Kuymak (or Mihlama) is a regional breakfast dish originating from Turkey's northern Black Sea Region. It is made by melting the cornmeal and cheese together in a copper pan called "sahan" and is usually served with bread or simit. This delicious Turkish breakfast item is ready in 15 minutes and only requires 3 main ingredients!
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The best way to enjoy Kuymak (also known as Mihlama) is when it's still warm, and freshly made. Same as Kaygana (Turkish Omelette), this Black Sea specialty is usually served as a breakfast or brunch item. However, it is also perfect to serve as a snack or a light lunch along with some crusty bread and a bowl of Turkish Shepherd Salad (Coban Salatasi).
Same as Menemen (Turkish Scrambled Eggs), this dish is traditionally cooked in a copper pan called "sahan". If you don't own a sahan dish, you can cook Kuymak in a non-stick pan and then serve it on a plate.
Why This Recipe Works
- It is extremely easy to make, ready in 15 minutes, and only requires three main ingredients!
- You can serve Kuymak as a breakfast/brunch item, as a light lunch, or afternoon snack.
- This simple dish is impressive enough to serve to your guests or to enjoy around the table with family.
Ingredients and Substitutes
- Cheese - The key ingredient for this delicious breakfast dish is cheese. The best options are aged cheeses that would get stringy when melted such as Cecil, Trabzon, kolot, or kasar cheese.
- Cornmeal - It's a type of coarse flour ground from dried corn and is a common staple food that can be coarse, medium, and fine consistencies. This recipe requires medium coarse cornmeal that is widely available at large supermarkets or Amazon.
- Butter - Use good quality butter (salted or unsalted) for this dish as it will have a big impact on the flavor of the finished dish. You can substitute it with "Kaymak" which is similar to clotted cream.
- Salt - The amount of salt you should use for this dish depends on the saltiness of the cheese and butter.
How To Make Kuymak (Mihlama)
This is a very simple recipe to make that requires a few simple ingredients. However, you need to follow a few simple steps to achieve the best results:
Melt the butter in a sahan or a pan on medium heat and let it lightly brown.
Stir in the cornmeal gently with a wooden spoon until they are nicely combined.
Lower the heat and keep stirring until the cornmeal turns slightly brown.
Add the water and let them cook until the cornmeal absorbs the water.
Add the cheese and keep stirring the mixture to make sure the cheese has melted and nicely combined with the cornmeal.
Stir in the boiling water and let the kuymak cook further until the water is absorbed and the butter appears on the surface.
Serving Suggestions
I usually serve Kuymak as a part of a Turkish Breakfast/Brunch spread along with Cig Borek - Chebureki, Cilbir - Turkish Poached Eggs, Menemen - Turkish Scrambled Eggs, Simit (Turkish Sesame Bagel), Cheese Pide With Mushrooms, Muhammara - Acuka (Red Pepper Dip), or Spinach and Feta Borek.
Top Tips From The Chef
- The best way to cook Kuymak - Mihlama is to use a wooden spoon or a silicon spatula.
- Slowly stir the cornmeal and the cheese together until the cheese becomes stringy and gummy at the same time.
- Using the right type of cheese for this dish is essential. Fresh cheeses such as feta or ricotta wouldn't work. The best cheeses are aged unpasteurized cow cheese that would string when heated.
- Kuymak (or Mihlama) is best when served warm and freshly made. The Cheese would lose its stringiness when cold and the texture would get rubbery.
Recipe FAQs
Kuymak is best when served warm freshly made. However, if you have any leftovers, you can keep them refrigerated for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
Place the leftover in a pan and gently reheat the kuymak until it is heated thoroughly. The texture and the consistency won't be the same as freshly made, however, it will still taste amazing when served on a slice of toasted bread or with a piece of simit.
Related Recipes
For more scrumptious regional Turkish dishes why not try:
Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.
I hope you enjoy the process of making this regional breakfast dish Kuymak - Mihlama as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂
Bon appétit! / Afiyet Olsun!
Kuymak (Mihlama)
Equipment
- 1 sahan
Ingredients
- 50 g butter
- 25 g cornmeal
- ½ cup tap water
- 200 g cheese (Cecil, Trabzon, kolot or kasar cheese)
- ¼ cup boiling water
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a sahan or a pan on medium heat and let it lightly brown before adding the cornmeal.
- Stir them gently with a wooden spoon until they are nicely combined.
- Lower the heat and keep stirring until the cornmeal turns slightly brown.
- Add the water and let them cook until the cornmeal absorbs the water before adding the cheese.
- Keep stirring the mixture to make sure the cheese has melted and nicely combined with the cornmeal.
- Add the boiling water and let the kuymak cook further until the water is absorbed and the butter appears on the surface.
Notes
- Slowly stir the cornmeal and the cheese together until the cheese becomes stringy and gummy at the same time.
- Using the right type of cheese for this dish is essential. Fresh cheeses such as feta or ricotta wouldn't work. The best cheeses are aged unpasteurized cow cheese that would string when heated.
- Kuymak (or Mihlama) is best when served warm and freshly made. The Cheese would lose its stringiness when cold and the texture would get rubbery.
- This delicious Turkish breakfast item is ready in 15 minutes and only requires 3 main ingredients!
- The best way to cook Kuymak - Mihlama is to use a wooden spoon or a silicon spatula.
Nutrition
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Lisa
My husband loves this recipe! It is our favourite breakfast. Thanks for sharing this with us!