How suluguni differs from other pickled cheeses, composition and calorie content. The benefits and harms of a fermented milk product, recipes and production history.
Suluguni is a pickled cheese, a national product of the peoples of the Caucasus. Color - white or slightly yellow, consistency - dense, layered. The taste is moderately salty. Elastic, melts when heated. Completely homogeneous in structure, but delamination at the edges is allowed. Usually the crust is absent. If earlier they were released in the form of round or oblong heads, now they are offered in pigtails. Cheese in this form is saltier, dark yellow or ocher in color. It is used by itself, as a snack, and for the manufacture of various dishes.
Features of making suluguni
The initial raw material for a classic fermented milk product of industrial production is a mixture of milk (cow's 3 parts and one goat, buffalo or sheep). Due to the impossibility of obtaining additional raw materials, it is allowed to use one type of product.
Cooking suluguni
- Preparation of raw materials - pasteurization and introduction of starter culture from lactic acid bacteria in the amount of 0.7-1.2%. The acidity interval when working with one type of raw material is 20-21T, with a mixture - 22-25T.
- Preparation of the curd at a temperature of 31-35 ° C. To obtain an elastic and dense consistency, 32-35 minutes is enough.
- Then the curd is turned over and heated, cutting into grains 5-10 mm in size. The process takes up to 10 minutes. A second heating at 34-37 ° C may be required.
- Preparing for ripening - cheddarization. They wait until the curd grains settle by themselves, then they are pressed, draining 70% of the whey. Acidity (pH) should be 5.5-5.7. During ripening in the whey, the temperature in the bath is maintained at 28-32 ° C.
- The raw materials are left for 4-5 hours, turned over several times. Maturity indicators - the appearance of eyes and an increase in acidity up to 140-160T.
- To assess the quality of the curd mass, a melting test is carried out. A piece weighing 30 g is immersed in hot water, stretched and twisted. If the threads do not break, they can be given the desired shape, you can proceed to the next stage.
- Melting. The cheese mass is cut into strips up to 1 cm thick, dipped in whey heated to 70-80 ° C, kneaded to a homogeneous consistency in a kneading machine and laid out on a pressing table.
- The almost finished suluguni cheese is formed by cutting into a piece of the desired size and manually wrapping the edges several times until it is possible to obtain the shape of a ball, and then dipping in cold salted water or whey. Brine concentration - 16-20%, temperature - 8-12 ° С. The acidity of the finished product is 4, 9-5, 1.
Pre-sale preparation consists of installation on stands in the refrigerator and product labeling.
At home, suluguni cheese is made by each family in its own way:
- Classic recipe … Milk is heated to 35 ° C, pepsin purchased from a pharmacy and sometimes calcium chloride are added. The curd mass is suspended in gauze folded in several layers to remove the whey. The liquid is not drained, it will be useful in the future. An hour later, break off a piece from the cheese mass and dipped in boiling water. If melting has begun, the product can be pulled out. A dense lump is cut into layers and immersed in cold water for 20 minutes. This is necessary to stop fermentation. Next, the layers are cut into cubes and laid out in warm water with a temperature of 65 ° C. The liquid is constantly changed or added so that it does not cool down. As soon as the cheese mass becomes homogeneous, the suluguni is dipped in the whey brine for 10-12 hours. Then the heads are taken out, washed with cold running water and cooled for 5-6 hours on a refrigerator shelf.
- Suluguni with high fat sour cream (not less than 30%) … Milk, 2, 2 liters, heated to bubbles, without boiling, reduce the gas, add 40 g of salt, stir. The sourdough is prepared separately: 4 eggs are beaten, sour cream is poured - 220-240 ml, added to the milk in a spoon, stirring constantly. Do not turn off until the curd mass exfoliates. Roll the cheesecloth in several layers, line a colander, allow the whey to drain, and then hang a knot with cottage cheese to remove the liquid completely. Then squeeze the clot with your hands and, without removing the fabric, put oppression on top - from 5 kg. Let it brew for 5-6 hours, draining the released serum. As soon as it ceases to stand out, the head is removed to the refrigerator.
