List of Abayadi cheeses

Cheese has been a part of Abayadi cuisine for thousands of years, and continues to play a major role today. There are numerous varieties of cheese found throughout Abayad, each having their own culinary niche and profile. Their styles, textures and flavors depend on the origin of the milk (including the animal's diet), whether they have been pasteurized, the butterfat content, the bacteria and mold, the processing, and aging. Herbs, spices, or wood smoke are often used as flavoring agents.

Types of Cheese
Some of the most common types of cheese from Abayad include:

Yadhak
Yadhak is a yoghurt that has been strained to remove most of its whey resulting in a thicker consistency than unstrained yoghurt while preserving the distinctive sour taste. It is made from milk that has been enriched by boiling off some of its water, or by adding extra butterfat and powdered milk. Its taste is like that of a tart sour cream or heavy strained yoghurt. Besides being used fresh, yadhak is also dried and formed into balls, sometimes covered with herbs or spices, and stored under olive oil. Yadhak is commonly featured in tabaq, as well as being a common sandwich ingredient. One commonly enjoyed sandwich consists of yadhak, mint, thyme, and olive on flatbread. Flavor largely depends on the sort of milk used; cow’s milk gives it a mild flavor, whereas sheep or goat’s milk gives it a more musky one. The flavor of the olive oil used to top it affects the taste greatly as well. It is also a common breakfast dip, usually eaten in a fashion similar to hummus, spread on a plate and drizzled with olive oil and dried mint. It is also often paired as a dip with the mixed herb and white bean blend called nadya. Another version is commonly produced in the northwest, resulting in a dry, hard final product that can be stored. Strained yadhak is pressed in cheesecloth between two heavy stones and later sun dried. Dry yadhak is often eaten with bread, after being mixed with water, animal fat, and salt, and rolled into a ball. This version of Yadhak travels very well, commonly cut open and smoked when one is ready to consume it out of storage.



Mathal
Mathal is a brined curd white cheese made from sheep’s milk or a mixture of sheep and goat milk. It is a crumbly, aged cheese that is produced in blocks and has a somewhat grainy texture compared to some other cheeses. Mathal is very versatile, used as a table cheese in salads as well as in pastries such as cheese or spinach pies. It can also be served cooked (usually grilled), as part of a sandwich, in omelettes, or as a salty alternative to other cheeses in a variety of dishes.



Tokhar
Tokhar is a white brine cheese originating in the city of Akhar, from which it derives its name. It has historically been made with sheep or goat’s milk, but versions made with cow’s milk have increased in popularity with modernity. After the cheese is made, it is hand packed into square draining hoops and cured in a salty whey brine for at least two days. It has a smooth texture and a mild salty taste, and is commonly used as a table cheese eaten by itself or paired with fruit. In times where supply of tokhar has been low, Abayadis have taken mathal and made a substitute by soaking it in several changes of water to partially desalinate it.



Mawlud
Mawlud is a soft white cheese found throughout Abayad, but originating along the coast of the Sea of Azad off Western Abayad. It has a mild taste similar to mathal but less salty, and is typically used in cooking or as table cheese. It does not melt easily, and can be stored for up to a year thanks to Abayad’s hospitable climate. The texture and flavor is a result of its specific culturing from its curds that are kept together for a prolonged period longer than simpler tasting curd cheeses.



Fayida
Fayida is one of the more culinarily regarded white brined cheeses made in Abayad. Produced primarily from sheep’s milk, although goat’s milk can be used as well, fayida is white and rectangular in shape. It is semi-hard with no gas holes, and becomes soft and elastic when heated. It is a typical ewe or goat’s milk cheese, but is typically flavored with herbs and spices added to the boiling brine. It can be eaten fresh as salty table cheese or fried in oil and garlic, and is also a major ingredient of the dessert dish known as bitana.

Khizana
Khizana is a cow or sheep’s milk cheese in Abayadi cuisine, formed into balls approximately 6cm in diameter that are then covered in nadya and pepper before being aged and dried. The most common spice is thyme, giving the cheese its appearance of somewhat resembling an Eduran rum ball. Khizana is also sold in smaller balls, or in unformed hunks. Although the term is used commonly, khizana varies greatly in its texture and flavor depending on the region, spice blend, and aging. Fresh cheese have a softer texture and more mild flavor, whereas those dried and aged for a longer period become progressively harder and can acquire an extremely pungent smell and flavor. To make spicier cheeses, spices such as anise seed and chilis are mixed in before the cheese is formed into balls. Spicy khizana are often covered in chili, especially in the south of Abayad, giving the balls a red color. Khizana from the east and southeastern coastal plain around Akhar and Zil-Haryun are considered particularly delectable; these tend to be hard, with a clean, strong flavor and near-white color. Khizana is generally eaten with finely-chopped tomato, onion, and olive oil, often accompanied by a shot of digestive liqueur such as hadimat. Khizana is also mashed up with eggs or crushed in a flatbread with cucumbers, mint, and olive oil for breakfast.



Abdan
Abdan is a form of string cheese originated in Abayad’s northwest. It can be eaten plain, or mixed with pastries. After being made, it is promptly mixed with an Ayerani spice blend, often containing black cumin, anise, and caraway seeds. It is commonly soaked in brine for several weeks before being braided. It has been described as a “fine white semi-soft smooth and springy cheese with a nutty aroma.” It is traditionally made from cow’s milk, but variations are found with sheep or goat’s milk.

Tasarakh
Tasarakh is a firm, acid-set, non-melting, fresh goat milk cheese made in western and southwestern Abayad. It is made by mixing heated goat’s milk and a souring agent, notably a mixture made from the kulfin vine. Tasarakh is most often pan-fried with salt, chilis, and vegetables. While the variety of cheese originated in Abayad, it has become heavily utilized in Ayerani and mixed Ayerani-Abayadi cuisines, where it is usually steamed with salt beef or stir-fried.



Tayir
Tayir is a traditional variety of cheese from Abayad that is commonly preserved in olive oil. It originates on the island of Taymir, off Abayad’s western coast near the city of Aljira, and is believed to have been produced since ancient times. It is customarily made with sheep’s milk, or a mixture of sheep and goat milk, although sticklers for tradition insist that goat’s milk cannot exceed 30% of the mix. After the milk is coagulated, reheated, cut, and pressed, it is placed in special molds and salted before ripening for no less than three months.



Turuq
Turuq is a hard, salty white cheese made from sheep milk, goat milk, or both. Depending on the mixture used in the process, the color can vary between yellow and white. Turuq can be consumed as is, fried in olive oil, or added to dishes with meat or cooked vegetables, being especially suited for grating. It is also used along with mathal for many recipes. A popular and well-known cheese with roots in the Early Confederation era, it can be found in some gourmet or specialty stores in neighboring countries. Young cheeses take two to three months to ripen, with an aged turuq at a year or more having a drier, stronger flavor.

Hatam
Hatam is a salty, spicy cheese produced in southeastern Abayad. It has been produced there for over three centuries, known for its signature peppery and spicy taste. Also called bitter cheese, it is normally made from goat’s milk. Preparation includes artisanal cultures, derived from using samples from previous batches. After the milk is first cooked, salt and ground chilis are added, and the mixture is wrapped in cotton cloth and pressed. Aged for about two months on average, it is commonly served at tabaq with bread, chopped tomatoes, and olive oil.