Chal

From Kazakhstan Encyclopedia

Template:About Template:Infobox prepared food

Chal, or shubat (Template:Lang-kk {{#switch: |IPA=IPA: |lang=Kazakh: |pron=pronounced |=|Kazakh pronunciation: }}Template:IPA{{#if:|Template:IPA audio link }}), is a Turkic (especially Turkmen and Kazakh) beverage of fermented camel milk, sparkling white with a sour flavor, popular in Central Asia — particularly in Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.[1] In Kazakhstan the drink is known as shubat, and is a staple summer food.[2] Due to preparation requirements and perishable nature, chal has proved difficult to export.[3] Agaran (fermented cream) is collected from the surface of chal.[4]

Fermented chal is reputed to possess virucidal and virus inhibiting propertiesTemplate:Citation needed not found in fresh camel or cow milk, both in its liquid and lyophilized form — a characteristic which is (reputedly) unaffected by shelf life.

Chal is typically prepared by first souring camel milk in a skin bag or ceramic jar by adding previously soured milk. For 3–4 days, fresh milk is mixed in; the matured chal will consist of one third to one fifth previously soured milk.[5]

Camel milk will not sour for up to 72 hours at temperatures below 10 °C (50 °F). At 30 °C (86 °F) the milk sours in approximately 8 hours (compared to cow's milk, which sours within 3 hours).

A comparison of the composition of camel milk and camel chal:[6]

Camel milk Chal
acidity 18°D 28°D
fat 4.3% 4.3%
lactose 2.75% 1.32%
non-fat solids 8.2% 6.6%
ash 0.86% 0.75%
ethyl alcohol 1.1%
ascorbic acid 5.6 mg% 4.8 mg%

Dornic acidic degrees are used to describe acidity in milk products, with 1 Dornic degree (1°D) is equal to 0.1g of lactic acid per liter.[7] The chal contained Lactobacilli lactic; streptococci and yeast.[8]

Chal may be cultured with lactobacillus casei, streptococcus thermophilus and lactose-fermenting yeasts incubating in inoculated milk for 8 hours at 25 °C (77 °F), and then subsequently for 16 hours at 20 °C (68 °F). Holder pasteurization does not affect the quality of the milk, but pasteurization at higher temperatures ( 85 °C/185 °F) for 5 minutes negatively impacts flavour. Chal made from pure cultures of lactobacillus casei, streptococcus thermophilus and species of torula has markedly less not-fat solids and lactose than the milk from which it is made.[9]

See also

References

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External links

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