Lakeside Cooperative · Fresh Yak Cheese
Byaslag (Yak Cheese)
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In the lakeside village of Khatgal, families who once each milked their own small herd now pool milk from their cows, goats, sheep and yaks into a shared cooperative dairy just to keep up with visitor demand.
Fresh milk is set with a kefir culture instead of rennet, and the resulting curds are drained, wrapped in cloth, and pressed under a weight into a firm, mild white cheese. Around Khövsgöl Lake it's made largely from yak milk, prized for a richer, fattier taste than the cow's-milk versions found elsewhere in Mongolia.
Why it's made this way: Khövsgöl's high, cold terrain suits yaks better than most of Mongolia's livestock, giving the lake region a distinctly yak-based dairy tradition that's become a draw for visiting trekkers.
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