Preparation

• Step 1

  Set aside a large bowl with an ice bath and one sheet pan. 

• Step 2

  Make the cheese: Place a non-stick pan over medium-low heat. Place 1 pound of cheese curd into the pan and sprinkle ¼ teaspoon nigella seed and 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt into the pan. Using 2 heatproof spatulas, stir and knead the cheese curd in the pan as the cheese melts and separates from the liquid whey. Knead the cheese until all the cubes have melted and formed one smooth piece of cheese. 

• Step 3

  Quickly transfer the hot piece of cheese onto a sheet pan using spatulas. Wear kitchen gloves to protect your hands from the heat. Working swiftly, use your fingers to create a hole in the center of the cheese and begin stretching it into a ring. Twist the ring to form two loops, then stack the loops on top of each other to make one loop again. Stretch the loop as far as you can, then twist it again into two loops and overlap them into one thicker loop. Repeat this stretch-and-twist process 6–8 more times. For the final twist, twist the curd in opposite directions (as if wringing out a towel) until tight. Insert one end of the loop into the other to form a finished cheese twist. Immediately place the cheese twist into an ice water bowl. Repeat the melting and shaping process with the remaining cheese curds, working with 1 pound at a time. Chill the twists in the ice bath for 45–60 minutes, then drain well before serving or storing.

• Step 4

  Untangle a cheese twist into one log of cheese. Starting from one end, pinch about 1-inch from the cheese and pull it away creating a long string of cheese. Continue pinching and pulling the strings of cheese until you have your desired amount of cheese.

• Step 5

  Serve the cheese cold with ka’ak or vegetables. The cheese can be stored up to 1 week in an airtight container in the rerigerator.