I have always loved to try different kinds of food from all over the world, not only when I travel but also at home. I'm lucky in Caracas you can get food from many parts of the world. Among the food that I like to eat from time to time is Middle Eastern food. In Caracas, most of these food places are of Lebanese origin, since the Lebanese colony in Venezuela is large and dates back many years. So here, it is very common to find places to eat good shawarma.
But there is something that I had never tried before, a typical Arab cheese called Shanklish.
Shanklish, also known as chancliche, shinklish, shankleesh, sorke, or sürke, is a type of cow's milk or sheep milk cheese in Levantine cuisine.
Shanklish is made by curdling yoghurt, straining it, and fermenting it. It is typically formed into balls of approximately 6 cm diameter, often covered in za'atar and Aleppo pepper, and then aged and dried. Source
Last week, a friend recommended a place not far from my house where Shanklish is the specialty. So these days, the circumstances aligned. The husband and I had been away from home most of the day on different things, and at home, they had announced water rationing. So it was the perfect excuse not to cook and go to the place.
The place is small and is located in a mostly office building, the tables are outside, but the atmosphere is pleasant.
When we arrived and ordered drinks, they brought us a complimentary starter, which included a couple of Arabic dips, a muhammara and hummus, and some shanklish that was seasoned with pesto.
On the menu, they had several types of shanklish, and here I am captured on my husband's camera trying to decide which one to order. The cheese is the same, but they change the toppings in which it is dressed.
In the end, as we had already tried the one with pesto, we decided to go for one with dried tomatoes, red onion, and spices. We order also toasted pita bread.
It was delicious. And I think we were right on the one we chose in the end because the husband hesitated to order one with walnuts and honey. But I think the combination of the spices with the fermented cheese is what gives it such a special flavor.
After the Shanklish starter, we had some delicious shawarmas of kibbe and falafel. I had never had one combined with both. It was delicious and a perfect combination.
The food was delicious. The prices were in line with the place, the quality of the food, and the times being. So we will surely repeat.
Have you ever tried Shanklish?
Thank you for reading!
All images and writing are my own unless otherwise stated.
© CoquiCoin
April 27, 2023
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