Recipe for making Halumi cheese at home

Cheese Halumi (Halloumi) called a subspecies, which is produced on the island of Cyprus. It is cooked using mostly sheep milk and, in some cases, goat milk. Halumi - white cheese, with the ability to fry it on the grill.This variety can be consumed either fresh, watered with lemon juice, or stored in saline whey or in the freezer for up to 12 months, and enjoy it later.

Khalumi cheese is unique in that the heat does not melt it well, it continues to remain elastic, only acquires a beautiful caramel crust, and for this reason it received another name - “grilled cheese”.

Cypriots like to combine the Halloumi variety with watermelons (the salinity of the product can well shade the watermelon flavor), with various varieties of honey, with sesame seeds, with tomatoes. Strikingly delicious and fried Halloumi with garlic and sesame seasoning. Cheese is added even in kebabs. Surely, you can remember other dishes with options for using Halumi, there are a lot of them and, without a doubt, everyone will be able to find one that he especially likes.

In many cases, the Khalumi variety is sprinkled with dried mint leaves because it can give it specific signs of freshness. The classic version of the preparation of this variety involves the use of a high oblong cylindrical shape, which subsequently will make it possible to make slices from cheese. In the absence of the possibility of buying sheep or goat milk, it is allowed to try to make Halumi using ordinary cow's.

Preparing this kind of house is not easy, but interesting. Halumi is able to roast, but does not melt well due to the fact that he is able to do this only at a sufficiently high temperature. This property is achieved through low acidity (high pH).

Like any other product, this cheese has both pluses and minuses. Here is what can be said about the benefits and composition:

• Vitamin C - strengthens the immune system;
• Vitamin B - contributes to the proper functioning of the nervous system and brain;
• choline - lowers the amount of cholesterol in the blood, reduces swelling;
• retinol - improves vision;
• magnesium and potassium - adjust the work of the heart and blood vessels;
• calcium and phosphorus - strengthen bones.

But what is said about the harm:

• side effects are possible due to the colossal concentration of fats;
• possible imbalance BJU, slowing metabolism;
• abundance of salt, which is not always good for people with heart and kidney disease;
• animal feed, which is used for cooking, may contain many harmful antibiotics and hormones.

Cooking Halloumi cheese at home is not an easy task, but the result will please both households and guests.

Ingredients:

• milk - 9 l;
• Starting culture MA-4000 or its equivalent - 0.25 g;
• lipase - 2 g (for cultivation you will need a tablespoon of non-chlorinated water);
• calcium chloride - 2.5 ml (two large spoons of non-chlorinated water will be needed for cultivation);
• rennet enzymes - 3.5 ml (to dilute, take 4 tablespoons of water);
• salt - from 2 to 4 tablespoons;
• dried mint - to taste.

Consider the phased cooking of Cyprus delicacies.

• Heat 9 liters of milk to 30-34 degrees and pour 0.25 mg of starter into it.
• Let stand for 3-5 minutes.
• Stir for 2-5 minutes.
• Add 2 g of lipase and stir for about 30 seconds.
• Add 2.5 ml of calcium chloride and mix again.
• Pour 3.5 ml of rennet enzyme and stir the mixture for about a minute.
• Leave the milk mass for about 40 minutes, the temperature should not be below 30-34 degrees.
• Cut the mass in the form of cubes with sides of 2-4 cm and leave for 5 minutes.
• Then slowly stir and heat to 38-42 degrees for 20-30 minutes.
• Then we begin to mix, without changing the temperature values. The time is 20 minutes.
• Wait until the clots of cheese shrink in volume and become round. Leave for 5 minutes.

• Compress the clots of cheese with your hands, forming a mass. The choice of the cook - or the formation of several smaller cakes, or one large ball, the shape does not matter.
• For future use, the whey is poured into any container (as an option, from this whey, you can later cook Ricotta cheese).
• Transfer the entire volume of the cheese mass into the mold, tamping it with your hands and making sure that the mass is well stuck together. The resulting mixture is left for some time to glass excess serum.
• Heat the serum to 90 degrees.
• Remove the curd from the mold and cut into small pieces, approximately 6 cm each. Place in a container where the whey is already heated.
• It is recommended to use a container with a bottom of considerable thickness to prevent burning of the cheese. Another option is to use gauze or colander for the interlayer.
• Boil the cheese mass for 40-80 minutes, maintaining the temperature of 87-90 degrees.
• Willingness of cheese is determined by how it floats.
• Get ready-made Halumi from the tank and pour some water over it.
• Sprinkle each part with a mixture of salt and mint leaves, fold all the pieces in half and press with your palms.
• Put to cool for 2-3 hours.

See the following video for the recipe for making Halumi cheese.