Ktor panir

Ktor panir (Armenian: կտոր պանիր, lit. 'chunk cheese', Armenian pronunciation: [ktɔɾ pɑˈniɾ]) is an Armenian traditional cheese made from sheep's, cow's milk, or a mixture of both.^[1] In terms of quality, ktor panir is similar to bryndza, but its production process is more primitive.^[1][2]

Ktor panir
Country of origin	Armenia
Region	Armenian highlands
Source of milk	Cows, sheep's

The production of ktor panir begins with the processing of the milk curd.^[1] After this, the sufficiently drained mass is placed into bags and lightly pressed.^[1] The resulting cheese, in the form of a low cylinder, is cut into pieces and salted.^[1] In the first few days, dry salt is applied, and then the cheese is stored and aged in brine.^[1]

Ktor panir is used not only as an independent product but also for making cheeses that are then stored in pots, jugs, or leather bags.^[1] It can also be consumed directly.^[1] Ktor panir should not contain holes, and its texture should be smooth, without coarseness.^[1] The taste of the cheese is moderately salty with a slight sour-milk flavor.^[1]

This cheese made at the end of the lactation period of sheep is called chobani panir (herdsman's cheese).^[1] Ktor panir is also used as a substitute for Armenian motal cheese, which is made from cow's, sheep's, and goat's milk, or a mixture of these.^[3] After the proper processing of the curd, the drained mixture is placed in bags, lightly pressed, cut, stored in brine, drained, and then mixed into the motal cheese mass for storage in a barrel.^[3]