Suzma

Suzma is a fermented milk product obtained by removing whey from katyk (airan). Visually resembles cottage cheese (kale). The product occupies an intermediate position between butter and sour cream, is widely popular in the countries of Central Asia: Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Iran, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan.

Interestingly, in ancient times, as a snack, travelers and pilgrims took suzma with them during long walks. Together with a loaf of bread, it saturates the body well, maintains normal digestion, and does not deteriorate for a long time on the road.

At present, a fermented milk drink is a source of calcium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, which strengthen and restore bone tissue, improve metabolism, and improve blood composition.

Production principle

To obtain a good suzma, first of all, a katyk is made. The drink is obtained by fermenting boiled milk with bacterial cultures, which distinguishes it from curdled milk. After decanting the katyk “at the exit”, a product is formed that resembles cottage cheese with sour cream in consistency. It is added to fatty soups, broths, salads or consumed on its own. The shelf life of the finished product is 3 days. After which it becomes sharp, sour.

To improve the taste, additional ingredients are introduced into the composition of the suzma: herbs, spices, fruits. It is customary to serve it in tall transparent glasses with ice or in bowls, depending on the consistency. The latter, in turn, is determined by the degree of serum decantation.

Suzma facilitates digestion and speeds up metabolism. That is why in the East it is traditionally served after eating heavy indigestible food – barbecue, kebab, roast, meatloaf.

Elixir of health and beauty

Suzma has a general strengthening and tonic effect on the human body. Due to the unique starter culture, the product contains Bulgarian bacterium, lactic streptococci, which have a high nutritional value. They prevent the growth of harmful bacteria, restore the normal healthy balance of intestinal microflora.

The calorie content of the suzma depends on the time of decanting the serum and varies from 60 to 80 kcal per 100 g.

Beneficial features:

• cleanses the body of toxins;
• increases appetite, normalizes metabolism, improves digestion;
• strengthens the immune system;
• suppresses putrefactive processes;
• increases the strength of bones, teeth, resists the occurrence of osteoporosis;
• lowers cholesterol levels, stabilizes blood pressure;
• helps to cope with fatigue, stress, insomnia;
• restores strength.

Thus, with regular use, suzma improves the condition of the cardiovascular, nervous, immune, bone, and digestive systems. In addition, the fermented milk drink is used in cosmetology for the manufacture of anti-aging face masks aimed at combating age-related changes. Serum from katyk moisturizes dry skin, thereby increasing its elasticity.

For whom is it dangerous?

Suzma is a healthy and natural drink, the main condition is not to use an expired product, as it can cause serious food poisoning.

Contraindications to the use:

• predisposition to indigestion;
• individual intolerance of components;
• diseases of the digestive system (pancreatitis, gastritis, ulcer);
• bowel disorder;
• increased acidity of the stomach;
• milk protein allergy.

In addition, it is not recommended to include a fermented milk drink in the diet of children under 5 years of age. Otherwise, it can disrupt the process of proper formation of the digestive system in a baby, cause malfunctions in the kidneys, stomach, and intestines.

How to cook yourself

A drink from katyk perfectly quenches thirst, serves as the basis for the production of soft cheese – kurt. It combines the beneficial properties of sour milk, cottage cheese, sour cream, cream. Suzma is used as a refreshing drink after fatty meat dishes. Often jam, honey, ice, mint or apple slices are added to it.

Ingredients for cooking:

• yogurt (sourdough) – 400 ml;
• milk – 3 l;
• parsley – 3 stalks;
• garlic – 1 tooth;
• anise or cumin.

Suzma preparation:

1. Boil milk, dilute one part (100 ml) with katyk until a homogeneous mass is obtained, then mix with the rest.
2. Wrap the sourdough pot with a clean kitchen towel, put it in a warm place for one day. Do not move the container. After 24 hours, the sour-milk drink katyk is ready to drink. It must be removed in a cold place or immediately used to prepare syuzma.
3. Line a colander with gauze or a maple bag so that the edges of the cloth hang down through the dishes.
4. Pour out the katyk.
5. Tie the edges of the bag into a knot, hang on a hook. Leave for a day to drain excess liquid. In this case, it is necessary to put a container under it.
6. Remove the finished suzma from the bag, put it in the refrigerator.
7. Prepare a snack: chop anise, herbs, garlic, add salt. Mix the resulting seasoning with syuzma immediately before serving, spread on bread.

