Kuymak / Mıhlama
(kooy-MAHK / muh-hlah-MAH)
Kahvaltı (The Sprawling Weekend Morning)
To a first-generation kid waking up on a Saturday morning, the smell of toasted cornmeal and browned butter means one thing: home. This is the Black Sea's answer to fondue—a bubbling, profoundly stretchy dish born in rain-soaked mountains and perfectly reproducible in suburban Ohio. The magic isn't an imported mountain herb. It’s the restraint to let the butter properly brown, the polenta roast, and the cheese melt gently without over-agitation. Serve it boiling hot with crusty bread, and eat it immediately.
Ingredients
- unsalted European-style butter3 tbsp
- instant polenta3 tbsp
- warm water1 cup
- Oaxaca cheese3/4 cup
- low-moisture whole milk mozzarella3/4 cup
- salt1/4 tsp
Method
- 01
Brown the butter to build the foundation.
Place a medium non-stick skillet over medium heat and melt the butter. Let it bubble until the milk solids drop to the bottom and turn a light hazelnut brown, releasing a deep, nutty aroma.
- 02
Toast the cornmeal.
Add the polenta to the browned butter. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon for 2 to 3 minutes, frying it until it loses its raw smell and takes on a darker golden hue.
- 03
Hydrate the mixture into a bubbling porridge.
Lower the heat slightly and carefully pour in the warm water. Add the salt and stir vigorously to prevent lumps as the mixture rapidly thickens into a smooth, bubbling paste.
- 04
Add the cheese and step back.
Drop the heat to its absolute lowest setting and scatter the Oaxaca and mozzarella evenly over the top. Gently fold the cheese into the porridge just two or three times, then completely stop stirring.
- 05
Wait for the golden halo.
Let the residual heat do the work without over-agitating the cheese proteins. Within a minute or two, the cheese will become incredibly elastic and the butter will separate, forming a glistening ring around the edges.
- 06
Serve immediately.
The moment you see the golden butter halo, pull the pan from the heat and place it directly on the table with thick slices of crusty sourdough or pita.
Notes
The cheese substitution is everything.
Using a blend of Oaxaca and low-moisture mozzarella perfectly mimics the structural matrix and melting properties of the Black Sea's native Kolot and Çeçil cheeses, providing authentic flavor without a trip to a specialty market.
Time is of the essence.
This dish waits for no one. As it cools, the cheese proteins tighten into a firm block, and attempting to reheat it will destroy the legendary arm-length stretch.
From Cook Turkish in America.