produced in Kalimpong like Chhupri, Gouda, and Mozzarella but the OG "Kalimpong" cheese is yet to be re-created.
Where to get it: You can buy a similar variety of Kalimpong cheese from J. Johnson's store in New Market Kolkata.
Topli nu paneer
Do you love cream cheese? If so, then you are surely going to love the Parsi version of it. Well, it's not the same, it's more or less wobbly. You can imagine a cross between jelly and cream cheese. It's moist, silky, salty and resembles mozzarella by its looks. The cheese is made using rennet or chicken gizzards and later transferred to the saline water or whey, stored in mini cane baskets.
Even though Topli nu paneer was famous among the Bohris and Parsis in Surat and later in Bombay, now there are just a handful of Parsi ladies in Mumbai who make it in their kitchens. The chefs of Bombay Canteen have also gotten fond of this delicate cheese and have even added it to their menu.
It is said that the cheese is good for digestion and is the most effective when eaten on its own as breakfast. Or have it whenever you feel like it. After all, eating cheese on its own definitely hits different!
Where to get it: Even though Topli nu paneer is a rarity now, you can order it from a few home chefs in Mumbai who make it.
Chhupri
Chhupri is yet another traditional mountain cheese mainly originated from Tibet and Nepal. It is also made and eaten in some parts of India like Jammu & Kashmir, and Sikkim. The unique factor is that it is made using yak milk. This cheese comes in two kinds- one is made of cow milk and is soft and fresh like Ricotta; the other one is pretty hard and is made of Yak milk.
The soft version of this cheese is made when the buttermilk (locally known as maahi) is boiled and split into curds. These strained and springy curds can then be eaten as the young, soft Chhupri. Having a two-week shelf life, it is used further in pickles & chutneys, as a part of soups, as a filling for momos, and is even cooked in ghee and eaten with rice.
The hard Chhupri, on the other hand, is like a jerky- you can chew on it for hours. Fun fact: You can share and enjoy the yak milk Chhupri with your canine friends. It is probably due to the high protein content in it and the fact that without any preservatives, it can be stored for 4-5 years. In fact, it is actually sold across the USA as a Himalayan dog chew!
Where to get it: You can easily order Chupri from Amazon India.
Lofabu
A 2-3 month young, semi-hard yet creamy, mildly nutty Lofabu cheese. Seems tempting enough just by its description. And it sure is- both to cheese connoisseurs and children. Produced in Auroville, Tamil Nadu its taste and texture are similar to Duch cheeses like Edam and Gouda.
It is handcrafted using 100 % cow milk by the brand La Ferme. They recommend using it for baked dishes, melting it for creamy fondue, or serving it up in a cheese platter with wine, apres lunch or dinner.
Where to get it: Buy it from the Auroville website that ships its products across the country.
So, now you know that you can get more out of the Indian cheese scene other than their ever-famous counterparts. More the reason for trying out our country's homegrown cheeses!
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