- Smoked cheese … A little water is poured into 3 liters of milk, heated to 38 ° C. To prepare the tea leaves, half an ampoule of Calcium Chloride, rennet on the tip of a knife and a little salt are diluted in 20 ml of boiled warm water. Fermented over low heat, left for 5 hours, until a dense lump is obtained. The cheese is compacted with gauze, colander and oppression, as in the recipes already described. Suluguni is made with a crust like cheese, according to other recipes. But as soon as the curd mass is compacted, it is cut into cubes and immersed in hot water. Stir with a wooden spatula until they start to stick together. A dense cheese mass should be obtained in the liquid. The head is formed manually by bending the edges of the formed layer. The cheese is spread in the refrigerator to inhibit ripening, and then placed in a strong 20% whey brine. Turn it over several times, and smoke it after 12 hours. Smoking continues for up to 4 hours until an amber crust is obtained.
There are many homemade suluguni recipes. The cheese is allowed to ripen in hot brine, lemon juice is used as a leaven, spices and herbs are added to the curd mass. If the product is prepared as a filling for pies and tortillas, the pieces of curd are not pressed, but, on the contrary, are cut before being placed in hot water. You can cook young suluguni by squeezing the whey with your hands, do not put it under pressure. You can experiment with recipes endlessly, but you need to take into account - useful properties depend on how the cheese is made and on the type of raw materials.
Composition and calorie content of suluguni
The nutritional value of a product made at home from pasteurized cow's milk is 265 kcal per 100 g.
When adding raw materials of a different type, the calorie content of suluguni is 286-300 kcal per 100 g, of which:
- Proteins - 20.5 g;
- Fat - 22 g;
- Carbohydrates - 0.4 g;
- Water - 51.9 g;
- Ash - 5 g.
Vitamins per 100 g
- Vitamin A - 128 mcg;
- Retinol - 0.12 mg;
- Beta Carotene - 0.05 mg;
- Vitamin B1, thiamine - 0.06 mg;
- Vitamin B2, riboflavin - 0.5 mg;
- Vitamin C, ascorbic acid - 0.7 mg;
- Vitamin D, calciferol - 0.71 mcg;
- Vitamin E, alpha tocopherol - 0.3 mg;
- Vitamin PP - 5.5 mg;
- Niacin - 0.4 mg
Macronutrients per 100 g:
- Potassium, K - 100 mg;
- Calcium, Ca - 650 mg;
- Magnesium, Mg - 35 mg;
- Sodium, Na - 1050 mg;
- Sulfur, S - 205 mg;
- Phosphorus, P - 420 mg;
Trace elements are represented by iron - 0.6 mg per 100 g, digestible carbohydrates - mono- and disaccharides - 0.4 g. Cholesterol was found from sterols - 61 mg. The amount of saturated fatty acids per 100 g is 14 g.
Real suluguni cheese can be found only in the Caucasus, and it is made handicraft. It is not possible to collect enough buffalo milk to run a line in a factory.
When purchasing suluguni, you should pay attention to the consistency: if it is too stretchy, "rubbery", we can talk about a violation of the production technology. Such a product does not contain the required amount of nutrients, and there is a minimum amount of nutrients in it.
Useful properties of suluguni
Official studies of the properties of cheese have proven beneficial effects on the body. The experiments were carried out on laboratory mice. The lifespan of individuals from the group that received a product made according to the classic recipe 2 times a day increased by 3-4 days.
The benefits of suluguni
- Prevents the development of osteoporosis, strengthens the walls of blood vessels, reduces the frequency of exacerbations of rheumatism.
- Improves blood circulation, prevents the formation of blood clots.
- Stops the development of degenerative-dystrophic processes in the pancreas and digestive tract, prevents the formation of neoplasms.
- With regular use, the quality of the skin improves, age-related changes slow down.
- It is quickly absorbed, restores the reserve of nutrients.
- Creates favorable conditions for the vital activity of beneficial intestinal microflora. Stops diarrhea.
- Normalizes the production of sex hormones, improves sperm quality.
- Increases the acidity of gastric juice, stimulates the production of digestive enzymes.
The beneficial properties of suluguni allow it to be introduced into the diet of patients with tuberculosis, chronic gastritis with low acidity, with lactation, and pregnant women - with stable kidney function.
