Known as Choukalik or Chinglish in other Middle Eastern countries, the Sourki or Souklig is a home-made cheese with lots of herbs and spices. Usually made in the summer then dried and used in the winter, this cheese can be stored in jars for months, sometimes without refrigeration. Eventually the cheese would turn blue/black and taste like the western Blue cheese or Rokefort.

Ingredients

• 1 Gallon low-fat milk
• 2 Tbs plain yogurt
• 1 Tbs ground mild chili pepper
• 2 Tbs dry thyme
• 1-2 Tbs salt (to taste)
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp All Spice

Preparation

1. Boil the milk in a saucepan
2. Turn heat off
3. Wait 20-30 minuts, then add the yogurt into the milk
4. Stir the milk and the yogurt well
5. Cover the pan with a blanket to keep it warm up to 7 hours
6. Turn the heat on and boil the mixture on the stove. This will produce cheese
7. Turn off heat and wait until mixture is room temperature
8. Drain the water using a cotton cloth bag for about 1-2 hours
9. Add all ingredients to the cheese and mix. (At this stage the cheese is ready to eat. Add olive oil and serve)
10. Using water, knead the cheese to form a dough-like mixture
11. Make baseball-size balls of cheese
12. Place the cheese balls, or Sourkis, on a cloth or a paper towel in a flat cooking pan
13. Leave the pan in the kitchen up to 2 days to dehidrate the cheese balls
14. Store the Sourkis in air-tight jars and in the refrigerator
15. Sourki will turn black in a few months and form a layer on the surface
16. When ready to eat, scratch the surface of the Sourkis and serve

As time goes by, the Sourki will have an odor stronger than the Rokefort cheese. Many people find it hard to eat the Sourki in this stage, but served with tomatoes or in salads, this is a delicacy.

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