Traditional Caucasian Village Feast: Homemade Cheese, Adjaruli Khachapuri, and Lamb Plov

👩🏻‍🍳 Preparation Steps for Homemade Village Cottage Cheese:

1. Pour the milk into a large pot and whisk in the yogurt or sour cream starter.
2. Cover and leave in a warm place for 12–24 hours until the milk has thickened into a solid yogurt-like consistency (clabbered milk).
3. Place the pot over very low heat. Gently warm the milk until it reaches about 80°C. Do not let it boil, as this will make the cheese rubbery.
4. Once the curds (white solids) have clearly separated from the yellow-green whey, remove from heat.
5. Line a colander with several layers of cheesecloth and carefully pour the mixture in.
6. Tie the corners of the cloth together and hang the bag over a bowl or sink to drain for 2–4 hours, depending on how dry you prefer your cottage cheese.

👩🏻‍🍳 Preparation Steps for Authentic Adjaruli Khachapuri:

1. In a large bowl, combine warm milk, sugar, and yeast. Let it sit for 10 minutes until foamy.
2. Add the flour, salt, and oil. Knead for 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Cover and let rise in a warm spot for 1.5 hours.
3. Grate the cheeses and mix them together with a little water to form a thick, spreadable paste.
4. Divide the dough into 3 equal balls. Roll each into an oval shape.
5. Place cheese along the two long edges of the oval, then fold the edges inward over the cheese and pinch the ends to create a boat shape.
6. Fill the center of the "boat" generously with more cheese mixture.
7. Brush the dough edges with a beaten egg (optional) and bake in a preheated oven at 220°C for 15–18 minutes until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling.
8. Remove from the oven, create a small well in the center of the cheese, and drop in a fresh egg yolk. Add a slice of butter and return to the oven for exactly 1 minute.
9. Serve immediately; the tradition is to stir the yolk and butter into the cheese and dip the bread edges into the mixture.

👩🏻‍🍳 Preparation Steps for Traditional Lamb Plov:

1. Rinse the rice thoroughly in cold water 5–6 times until the water runs clear. Soak the rice in salted warm water for at least 40 minutes.
2. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven (Kazan) over high heat. Add the lamb chunks and sear until deeply browned on all sides.
3. Add the onions and fry until they are soft and golden brown.
4. Add the carrot matchsticks. Do not stir immediately; let them soften for 2-3 minutes, then stir and fry until the carrots are flexible and starting to caramelize.
5. Season with salt, pepper, and half of the cumin. Pour in 500 ml of hot water. Place the whole head of garlic in the center. Lower heat and simmer (this is the "Zirvak") for 30 minutes.
6. Drain the soaked rice and spread it in an even layer over the meat and carrots. Do NOT stir; the layers must remain separate.
7. Carefully pour the remaining hot water over a slotted spoon so as not to disturb the rice layer, until the water is about 1.5 cm above the rice.
8. Increase heat to high until the water boils, then reduce to medium. Cook uncovered until the liquid has been absorbed by the rice.
9. Poke a few holes through the rice to the bottom to let steam escape. Sprinkle the remaining cumin on top.
10. Cover with a tight lid, reduce heat to the lowest setting, and steam for 20–25 minutes.
11. Remove the garlic head, fluff the rice gently, and serve on a large platter with the meat and carrots on top.