National Dish Turkmenistan: Motal Pendiri (Recipe)
In this article
Motal Pendiri takes its name from the motal — a bag made from a whole sheep or goat skin, in which the cheese matures for weeks. Fresh curd is salted, pressed and packed in tightly, and it comes out sharp, crumbly and intensely savoury. This recipe uses a cloth and a weight instead, which is a compromise the flavour survives.
About Motal Pendiri
Motal Pendiri is the traditional Turkmen cheese that owes its name to the motal, a bag of sheep or goat hide in which it ripens. Fresh sheep’s or cow’s milk cheese is salted, pressed and matured over weeks, developing a strongly savoury, gently sour character. Motal pendiri belongs to the oldest cheesemaking traditions of Central Asia, a way of turning a summer milk surplus into something that lasts the winter.
Ingredients (serves 1–2)
- 1 litre whole milk (ideally sheep’s or goat’s milk)
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice or vinegar (or rennet, per the packet instructions)
- 1–2 teaspoons salt
- A clean piece of muslin
- A small weight for pressing (a tin, for example)
Shopping for the ingredients
Sheep’s milk gives the richest, most authentic result and is sold in Turkish and Middle Eastern shops; goat’s milk is the other traditional choice. Do not use UHT milk. It will not set properly. Rennet gives a firmer curd than acid, if you want a cheese that ages rather than one to eat fresh.
Preparing the dish
Warm the milk gently to just below simmering. Add the acid or rennet and let the curd form undisturbed. Everything after that is draining, salting and pressing, and then patience, since the character comes from the maturing rather than the making.
Step-by-step instructions
- Heat the milk slowly to 85°C, stirring so it does not catch.
- Take off the heat and stir in the lemon juice; leave undisturbed for 15 minutes.
- The curds will separate from the clear whey.
- Line a sieve with muslin and pour the curds in; drain for 30 minutes.
- Work the salt through the curd thoroughly.
- Gather the muslin, shape into a block and press under a weight for 6–12 hours.
- Unwrap, rub with more salt and wrap in fresh cloth.
- Mature in the fridge for 2–6 weeks, turning and re-salting weekly.
Gluten-free / lactose-free version
The cheese is naturally gluten-free. It cannot be made lactose-free with dairy, though aged cheeses contain very little lactose, most of it leaves with the whey and the rest breaks down during maturing.
Tips for vegans and vegetarians
Made with lemon juice rather than animal rennet, this cheese is vegetarian. If using rennet, choose a microbial one. A plant-based version from cultured cashews can be pressed and aged similarly, with a genuinely comparable sharpness.
More tips and tricks
Salt generously and re-salt during maturing. This is preservation as much as seasoning. Press it properly to drive out the whey, since residual moisture causes spoilage. And turn it weekly, wiping away any surface moisture.
Adapting the recipe to your taste
Herbs or wild garlic worked into the curd give a flavoured cheese. A longer maturing gives a much sharper, drier result. Storing it under oil is a modern alternative to the hide bag and works well.
Ingredient substitutions
Cow’s milk works and is common. Vinegar substitutes for lemon juice. Rennet gives a better-textured cheese for long ageing than acid does.
Drink pairing ideas
Green tea accompanies every Turkmen meal. Chal, fermented camel milk, is the traditional local drink. A robust red wine suits the aged cheese.
Serving and presentation ideas
Serve motal pendiri crumbled or sliced with fresh churek bread, tomatoes and herbs, as part of the spread that opens a Turkmen meal. It is salty and assertive, so a little goes a long way.
A bit of history
Central Asian cheesemaking is pastoralist in origin: made where the herds were, with whatever containers were available, which is how a sheepskin bag came to be a maturing vessel. Related cheeses are made across Azerbaijan, Iran and the Caucasus, all called some version of motal. It offers a genuine window onto Turkmen cuisine.
More recipe ideas
Summary: Motal Pendiri
Motal Pendiri is fresh curd salted, pressed and matured for weeks into a sharp, crumbly Turkmen cheese. Salt it generously, press out the whey, and turn it weekly as it ages.
