[calm music]
[narrator] In the microscopic world, the naked eye can’t see.
A massive transformation is taking place.
Without any use of condiments,
Yunnanese transform animal milk…
[squelching]
…into various forms and unique flavors.
[splashes]
[calm music]
[narrator] Yunnan is located ina mountainous area with high elevations.
About 800 years ago,a group of nomads used to live here.
A unique flavor from the nomads
has then becomeone of the authentic delicacies of Yunnan.
It’s sold out, this is the last one.
[vendor] Goat milk rubing,taste it before you buy.
[upbeat music]
[narrator] Made from animal milk,
it tastes utterly unique and rich.
Some would try to avoid it,
but some couldn’t help but fall for it.
This is the Yunnanese cheese.
It has countless forms and tastes.
[splashes]
[calm music]
[squelching]
YUNNAN DALI
[narrator]The Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture
of the Yunnan Province,
is a place known for its dairy farming
-and where cheese is produced.-[cow moos]
[upbeat music]
[narrator] Every morning,almost 100,000 kilos of fresh milk
are delivered from hereto hundreds of workshops.
Time is the key criterionof guaranteeing the quality of milk.
In 40 minutes,
Du Jinhe receives 1,500 kilosof fresh milk that she needs today.
The raw material she needed is ready.
DU JINHE
[sloshing]
[calm music]
[splashes, sloshing]
[indistinct chatter]
[narrator] 400 kilometers from Dali,
there’s another commonly found cheesein the markets of Yunnan.
[calm music]
[narrator] Their raw materialscome from the northeast region
of Kunming, Shilin County.
Flat landscapes, warm weather,and naturally grown fields
make an ideal placefor high-quality dairy goats.
[goat bleats]
LI MEIZHI
[splashing]
[narrator] Li Meizhi owns 30 does
that can give her 30 kilos of milkin one morning.
This is where the transformationof flavor begins.
[splashing]
[upbeat music]
[narrator] Contact with airencourages bacterial growth in fresh milk.
So to lengthen storage lifeas well as to add another flavor,
many regions have their own unique waysof processing the milk.
TEA
XINJIANG CHEESE
[narrator] Yunnan people havetheir own tradition and techniques too.
Changing the milk’s formis the first step of transformation.
[sloshing]
[narrator] In Dali,
fresh milk is heated upto 60 degrees Celsius,
then, it’s special partnerwill come in handy.
[calm music]
[narrator] This is the key toolin the transformation process.
It helps to break downand reconstruct the protein in milk.
[splashing]
[light music]
[narrator] In just merely five seconds,
an obvious transformation has happened.
Du Jinhe added fermented whey.
It contains vast amountsof lactic acid and enzymes.
The casein component in milksolidifies when it meets with the acid
and liquid whey is formed.
The whey will not be wasted.
After fermenting for three days,
it will be reused repeatedly.
[calm music]
[squelching]
[narrator] The transformationcontinues to happen.
A handmade iron clamp helps
in rapidly stretchingand pulling 20 times for 30 seconds.
It doesn’t just protect the milkfrom being burnt under high heat,
it also helps solidifythe casein component in the milk.
[plops]
[narrator] Two kilos of milk can produceabout one kilo of milk dough.
It is smooth, bouncy,and has a rich milk fragrance.
[squelching]
[narrator] But the transformationis not done yet.
Without any delay,
Du Jinhe rapidly stretches the milk dough
when it’s still 40 degrees Celsius hot.
[squelching]
[squelching continues]
[upbeat music]
[narrator] Five hours in,
700 kilos of milk doughhave been stretched
and wrapped around 200 bamboo sticks.
[birds chirping]
[narrator] Then, they need helpfrom time and sunlight
for their finishing touches.
[calm music]
[fire crackles]
[narrator] In Shilin,
Li Meizhi is also startingto process the goat milk.
[fire crackling]
[burbling]
[narrator] Unlike cow milk,
goat milk needs to be processedunder higher temperature.
With a proportion of one to one,
whey that has been fermentedfor three days is added.
[calm music]
[narrator] Under crystal clear bubbles,the milk gradually thickens.
Vast amounts of white componentshave been solidified.
Goat milk contains richer proteinthan cow milk.
After making contact with acid,casein forms a texture similar to tofu,
presuming an obvious, solidified form.
At the same time, whey incitesthe production of hexenoic acid
releasing a gamy smell.
And this is the signature tasteof Shilin cheese.
[squelching]
[narrator] Without any help from machines,
Li Meizhi only uses her hands
to remove every last drop of waterto form a shape.
Let the milk dough sit for a whileand its form shall be revealed soon.
[calm music]
[goat bleats]
[slurping]
[narrator] After two hours of coolingand solidifying,
30 kilos of goat milkweigh four kilos now.
It is slightly bouncy and powdery,
and it can be eaten anytime.
Steaming with Yunnan’s Xuanwei ham
will give you a rich,sweet and savory taste.
HAM WITH CHEESE
[calm music]
[narrator] Using water as oil,the cheese is pan-fried on a low heat.
It is softand has a rich goat milk fragrance
Let’s see if he likes it.
Kids love this the most.
[narrator] To Li Meizhi and her family,
the best way to enjoythe original taste of rubing,
is to slice and grill it.
The strong and special scent of milk
is what Shilin people love the most.
[indistinct chatter in Chinese]
[narrator] Four hundred kilometers away,
the transformation of cow milk continues.
[sticks clattering]
[narrator] The winter of Daliis dry and rainless.
After two days of drying,
80 percent of the water contentin the milk has evaporated.
It is now very elasticand has an oily surface
with a sharpand fascinating scent of milk.
This is the rushan cheese of Dali.
[calm music]
[scrapes]
[narrator] Rushan has a mild tasteof lactic acid.
Grill it with rose sauce,
and it will release a piquant fragrance.
[crunches]
[narrator] Deep fry it till golden brown,
and it’s crispy and delicious.
Mix it with golden color syrup,
and it transforms to a softand chewy rushan sachima.
It is sweet and tasty.
HONEY MILK FAN
[narrator] Eating fresh rushan with honeyis Du Jinhe’s favorite.
Slightly sour rushan coatedwith a thin layer of dulcet honey.
Savor it slowly
and its flavorwill infuse your entire mouth.
It is dulcet and flavorful.
[upbeat music]
[narrator] Yunnan cheesederived from the nomads
is still appreciated even today.
Though it has altered accordingto the Yunnan people’s liking,
it varies in forms and flavors.
Fermenting milk from animals with whey
is a special techniquediscovered by the Yunnan people.
[closing theme music]
Subtitle translation by Coleen Chua