Chhurpi Cheese: Is Churpi Good for Health?

meowork
2023 Jun 8 Thu

Chhurpi or Durkha is a traditional hardened cheese consumed mainly in the Himalayan region of Nepal and Tibet. This cheese has a pale yellow color with a crumbly and dense texture. There are two main varieties of Chhurpi; the soft variety prepared with cow’s milk and the hard variety with yak’s milk. This cheese is made by separating whey from buttermilk solids to produce curds similar to Italian Ricotta. Fresh curds are white, soft and neutral to taste but they are left to ferment to acquire a bit of tanginess.

Soft Chhurpi is an excellent source of protein and used as a substitute for vegetables in the mountainous region. People also make a curry or pickle from Chhurpi and eat with rice as a staple food in everyday meals. Chhur Singba or Chhur Mingba is freshly prepared Chhurpi by adding the extract of crab apple fruits.

Hard version of this cheese is made out of yak milk and people usually chew it like a betel nut. When the curds are cured at room temperature during 2 to 3 days, the cheese is sliced and left to dry in the sun or dried in the oven on low heat. This type of Chhurpi becomes very hard and lasts many years. If this hard cheese is as old as 4 to 5 years, it is called Chhurpupu. If stored properly in yak skin, hard Chhurpi can be consumed even for 20 years.

Chhurpi for Humans Consumption

You can use the soft version in different ways. For example, cook it with green vegetables as savory dishes, or as a filling for Momos, grind with tomatoes and chilies for chutney, or as a soup. In the mountainous regions of Nepal, Darjeeling hills, Sikkim, Bhutan, and Tibet, people eat it as a substitute for vegetables since it is an excellent source of protein.

Locals consume hard Chhurpi by keeping it in the mouth to moisten it, letting parts of it become soft, and then chewing it like a gum. In this manner, one block of Chhurpi can last up to two hours. Its high protein content and tanginess make it an excellent treat for dogs, which explains its high demand in global markets as a dog chew.

Hard Chhurpi’s growth in the dog treat market continues to expand as companies find news uses and alternative variations of this classic dog treat. Churpi Bites, Churpi Puffs and even Churpi bars have been developed by various companies in the United States.

Churpi Benefits for Humans

A little brown and odorless piece of hard Chhurpi provides enough nutrients for you and in fact contains a higher level of healthy fats when compared to cow’s cheese. It is also efficient at removing plaque and tartar and keeping the gums strong. The yak cheese is also richer in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which has been shown to have a range of positive health benefits against cancer, body fat gain, type 2 diabetes, and other conditions.

Nutritionally, yak milk Churpi has a lot of omega 3 fatty acids (three times higher than the cheddar cheese), amino acids and antioxidants. Churpi Durka also has vitamins and minerals galore.

This milk is also rich in numerous bioactive substances that function beyond their nutritive value. A high-energy source, Yak milk is richer in polyunsaturated fatty acids, protein, casein, and fat than any other milk. Yak milk boasts both amino acids and 15% higher calcium content than cow’s milk. It also benefits from significantly higher amounts of vitamin A. Studies have shown that it can improve bone density and strengthen the immune system. The milk also aids in building muscle tissue and controlling diabetes.

Chhurpi Dog Chew

Your dog can grind and soften the Churpi bar slowly before being able to chew off smaller pieces for hours of entertainment, as well as irresistibly palative. It contains nutritious properties including:

Calcium to help in development of bones and teeth.
Potassium to regulate the nervous system and prevents fatigue, muscle weakness and cramping
Zinc that helps the growth, softens the skin and improves immune system
Biotin to promote cell growth and digestive metabolism
Folic acid that reduces the risk of heart disease and cancer
Vitamins A, B1, C, D, E and K that increase red and white blood cells and improve vision
Other minerals such as Iron, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese and sodium

Source: https://www.epersianfood.com/chhurpi/