Wangashi, wangash, wangasi or Beninese Cheese
Wangashi is a great popular cheese in west Africa! The cheese wagashi is popular North Beninese, specifically Fulani’s cheese made with fresh organic cow’s milk. Even though wagashi is sold vastly in Parakou, Benin it is now very popular all over West African.
It is called wagasi in the Dendi language, amo in the Fon language, wara in Nago language and gasaru in Bariba language. The French also call it Fromage and in Mina it is called Wangash.
Wangash is kind of soft in texture and very mild in flavor. It is usually fried and eat with pepper paste as a snack. You can use as meat in all soup, as it feels almost like tofu. Originally to ferment the milk an herb commonly call cheese herb. Nowadays leaving far away from the motherland, lemon or apple cider is used to ferment! This process gives them a nice red color and makes them much harder in order to keep them longer.
Ingredients
1 gallon whole milk
1 cup of apple cider vinegar
Beet or sorghum leaves for optional skin coloring (optional)
Equipment
Equipment
Cheese press or plastic strainer, or simple cheese cloth
Cheese press or plastic strainer, or simple cheese cloth
Instructions
1
Mix fresh milk with apple cider vinegar
2
Heat the mixture at low to medium heat until the milk clots form completely.
3
Then strain in a colander to remove all the water and your cheese is obtained.
4
Soak the cheese obtained in cold water for a few minutes (10-20 min).
5
After removing the cheese you can optionally dip it in boiled red leaves.
(Some people use sorghum leaves instead of the original red cheese leave commonly found in Africa. Here I am using beetroot juice.)
Boil the cheese in the red solution for 10-15 months depending on the thickness of your cheese
(Some people use sorghum leaves instead of the original red cheese leave commonly found in Africa. Here I am using beetroot juice.)
Boil the cheese in the red solution for 10-15 months depending on the thickness of your cheese
Great!