Fermented Wheat and Yogurt

Before refrigeration was available, throughout the Middle East and Central Asia, kishik was a means of conserving milk for later use: a fermented paste of yogurt and grains, formed into disks and dried in the sun. The disks could be stored all year and then crumbled or ground for use in salads, stews, and savory pastries.

In Gaza, kishik is traditionally made with sheep’s-milk yogurt and flavored with dill seeds and red pepper flakes.