Alternative names | Shubat |
---|---|
Place of origin | Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan |
Main ingredients | Camel milk |
Chal, also shubat or khoormog ( Kazakh: шұбат, şūbat, pronounced [ʂo̙bɑt], Mongolian: хоормог, khoormog, pronounced [χɔ̙ːrmɞ̙k]), is a Turkic (especially Turkmen, Uzbek and Kazakh) and Mongolic beverage of fermented camel milk, sparkling white with a sour flavor, popular in Central Asia — particularly in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. [1] [2] In Kazakhstan the drink is known as shubat, and is a staple summer food. [3] Due to preparation requirements and perishable nature, chal has proved difficult to export. [4] Agaran (fermented cream) is collected from the surface of chal. [5]
Fermented chal is reputed to possess virucidal and virus inhibiting properties[ 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. [6]
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: [7]
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) equal to 0.1g of lactic acid per liter. [8] The chal contained Lactobacilli lactic; streptococci and yeast. [9]
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. [10]
Alternative names | Shubat |
---|---|
Place of origin | Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan |
Main ingredients | Camel milk |
Chal, also shubat or khoormog ( Kazakh: шұбат, şūbat, pronounced [ʂo̙bɑt], Mongolian: хоормог, khoormog, pronounced [χɔ̙ːrmɞ̙k]), is a Turkic (especially Turkmen, Uzbek and Kazakh) and Mongolic beverage of fermented camel milk, sparkling white with a sour flavor, popular in Central Asia — particularly in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. [1] [2] In Kazakhstan the drink is known as shubat, and is a staple summer food. [3] Due to preparation requirements and perishable nature, chal has proved difficult to export. [4] Agaran (fermented cream) is collected from the surface of chal. [5]
Fermented chal is reputed to possess virucidal and virus inhibiting properties[ 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. [6]
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: [7]
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) equal to 0.1g of lactic acid per liter. [8] The chal contained Lactobacilli lactic; streptococci and yeast. [9]
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. [10]