Kaymak

This article is about a creamy dairy food. For the surname, seeKaymak (surname).

Kaymak

Kaymak fromTurkey
Alternative names	Malai
Course	Breakfastanddessert
Place of origin	Central Asia
Region or state	Iraq,Syria,Iran,India,Mongolia,Georgia,Albania,Greece,Lebanon,North Macedonia,Croatia,Serbia,Romania,Turkey,Egypt,Montenegro,Bosnia and Herzegovina,Afghanistan,Azerbaijan,Uzbekistan,Kazakhstan,Pakistan,India.
Main ingredients	Milk
Variations	Kaymer, Qaymer, Qeimer, Qaymiq, Qashta, Ashta, Makahan
Media: Kaymak

Kaymak,sarshir,orqashta/ashta(Persian:سَرشیرSaršir;Arabic:قشطةQeshtaorقيمرGeymar), is a creamydairy foodsimilar toclotted cream,made from themilkofwater buffalo,cows,sheep,orgoatsinCentral Asia,someBalkancountries, someCaucasuscountries, the countries of theLevant,Turkicregions,IranandIraq.InPoland,the namekajmakrefers to a confection similar todulce de lecheinstead.

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.

Etymology

The wordkaymakhasCentral AsianTurkicorigins, possibly formed from the verbkaymak,which means 'melt' and 'molding of metal' inTurkic.The first written records of the wordkaymakis in the well-known book ofMahmud al-Kashgari,Dīwān Lughāt al-Turk.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) in Iran. This word means 'top of the milk'. They use this name because after boiling milk, a layer of fat stands on the top of the boiled milk.

Turkey

Turkishbread puddingtopped with kaymak

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 or as a filling inpancakes.

Balkans

Palenta,cornmeal mush with kajmak and bacon

Traditional wooden bowls for making and storing kaymak (Ethnographic Museum, Belgrade)

Known askajmak,it is almost always made at home, though commercial production is on the rise. Kajmak is most expensive when 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.Kajmakalso describes the creamy foam in the Turkish coffee, and a lot of other coffees in the Balkans.

It is usually enjoyed as anappetizeror for Saturday morning breakfast, as Saturdays are market days with the best kajmak, but also as acondiment.The simplest recipe islepinja s kajmakom(pita breadfilled with kajmak), consumed for breakfast or asfast food.Bulgarians,Bosnians,MontenegrinsandSerbs,Albaniansconsider it a national meal. InAlbanianit's called ajkë. Other 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).

Iraq

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 a type of 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.

Iran

InIran,sarsheer(سرشیر) is used to describe a different method which does not involve heating the milk, thus keeping enzymes and other cultures of the milk alive.

Afghanistan

InAfghanistan,qaimakorqaymaqhas a thinner quality 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. While a lot qaimak variations are made from buffalo milk, Afghan qaimak can be made from cows' milk.

Georgia

A bucket containing kaimaghi in a home in Keda, Georgia

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.

Greece

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.

See also

• Malai

References

• The Poppy Growers of İsmailköy (2002)
• Davidson, Alan. Oxford Companion to Food (1999). "Kaymak", pp. 428–429.ISBN0-19-211579-0
• An Introduction into the Serbian Cuisine

External links

Media related toKaymakat Wikimedia Commons

• The famous kaymak breakfast of "Pando Usta" at Beşiktaş, Istanbul
• Kaymak recipe