Rubing
This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (March 2013) |
Rubing (simplified Chinese: 乳饼; traditional Chinese: 乳餅; pinyin: rǔbǐng) is a firm, acid-set, non-melting, fresh goat milk farmer cheese made in the Yunnan Province of China by people of the Bai and Sani (recognized as a branch of the Yi in China) minorities.[1] Its Bai name is youdbap, meaning "goat's milk".[1]
Production
[edit | edit source]Rubing is made by mixing heated goat's milk and a souring agent, traditionally a mixture called năiténg (奶藤; lit. 'milk vine') made from a cultivated vine.[1] Rubing is a staple of the Bai and Yi ethnic minorities’ cuisines and is celebrated as one of Yunnan’s most distinctive dairy products.
Preparation and serving
[edit | edit source]Rubing is most often steamed with local ham or salt beef, or sometimes served pan-fried with salt and chilli. It may also be stir-fried with vegetables (typically a mix of broccoli and carrot), in a similar manner to how other mainland Chinese rural cuisine tends to stir-fry harder forms of tofu. It is also pan-fried and served with alternative flavourings such as dry chilli powder, salt, and Sichuan pepper powder.
Relationship to other cheeses
[edit | edit source]Rubing is roughly similar to paneer and queso blanco, but with the aroma of fresh goat's milk. Its flavour profile is also comparable to halloumi, sharing a similar flavour characteristic, mild saltiness, slightly tangy notes, and the ability to be grilled without melting.[citation needed]
