Chal

Lore & Background

Chal is typically prepared by souring camel milk in a skin bag or ceramic jar, using previously soured milk as a starter. Fresh milk is mixed in over 3–4 days, with the matured chal consisting of one third to one fifth previously soured milk. The fermentation process is temperature-dependent: camel milk will not sour for up to 72 hours below 10°C, but at 30°C it sours in about 8 hours. Agaran, a fermented cream, is collected from the surface of chal.

Reader's Guide

Chal holds cultural and dietary significance in Central Asia, especially in Kazakhstan where it is a staple summer food. Its reputation for possessing virucidal and virus inhibiting properties not found in fresh camel or cow milk—both in liquid and lyophilized form—has drawn scientific interest, though the article notes these claims are reputed and not definitively proven. The beverage's composition includes Lactobacilli lactic, streptococci, and yeast, and it can be cultured with specific strains like lactobacillus casei and streptococcus thermophilus. The difficulty of exporting chal due to its perishable nature limits its global reach, but it remains an important traditional food in its region of origin.

Did You Know?

• Chal is also known as shubat in Kazakhstan and khoormog in Mongolia.
• Agaran, a fermented cream, is collected from the surface of chal.
• Camel milk will not sour for up to 72 hours at temperatures below 10°C.
• Holder pasteurization does not affect the quality of the milk, but pasteurization at 85°C for 5 minutes negatively impacts flavor.