Qishta
Dairy coagulated milk product
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Qishta (Arabic: قِشْطَة, romanized: qišṭa, pronounced [qiʃ.tˤa]), also known as kishta, kashta, ghishta, ashta or eshta, is a dairy coagulated milk product prepared from heated fresh milk used in different dishes and consumed as a dessert.[1][2] It is found in Southern Mediterranean cuisines, including Levantine and Egyptian cuisines.[3] It is sometimes scented with orange flower water.[4] Qishta may be served with fruit, used to fill crêpes and pastries, or served with pistachios and sweet syrups.[5][6] Qishta is "highly perishable" and, if improperly prepared or stored, may be a source of foodborne illness such as Listeria.[7][8] It is similar to other heat-prepared dairy dishes such as kaymak[9] and khoa.[10]
Qishta | |
| Alternative names | Kashta, Ashta |
|---|---|
| Type | Dairy |
| Place of origin | Levant, Arab world |
| Region or state | Arab world |
| Main ingredients | Milk |
| Similar dishes | Clotted cream, kaymak |
Preparation
Qishta is traditionally made by heating milk in wide, shallow pans until proteins coagulate and trap fat, forming a thick layer on the surface. The process takes several hours and is done without fermentation or added coagulants. Qishta is typically prepared in small dairies or bakeries. It has a short shelf life, lasting only a few days even if refrigerated.[7]
The milk needs to be stabilized at a specific temperature (typically around 60 celsius) during the cooking process.[11][7]
Unlike some other coagulated dairy products, the preparation process remains traditional for qishta, so it is neither fermented nor coagulated through chemical or microbial means.[7]
Some cooks may add cornstarch of flour to thicken the cream to make qishta pudding (Arabic: قشطة مطبوخة), as opposed to fresh qishta.[12][13][14]
History
Heat-prepared creams similar to modern day qishta and kaymak were mentioned in medieval Arabic cookbooks.[15] An Egyptian 13-14th Century cookbook titled Kanz al-fawāʾid provides a recipe for it, it calls for heating milk, letting it cool so that the cream accumulates, then collecting the cream.[15]
An 1895 Egyptian Arabic-English dictionary by author Socrates Spiro translated qishta (قشطة) "cream".[16]
Uses
Qishta is used in a wide array of desserts and is a vital company in many, it can be incorporated into puddings, juices, pastries, and cocktails, or just eaten fresh as-is, its also used as a topping or filling.[17][11][18] Dishes using it include, Layali Lubnan, qatayef, othmalliyya, and rice pudding.[17]
Gallery
Qishta topped with pistachios and honey
Layali lubnan, also called qashtalia
