Quroot

quroot is a C. Asian dried curdled milk product similar to the kashk of Iran. Yoghurt or buttermilk are dried and formed into hard pebble-like balls which are stored for winter use. The word quroot comes from the the Turkish word qurumak meaning to dry.

Quroot is a popular product in Afghanistan and they have a special bowl which they use to reconstitute the balls which is called a targhora-e-qurooti. The bowl, which is made from pottery, has small stones/pebbles embedded in the clay at the bottom. These form a rough surface over which the hard balls are rubbed while adding water until a thick creamy consistency is reached. The reconstituted quroot is used in a number of dishes, mainly as a sauce served with noodle, and burani dishes (see buran). It is also added to the soup called mashawa and a short-grain rice dish called mastawa. Afghans also prepare a simple dish, called qurooti, by adding lots of crushed garlic and salt and pepper to reconstituted quroot, then boiling the result and enjoying it with nan. It is often flavoured with mint.