Motal (موتال), or zhaji in its herbal variation, are traditional Kurdish cheeses that are aged and sold directly inside a whole sheepskin. The cheese has a slightly crumbly, dense consistency. The mass can be snow-white or, in the case of the zhaji variant, mixed with wild herbs. Its aroma is pungent, carrying traces of long fermentation, surprisingly reminiscent of aged blue cheeses rather than mild feta, although its texture is closer to the latter.
If you love French cheeses, you will fall in love with Kurdish motal too.
This specific method of milk processing did not arise from a whim, but from the pure necessity to survive in harsh conditions. As the vendor tried to explain to me, the roots of motal cheese go back to times when there was no electricity in the Kurdish mountains, let alone refrigerators. Herders needed to preserve the surplus of spring milk for the long and severe winters. The sheepskin, carefully tanned and prepared, functioned as a preservation vessel. The stuffed skins were stored in caves where the cheese lasted for months.
Today, this cheese is a rarity in the markets. I crisscrossed the Qaysari Bazaar in Erbil several times and stumbled upon only one vendor.
The basis for cheese production is fatty sheep or goat milk. A key role is played by salt, which draws out moisture and prevents spoilage, and of course, the skin itself. It is not just a wrapper, but an active participant in the aging process. It allows the cheese to “breathe” but at the same time keeps it in an “anaerobic” environment, which kickstarts specific fermentation processes. In the zhaji variant, wild garlic or local mountain herbs are added, giving the cheese a sharp, pungent taste.
Bon appétit!