Aaruul

What it is

Aaruul is dried curd: yoghurt-based curds that have been pressed, shaped and dried in the sun and wind until they are hard enough to keep for many months. It is the most portable of all Mongolian dairy foods, and for centuries it has let herding families carry the milk of summer into winter and spring, when animals give little or none. Similar dried curds are found across Central and South Asia, such as qurut, but aaruul has its own shapes and flavours, from plain and sour to versions sweetened with sugar or berries.

Aaruul can be made from the milk of any of the main herd animals. Cow and yak milk are most common, while camel herders in the south make camel-milk aaruul, which studies have found to be lower in water and higher in protein, fat and calcium than the cow-milk kind.

How it is made

The process starts with tarag, home-made yoghurt. The yoghurt is heated so the curd separates from the whey, then drained in a cloth bag and pressed under a weight for many hours. The firm curd is cut into slices, squeezed through a mould or shaped by hand, and laid out to dry on boards or on the sloping roof of the ger. Drying takes several days of sun, and properly dried aaruul will keep at room temperature for a year or more.

When and where to try it

Aaruul is made in summer and autumn, the "white food" season, but eaten all year. In a ger it usually sits in a bowl with other dairy snacks and is offered with milk tea when guests arrive. At Tsagaan Sar it decorates the ul boov biscuit tower. In Ulaanbaatar, supermarkets and markets sell packaged aaruul from several brands, which makes it an easy souvenir to carry home.

Etiquette and tips

• If aaruul is offered on arrival, take a piece with your right hand. If you do not like it, a small taste is enough; you can quietly keep the rest.
• It is very hard. Mongolians often suck or nibble it slowly rather than biting, which is wise if you have dental work.
• The flavour ranges from mild to sharply sour; sweetened versions are a gentler introduction.
• Mongolians commonly credit aaruul with strong teeth, and its long shelf life makes it a practical snack for long drives.
• Check customs rules before bringing dairy products into your home country.