Do you mean Churpi?

Jonaki: Hey folks. I have some hard yak cheese from Ladakh. I know it should be soaked to soften enough to eat or cook. Any idea how? The internet tells me what herders do (keep it in their mouths all day) or how to soften it for dog chews. 

Ambika: I would love to know this too. I have a friend who brought it for me from Bhutan and I don’t know how to use it. 

Jonaki: The soft one is easy to use. The hard one is the issue. 

Puja: You mean Churpi? It’s like supari, and works like a mouth freshener. 

Jonaki: Churpi, yes. But I do know (vague memories from my childhood) that it can be softened to be eaten. Not just kept in the mouth like candy. 

Arpitha: I bought some back from Nepal. I soaked some pieces and made Churpi soup with veggies, noodles, and momos. 

Jonaki: The hard kind, right? How long did you soak it for? Churpi soup? 

Arpitha: Overnight, and it was still a little hard. I’ll share some recipes I found online. Very similar to Thukpa. I followed what one of the ladies at the homestay suggested.

Sandhya: Steam it. Place the pieces in a steamer basket over simmering water for about 15 minutes. This gently re-hydrates and softens the surface, making it easier to bite. This has worked for me.

Jonaki: Have to try that. Did you try cooking with it? I remember eating Ema Datshi with yak cheese, but that must have been the soft kind.