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Pshavi Dambalkhacho Khachoerbo with Clarified Butter

Make khachoerbo, a Georgian Pshavi cheese dish, by gently melting finished Dambalkhacho with clarified butter

Georgian home recipeGeorgian dish
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Wide view of hot Georgian Dambalkhacho cheese and clarified butter in a pan with bread and mchadi on a wooden table, mountain scenery beyond.
Yield4 servings
Serving basisOne quarter of the cheese and clarified-butter mixture; bread is optional and excluded from the nutrition estimate
DifficultyEasy; use gentle heat and stir as the cheese melts
Dietary classificationGluten-free if served without bread; contains milk
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The dish

About Pshavi Dambalkhacho Khachoerbo with Clarified Butter

Dambalkhacho is a distinctive Pshavi and Tianeti cheese, traditionally made from drained dairy curds and ripened until its outside develops mold while the inside turns golden. It is eaten dry or warmed with clarified butter. The hot preparation is known as khachoerbo.

This recipe gives a practical home serving method for finished, purchased Dambalkhacho. It is not a process for making or ripening the cheese. Cheese aging depends on controlled dairy handling and ripening conditions, so use a labeled product from a reputable producer and follow its storage directions.

The cheese is salty, pungent and rich, so the pan needs only clarified butter and a little water to help the pieces melt together. Keep the heat low and serve the mixture while it is hot and soft, with plain bread or mchadi alongside.

Cook the dish

Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 300 gfinished Dambalkhacho cheese, refrigerated and finely shaved or grated
  • 40 gunsalted clarified butter, divided
  • 40 mlhot water, added gradually
Method

Method

  1. Prepare the cheese. Keep the finished cheese refrigerated until you are ready to use it. With clean tools, finely shave or grate it so it melts evenly.

  2. Warm the butter. Melt about 30 g of the clarified butter in a small heavy skillet over low heat. Keep the remaining 10 g for finishing.

  3. Melt the cheese. Add the cheese and stir slowly. Pour in the hot water a little at a time, stirring over low heat until the cheese is soft, cohesive and steaming hot throughout, about 8–10 minutes. Do not let it boil hard or catch on the bottom.

  4. Rest and serve. Take the pan off the heat, spoon the reserved clarified butter over the top and leave for 2 minutes. Serve hot, directly from the pan, with bread or mchadi if desired.

Full recipe

Full recipe

A warm Georgian cheese dish made by gently melting pungent Pshavi Dambalkhacho with clarified butter and a little hot water. Serve it straight from the pan with bread or mchadi for dipping.

Excerpt

Excerpt

Dambalkhacho softens into a rich, savory dip as clarified butter coats the cheese. A measured splash of hot water helps it melt evenly without hard boiling.

Practical guidance

Success points

  • Finely shave or grate the chilled cheese so it melts at a similar pace.
  • Warm the cheese gently; a hard boil or overheated pan can make the mixture oily or scorched.
Practical guidance

Practical guidance

  • Buy finished Dambalkhacho from a reputable producer and use a pasteurized-milk product when available. This recipe does not provide a home mold-ripening method.
  • The cheese's salt and moisture vary by producer. Taste before adding anything; no extra salt is included. Add the water gradually and stop when the cheese is spoonable.
  • Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours at 4°C or below and use within 3–4 days, following the package directions. Reheat until steaming hot; for a measured safety check, bring the centre to 74°C/165°F.
Nutrition per serving

Nutrition per serving

  • Portion: One quarter of the cheese and butter mixture
  • Energy: About 355 kcal
  • Carbohydrate: About 5 g
  • Protein: About 22 g
  • Fat: About 29 g
  • Fibre: 0 g
  • Sodium: About 450 mg
Allergens and food safety

Allergens and food safety

This recipe contains milk. Check the cheese label for any additional declared allergens. Keep the finished cheese refrigerated at 4°C or below and follow the producer's use-by and storage directions. Use clean utensils, serve the melted cheese hot, and refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours. Use within 3–4 days and reheat to 74°C/165°F. Do not attempt to ripen mold cheese at home using this serving recipe.

To finish

To finish

  • Serve the cheese as soon as it is soft and steaming, with plain bread or mchadi for dipping.
  • Keep the pan over low heat while melting; the cheese should turn cohesive without a rolling boil.
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