Ayib | Ethiopian Fresh Crumbly Cheese

Whisk the yogurt in a bowl until smooth, then gradually whisk in the milk. Transfer the mixture to a glass container and cover it with cheesecloth. Leave it at room temperature until it smells and tastes mildly sour and the surface thickens; this resting time is not cooking time.

Pour the soured mixture into a heavy-bottomed pot and set it over the lowest heat. Warm it without stirring, gently swirling the pot from time to time. Turn off the heat when steam begins to rise and white curds separate around the edges, with clear yellowish whey appearing between them. Large bubbles at the edge mean the heat is too high; the ayib will become firm from that point on.

With the heat off, use the back of a slotted spoon to gently gather the curds toward the center of the pot. Once they begin to hold together, stop handling them; stirring breaks them up and reduces the cheese yield.

Line a strainer with double-layer cheesecloth and transfer the curds with a slotted spoon. Gather the ends of the cloth but do not squeeze it: squeezing makes the ayib clump, while the desired texture is made of grains that crumble between your fingers. Once drained and cooled, crumble it with a fork and serve without adding salt; season it at the table.