Soft variety of chhurpi is a traditional cheese-like product, which gives a texture of a white soft-mass with mild to strong flavoured taste.

During traditional method of chhurpi preparation, dahi is churned in a bamboo vessel. Following separation of cream, the butter milk ‘mohi’ is curdled by boiling and filtered through a piece of muslin cloth. The coagulum is kept under pressure for 3-5 h to prepare soft variety chhurpi (Fig 2). It can be kept for 2-3 days.

Fig.2 Flow sheet of traditional method of soft-variety Chhurpi preparation

This type of chhurpi is eaten as curry mixed with wild edible ferns, locally called “sauney ningro” (Diplazium polypodiodes) and “kali ningro” (Diplazium sp.), pickles and condiment along with boiled rice.

Chhurpi is sold in all local periodical markets, called ‘haats’ of these regions by ruralwomen. It is packed in the leaves of Ficus hookeriana, and then tied loosely by straw. One kg of chhurpi costs about Rs.60/-.

Chhurpi is characterized by lactic- acid- bacteria fermentation. The predominant lactic acid bacteria are Lactobacillus plantarum, Lb. curvatus, Lb. fermentu, Lb. paracasei subsp. pseudoplantarum and Leuconostoc mesenteroides, (Tamang et al., 2000).