Suluguni cheese with a calorie content of up to 265 kcal can be included in a weight loss diet. The product allows you to replenish the supply of protein necessary for the stable contraction of muscle fibers, without creating heaviness in the stomach. It can be safely used for snacks.
When introducing cheese into the diet of children, it is advisable to observe the following recommendations: introduce a new taste no earlier than the baby turns 3 years old, and soak too salty cheese in milk. Milk neutralizes the adverse effects of salt and increases the absorption of nutrients.
Contraindications and harm to suluguni
Not everyone is allowed to eat a product made with salt. There are some contraindications for entering the diet.
Suluguni harm can cause
- With intolerance to milk protein, as well as with dysbiosis with a lack of lactobacilli;
- With increased flatulence, exacerbation of gastrointestinal diseases, increased acidity of gastric juice;
- With hepatic and renal failure, the formation of edema, the acute stage of thrombophlebitis and varicose veins;
- With arterial hypertension.
Absolute contraindications to the use of cheese are pregnancy, age up to 5 years, lactation. The smoke used to process the product contains carcinogens that can provoke the development of inflammatory processes in the digestive system. The accumulation of harmful substances in the body can cause cancer.
Suluguni recipes
To taste, salty cheese is combined with herbs, radishes and cucumbers, red onions, green beans and olives. It is fried, added to meat and fish dishes, seasoned with mustard, various types of vinegar, sour cream.
Delicious recipes with suluguni:
- Lavash dressing … Lavash sheets (5-6) are cut into 2 parts. Lay out on a platter, grease with mayonnaise. They let it lie down so that the sauce is absorbed, and at this time they prepare a dressing - grate not very salty cheese, hard eggs, mix with chopped herbs and season with sour cream. Spread the dressing on each sheet, fold the envelope, fry on both sides in a hot frying pan. The dish will be tastier if you grill the pita bread after the meat.
- Chicken salad … Chicken leg is boiled along with spices and herbs. Cut onion, cucumber and boiled chicken eggs into small pieces, add ready-made meat, disassembled into separate fibers, add suluguni. Season with mayonnaise, add some salt.
- Winter salad … Suluguni is mixed with boiled potatoes, carrots and eggs, canned corn and herbs to taste. Season with sour cream or mayonnaise.
- Stuffed pancakes … The meat is fried in a pan for 15 minutes. Beat 2 eggs with salt, add sifted flour, pour in a little beer. Pancakes are made from batter, frying on both sides. The meat is mixed with herbs of any kind and pieces of chopped suluguni. Raise the edges, tie them to make bags, with cheese thread. You can reheat before serving.
- Eggplant casserole … The oven is heated to a temperature of 230 ° C, and at this time eggplants, tomatoes, cheese, red onions are cut into thin slices. Spread on a baking sheet, alternating a circle of eggplant, suluguni, tomato, occasionally inserting onion rings and plates of garlic. Sprinkle with oil, sprinkle with dry herbs. Eggplants are baked until fully cooked. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.
There are many recipes with suluguni cheese, but you can make a delicious dish from it without additional ingredients. Fry the original product, pre-cut into triangles or bars, until golden brown, without additional ingredients, or make a breading of beaten eggs, bread crumbs, salt and pepper.
It will turn out very tasty if you first fry the tomatoes with pepper and salt in a pan, then the pieces of cheese, and when a golden brown crust appears, put the tomatoes again. Close the lid and let stand for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh herbs before serving.
Interesting facts about suluguni
When and who first made the hard cheese is not known exactly. According to one of the legends, the recipe was invented by residents of the large village Samergelo, located in the territory of Svaneti. In Mingrelian the name sounds like "selegin", literal translation: "sele" - to knead, "gin" - cattle.
But the Ossetians call the product "sulugun", from this word came the common Russian name. The name is translated from Georgian as "soul of the heart" - "sulu-gun".
Traditionally, milk mixture was taken for production - sheep, cow, buffalo and goat milk, more often sheep and buffalo. In industrial production, cow's milk is used as a raw material. Despite the fact that mentions of cheese were already met in the 18th century, the technology in Georgia was patented only in 2011.
Watch a video about suluguni:
If you have suluguni at home, you will not stay hungry. Less salty cheese is a good snack for wine, spicy for beer. All options are suitable for frying and making salads.
