Baladi — Homemade Lebanese Cheese

Baladi, known by the Arabic names Jibneh baladi (also spelled baladieh) and Jibneh khadra is a firm and sliceable white cheese popular in Lebanon and commercially available everywhere. The homemade version tastes even creamier with an incredibly fresh taste that beats the store-bought stuff. It is inexpensive to make with no extreme work and ingredients are found in every home pantry, which makes it a great choice for a beginner cheese maker. It is fascinating to see the magical transformation of milk into cheese.

1. To make the Full Cream Milk Powder version:

   1. In a very large pot combine the milk powder and 4 liters (2 quarts) water and whisk until the milk is thoroughly dissolved. Heat to 50 °c (122 °F); you don’t need to boil it since the powdered milk is pasteurized. Set aside.

2. Stir in the white vinegar. You will immediately notice the curds separating from the whey because the acid in the vinegar causes the proteins to coagulate the milk and get them together in visible solids floating to the surface; the action forms immediately. Set aside for a complete separation.

3. Line a colander with a cheesecloth over a large bowl to catch the whey. Don’t discard the whey (the yellowy liquid dripped in the bowl). You will need it later to brine your cheese in.

4. Using a spider spoon, ladle out the curds; pile them in the cheesecloth. You may need to do that repeatedly until no more solids are visible. Grab the ends of the cheesecloth and wrap into a ball form to fully embrace the curds and twist to squeeze out as much fluids as you can. Place the wrapped cheese in a bowl – the cheese will set and take the shape of whatever bowl or plate you place it in. Put a heavy object, like a book, on top of the cheese to get rid of more whey. Keep it for 5 minutes; no more. Unwrap the cheese.

5. Strain the whey: set a fine sieve lined with strong kitchen paper towels or a coffee filter over a large bowl, strain the whey to make it more clear.

6. Transfer 710 ml (3 cups) of the whey to a saucepan and bring to boil. Add the salt, stir well to homogenize the mix. Set aside to completely cool down. Transfer the cheese block to a deep container and pour the whey, covering the cheese. Alternatively, you can cut the cheese to medium sized squares before covering with the whey. Refrigerate and eat eat within 2 weeks. Happy eating!

7. To make the Liquid Whole Milk version:

   1. Pour the milk into a large pot and heat over high until reaching a boiling point, making sure to stir the milk to keep it from scorching.

8. Reduce heat to low and slowly add the white vinegar. You will immediately notice the curds separating. If for any reason the separation is not visible, add another 15 ml (1 tablespoon) white vinegar. Set aside.

9. Line a colander with a cheesecloth over a large bowl to catch the whey. Don’t discard the whey (the yellowy liquid dripped in the bowl). You will need it later to brine your cheese in.

10. Using a spider spoon, ladle out the curds; pile them in the cheesecloth. You may need to do that repeatedly until no more solids are visible. Grab the ends of the cheesecloth and wrap into a ball form to fully embrace the curds and twist to squeeze as much fluids out as you can. Place the wrapped cheese in a bowl, the cheese will set and take the shape of whatever bowl or plate you place it in. Put a heavy object, like a book, on top of the cheese to get rid of more whey. Keep it for 5 minutes; no more. Unwrap the cheese.

11. Strain the whey: set a fine sieve lined with strong kitchen paper towels or a coffee filter over a large bowl and strain it to make it more clear.

12. Transfer 710 ml (3 cups) of the whey to a saucepan and bring to boil. Add the salt and stir well to homogenize the mix. Set aside to completely cool down. Transfer the cheese block to a deep container and pour the whey, covering the cheese. Alternatively, you can cut the cheese to medium sized squares before covering with the whey. Refrigerate and eat eat within 2 weeks. Happy eating!