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cold, sharp, and pale. served on the longest night of our long year. an acquired taste even for us. please do not be alarmed by the smell.
on tau ceti f, our year is much longer than yours. once each cycle there is a single night so long that the second moon rises and sets twice before the sun returns. on this night, every l'hool family makes ikii-ta. the smell fills every dwelling. the streets smell of it. the smell is part of the celebration. you cannot have one without the other. |
| ~ ingredients ~ |
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warning ~ this dish has a strong smell. open your windows. tell your neighbors. apologize to them in advance. 4 cups of whole milk 1 cup of plain yogurt with active cultures 2 spoonfuls of white vinegar 1 small spoon of salt half a small spoon of caraway seeds 1 spoonful of finely chopped chives a pinch of black pepper (on my planet we use the milk of the mother-beast, but cow's milk is the closest substitute i have found.) |
| ~ instructions ~ |
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1. heat the milk in a heavy pot until it just begins to steam. do not let it boil. 2. take it off the heat. stir in the vinegar. you will see the milk separate into white curds and pale yellow liquid. this is what we want. 3. let the mixture sit for 15 minutes. it should look like a strange landscape. do not be afraid. 4. line a colander with a clean cloth. pour the mixture in. let the liquid drain away for one hour. you will be left with soft curds. 5. place the curds in a bowl. stir in the yogurt, the salt, the caraway, the chives, and the pepper. 6. cover with a cloth and place the bowl in a warm spot of your kitchen for three days. yes ~ three days. on the counter. not in the cold-box. 7. on the third day the curd will smell very strong. this is correct. on my planet we say "the curd is awake." stir it once. 8. now move it to the cold-box for one more day. this calms it. 9. serve cold, in small bowls. eat with the shorl'mei flatbread. only a small spoonful at a time ~ this is not a dish you eat in large amounts. on my planet we eat it slowly while telling stories of those who are no longer at the table. |
| kl'vaiim's note ~ i made this last winter solstice in my small earth-kitchen. the smell was so strong that the human in the dwelling above mine knocked on my door to ask if something had died. i tried to explain but my voice was not working well that night. i think i had been crying. i gave him a small bowl. he was very polite but i do not think he liked it. that is okay. it is not a dish for outsiders. |