Kaymak

Kaymak,sarshir, orqashta/ashta(Persian:سَرشیرsaršir;Arabic:قشطةqeshtaorقيمرgeymar;Turkish:Kaymak) is a creamydairy foodsimilar toclotted cream, made from themilkofwater buffalo,cows,sheep, orgoatsinCentral Asia, someBalkancountries, someCaucasuscountries, theLevant,Turkicregions,IranandIraq.
The traditional method of making kaymak is to boil the raw milk slowly, then simmer it for two hours over a very low heat. After the heat source is shut off, the cream is skimmed and left to chill (and mildlyferment) for several hours or days. Kaymak has a high percentage ofmilk fat, typically about 60%. It has a thick, creamy consistency (not entirely compact, because of milk protein fibers) and a rich taste.
The wordkaymakhasCentral AsianTurkicorigins, possibly formed from the verbkaymak, which means 'melt' and 'molding of metal' inTurkic.The first written records of the wordkaymakis in theDīwān Lughāt al-TurkofMahmud al-Kashgari. The word remains askaylgmakin Mongolian, which refers to a friedclotted cream, and with small variations in Turkic languages asqaymaqinAzerbaijani,qaymoqinUzbek,қаймақinKazakhandShor,каймакinKyrgyz,kaymakinTurkish,gaýmakinTurkmen,კაიმაღი(kaimaghi) inGeorgian,καϊμάκι(kaïmáki) inGreek, andкајмак(kajmak) inSerbo-Croatian,caimacinRomanian. This dairy food is calledsarshir(سَرشیر) 'top of the milk' in Iran. They use this name because after boiling milk, a layer of fat stands on the top of the boiled milk.
InAfghanistan,qaimakorqaymaqis thinner and is eaten for breakfast meals usually with bread. People typically top qaimak with honey, sugar, or mix it with jam. It can be spread on pastries or added to milk tea. Qaimak can be purchased at grocery stores in Afghanistan or made at home. Afghan qaimak can be made from cow or buffalo milk.
Known askajmak, it is almost always made at home, though commercial production has increased. Kajmak is most expensive when at its freshest—only a day or two old. It can keep for weeks in the refrigerator but becomes harder and loses quality.Kajmak can also be matured in dried animal-skin sacks; one variation is calledskorup. The termkajmakis also used for the creamy foam in Turkish coffee, and many other coffees in the Balkans.
Kajmak is usually enjoyed as anappetizeror for Saturday morning breakfast (as Saturdays are market days when the best kajmak can be bought), and also as acondiment. The simplest recipe islepinja s kajmakom(pita breadfilled with kajmak), consumed for breakfast or asfast food.
Bulgarians,Bosnians,Montenegrins,Serbs, andAlbaniansconsider it a national meal.
InSerbia, it is stuffed inside a chicken or other meat cutlet, breaded, and fried into a dish calledKarađorđeva šnicla, similar to a stuffedschnitzel.
Other (Serbian) traditional dishes with kajmak (sold in restaurants) includepljeskavicas kajmakom(theBalkanhamburger patty topped with melted kajmak), as well asribić u kajmaku(beef shank simmered with kajmak).
InAlbanianit is called ajkë.
In theAdjararegion ofGeorgia, bordering Turkey,კაიმაღი(kaimaghi) is made from cow's milk in homes in the mountainous municipalities ofKeda,Shuakhevi, andKhulo. It is typically eaten withGeorgian cheeseand/or bread, and is only rarely served in restaurants.
Kaïmaki(καϊμάκι) is a soft cream cheese that can be spread on bread or used in cooking as a filling in food and for desserts. Kaïmaki can also be found as a chewy ice cream that is flavoured withmastic.
InIraq, it is calledgeymarorqeimar(قيمر) and is very popular. Iraqigeymaris usually made from the rich fatty milk of cows or buffaloes, which are prevalent in the marshes of southern Iraq. It is available both factory-produced and from local vendors or farmers asgeymar Arab.
Iraqis tend to servegeymarfor breakfast with bread, honey or jam. The most popular way is to spread it on an Iraqi pastry bread calledkahiand cover it withdate honey.Qeymaronkahiwith date syrup or honey is a long-standing traditional breakfast in Baghdad and throughout southern and northern Iraq.
InIran,sarsheer(سرشیر) is made using a different method which does not involve heating the milk, thus keeping enzymes and other cultures of the milk alive.
Shops inTurkeyhave been devoted to kaymak production and consumption for centuries. Kaymak is mainly consumed today for breakfast along with the traditionalTurkish breakfast. One type of kaymak is found in theAfyonkarahisarregion where the water buffalo are fed from the residue of poppy seeds pressed for oil. Kaymak is traditionally eaten withbaklavaand otherTurkish desserts, fruit preserve and honey (bal kaymak) or as a filling inpancakes.