In the process of preparing katyk, one must take into account the fact that a real sour-milk drink is not formed immediately, but after fermenting milk two or three times with an old katyk. Only in this case it is possible to create a culture of Bulgarian sticks and maintain its life cycle. Due to this, the special properties of the drink are formed, which determine its ability to suppress pathogenic microflora, the growth of beneficial bacteria.

It is believed that the older the katyk fungi, the denser the structure of the syuzma and the tastier the product. Interestingly, in Azerbaijan, local residents have been continuously using “used” leaven for 20-30 years.

How to use

Suzma is a fermented milk product resembling cottage cheese. Fatty butter and various types of cheese are prepared from it. In the Caucasus, it is used to produce a traditional drink for the Turkic and Balkan peoples – ayran, which is considered the elixir of longevity. It consists of: water from a spring, spices, salt and suzma. Stir all ingredients before serving, add ice to cool. In the summer season, mint leaves are placed in it, which enhance the refreshing effect of the drink. It is customary to drink Ayran after eating meat dishes that are heavy for the stomach.

Thick katyk is added to salads, soups, served with brown bread and marmalade for breakfast.

Kurt from Suzma

This is the most popular dish prepared from the thick fraction of katyk. It is a small white balls made on the basis of cow, goat, camel or sheep milk. In fact, this is a hard cheese, recognized as a national product for the inhabitants of Central Asia. There are the following types of kurt: salted dried, boiled and dried, boiled pasty. Depending on the type of initial ingredients, the cheese may have a sour, spicy or spicy taste.

Kurt has the beneficial properties of suzma, in addition, the biologically active substances that make up the product (vitamins A, E, D, calcium) are able to suppress nausea, stimulate cell renewal, participate in the formation of collagen, saturate the body with oxygen. Cheese obtained on the basis of katyk is recommended for use in case of physical and mental overload, exhaustion, anemia.

Kurt is eaten as an independent dish, snacks or sauces are prepared on its basis. Cheese can be dried in the shade or in the sun. In the second case, it will quickly reach readiness, become drier and harder. Kurt, who was in the shade, will come out softer, more delicate in taste.

Suzma cheese recipe

Ingredients:

• suzma – 500 g;
• ground red hot pepper – 1 g;
• salt – 5 of

Cooking time – 20 minutes, number of servings – 4 pcs.

In order for the kurt to have a dense structure, the suzma is kept in limbo for at least 24 hours. So she will become drier.

How to prepare: mix all the ingredients, knead thoroughly. Roll up cheese balls. So that the suzma does not stick to the hands, they are constantly moistened in water. The formed balls are laid out on a plate, spacing or cutting board, keeping a distance of 1 cm between them, covered with gauze. Cheese is removed in a well-ventilated place for 4 days. The product is ready to use.

Remember, kurt can be stored for a long period without refrigeration. However, in this case, it will quickly dry out, become very hard. If this happens, “oriental cheese” is pre-soaked in liquid before use.

It is not recommended to store the product in plastic bags, because the kurt “does not breathe” in them, but quickly turns sour. The preferred method of packing suzma cheese is in paper.

Conclusion

Suzma is a fermented milk product popular among the inhabitants of Central Asia. A thick drink is obtained during the production of katyk by filtering thick and whey. The consistency of the suzma depends on the duration of pumping. The duration of preparation of the product varies from 6 to 96 hours. In the first case, a soft mass is formed at the exit, in the second – hard cheese.

Suzma has a beneficial effect on the digestive organs: it normalizes appetite, metabolism, and heals the intestinal microflora. In addition, sour-milk drink restores strength, improves immunity. Hard suzma is used to make kurt, and soft suzma is used to make ayran.