02.06.2026 19:41
Murat Aracı, living in Hatay, keeps the cheese and curd he presses into a clay pot underground for 6 months to revive the nearly forgotten local delicacies 'cara cheese and çökelek'. Sharing the footage of removing the pot after 6 months on social media, Aracı said everyone thought they were treasure hunting, but the treasure was the flavor of cara cheese and çökelek.
Murat Aracı, who lives in the Bozhöyük neighborhood of Antakya district in Hatay, moved to the village after the earthquake and wanted to make 'cara cheese and curd,' a taste inherited from his ancestors that was on the verge of being forgotten.
HE BURIED IT UNDERGROUND AND WAITED FOR 6 MONTHS Aracı obtained a cara jar from his surroundings, stuffed inside the jar buttermilk curd, unsalted block cheese, and black sesame seeds, sealed its mouth with mud, and buried it underground. After waiting 6 months to remove the jar from where it was buried, Aracı dug the soil with a shovel, took out the jar, and brought the nearly forgotten flavor to light.
EVERYONE THOUGHT HE WAS LOOKING FOR TREASURE Aracı, who shared the moments of removing the jar on social media, stated that everyone thought he was looking for treasure, but the real treasure was the taste of cara cheese and curd, and said a geographical indication registration should be obtained for this forgotten flavor.
“YOU CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF EATING IT WITH ITS TASTE AND FLAVOR” Murat Aracı, stating that while everyone thought he was looking for gold, a forgotten flavor emerged from the jar, said, "This is cara cheese native to Hatay. It is a flavor formed with curd and cheese, passed down from our ancestors, traditionally made and eaten for breakfast. We packed a cara jar and buried it underground. After about 6 months and 15 days, we removed it from the ground, it turned into a beautiful cheese, and we can't get enough of its taste now. It contains buttermilk curd made with milk, unsalted block cheese, and we add black sesame, seal the mouth with mud, water it, and after staying underground for 6 to 7 months, you can't get enough of eating it with its great taste and flavor. The best flavor that gives its unique characteristic and taste is there. The longer you keep it to achieve its consistency, the better and more delicious it becomes, so staying 6 to 7 months is better.
"EVERYONE JUDGED US AS IF WE WERE SEARCHING FOR A TREASURE, BUT FOR US, CARA CHEESE AND CURD WERE MORE VALUABLE THAN GOLD AND TREASURE" Normally, it is a special flavor specific to Antakya, but it has been forgotten as it dates back to ancestors and grandfathers. After the earthquake, we settled in this village and it came to mind. We got a jar called a cara jar. We made it ourselves inside. We did this to promote it as native to Hatay and Turkey. We want everyone to taste this flavor too. Everyone judged us as if we were searching for treasure, but for us, it was more valuable than gold and treasure. Everyone judged us as searching for gold, but that's not the case. Only those who taste it know its flavor. Not everyone can understand it; you have to taste it. We wish there is a need for this flavor to be registered. Because it is a flavor native to Hatay, its name and fame had been forgotten. Show it to the new generation; most people don't even know what it is, but we would certainly like it to be registered," he said.