By Shireen Jamooji
January, 2024
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India is home to many regional specialities, but one that often gets overlooked are our local cheeses. Here are a few special varieties that can be found in different communities and states across the country.
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A crumbly salty cheese from the town of Bandel in West Bengal, this cheese is used similarly to feta and has a distinctive smoky flavour.
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Mellow but with a slight sharpness that’s comparable to gouda, this cheese originated from Sikkim and is also made in the hills of West Bengal.
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A favourite of the Parsi community, this soft cheese is silky smooth and can either come in balls like mozzarella or in small basket shapes - from which they got their name.
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A traditional mountain cheese crafted from a blend of yak and cow milk, it’s tough and chewy and can be found in various parts of the Himalayan region.
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With Bengali roots and Portuguese influences, this Indian cheese is created by heating milk and curdling it with a splitting agent, commonly lemon juice.
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Hailed as a denser equivalent to mozzarella, it’s made by the nomadic Gujjar tribe in Jammu and Kashmir. They are deep-fried and seasoned with salt and chilli powder.
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Straight from the homes of the Kashmiri Gujjar tribes, Qudam is a salty, chewy cheese with a mellow flavor and a distinctive rubber-like crumbly texture.
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