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Wara (Yoruba Fresh Cheese) Street Snack

Wara is a fresh, soft, unaged white cheese made by curdling fresh Fulani cow's milk using the juice of alum leaves (Calotropis procera — locally called ewe ibepe in Yoruba). It is one of the most ancient dairy foods of the Nigerian Middle Belt and is made by Fulani women who sell it alongside fresh milk at dawn markets in Kwara and Oyo States.

Wara (Yoruba Fresh Cheese) Street Snack, Nigerian cooking

Ingredients

  • 4 big glasses of fresh whole cow's milk
  • 2 big tablespoons of fresh lemon juice or white vinegar (substitute for alum leaf juice)
  • OR the juice of Calotropis procera leaves if available
  • A pinch of salt
  • Palm oil for frying the finished Wara — optional

Method

  1. 01

    Heating the Milk. Pour the fresh milk into a pot. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the milk is just below boiling — small bubbles appear around the edges but it has not yet boiled.

  2. 02

    Curdling. Remove from heat. Add the lemon juice or vinegar (or alum leaf juice if available) gradually while stirring gently. The milk will immediately begin to curdle — separating into white curds and yellowish whey. Add the pinch of salt. Allow to sit undisturbed for 5 minutes.

  3. 03

    Draining the Curds. Line a colander or sieve with clean muslin cloth. Pour the curdled milk through to separate the curds from the whey. Gather the corners of the cloth and squeeze gently to drain excess whey. Tie the cloth and hang or press under a weight for 15 to 20 minutes to firm up the Wara.

  4. 04

    Fresh Wara Ready. Unwrap. The fresh Wara should be firm, white and crumbly. Eat as is or proceed to fry.

  5. 05

    Frying Option — Wara Stew. Cut the firm Wara into cubes. Heat palm oil in a pan over medium heat. Fry the Wara cubes for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden on the outside. The fried Wara can be eaten as is or added to tomato stew.

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