The first cheese that artisanal cheesemaker Monisha Indulekha tasted was the tinned Kraft cheese that her father, who was working in West Asia , used to bring home. The sharp-tasting cheese was a new experience, but she developed a liking for it. As she grew older, her love for cheese grew too until years later, while attending a wedding in Italy, she got to taste mozzarella cheese, fresh from the barrel. That could be called a defining moment in her life, says Monisha, who decided to learn cheesemaking. But it was not so easy in India at the time (in 2016).
“I was extremely interested in cheese, but didn’t know what to do and where to start,” she says. In 2018, Monisha learned about Acres Wild, the family-run organic cheesemaking farm in Coonoor, Tamil Nadu, where she spent three days learning the process. The individualised, intensive sessions took her through the basics of cheesemaking and Monisha realised that she was inspired by the art of it. Bent on fine tuning her skills, she went on to do a coulple of workshops in the UK in 2019.
Belper Knolle cheese by Moonrocket
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Immediately after the Covid-19 lockdown, she went to veteran cheesemaker Benny Ernst, manager of La Ferme Cheese in Auroville, Puducherry, who has been making artisanal cheese for the past 24 years.
Armed with the passion, the knowhow, and an everlasting love for cheese, Monisha started making and selling it at her home in Kozhikode. The science of cheesemaking was as fascinating as the artistic aspect of it, she says. A microbiologist by profession, the precision and technique behind the process intrigued her. “I’d say it is not an easy task. Many times my cheeses have failed. But I kept trying until they started turning out perfectly,” Monisha says.
In the first few years, she made the cheeses at her home kitchen, sampling them to friends and family. Buoyed by the response, she moved the manufacturing to a larger space in Kozhikode and launched her Moonrocket Cheese Company in 2023.
Monisha Indulekha
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Today, she can make 40 kilos of cheese a day, and in 11 varieties that include hard, soft and semi hard varieties. From mozzarella to feta, gouda, ricotta in flavoured and plain versions to Monisha’s own creative experimentations, her repertoire is fast expanding.
The Queso Kanthari, a kanthari (bird’s eye-chilli) flavour infused in-house cheese is one such. “It is a tribute to Kerala. Queso is the Spanish word for cheese and kanthari chillies, used in Kerala cuisine, are believed to have been brought here from Mexico. This cheese is aged between four and nine months. It can add a spicy twist to your regular cheeseboard and pairs well with white wine, omelette or a summer salad. Shavings of Queso Kanthari can be used in any baked dish,” says Monisha.
Grilled Halloumi cheese
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She also makes the Belper Knolle, a special Swiss-style cheese that develops its character through aging. “While the young Belper Knolle (at six-eight weeks) is soft and has a garlicky flavour, the mature version (aged three to four months) has a sharper taste and is firmer. The extra aged Belper Knolle (eight to 12 months or longer) is very hard and brittle with very strong umami and peppery notes,” says Monisha. The truffle-shaped cheese ball is traditionally rolled in black pepper.
Her halloumi (a brined, semi-hard, white cheese) also has a fan base. She is working on creating flavours using cinnamon and cardamom, too.
Monisha sources fresh grassfed-cow’s milk from Ambalappad, a village 30 kilometres from Kozhikode. The milk is then pasteurised and used to make the cheese. No preservatives or emulsifiers are used and the cheeses are entirely made by hand. Her fromagerie contains a double vault vat (which she got custom made), pneumatic presses for hard cheeses, draining vessels, moulds and a cold room (a temperature and humidity controlled environment where cheeses are aged).
Cheesemaking demands patience, but the excitement and joy of trying out a new cheese keeps her going. “The making process is very different for each cheese. The bacterial cultures, the cutting and draining methods are different,” Monisha adds.
Growing tribe of artisanal cheesemakers
Though India has a growing tribe of artisanal cheesemakers today, there is a need to educate people on the different types of cheeses and their actual health benefits. “People are getting increasingly aware, because they are travelling. However, in India, the usage of cheese is limited to special occasions. The idea is to encourage people to start using cheese in their daily diets,” she adds.
Cheesemakers are also trying to create awareness. “Contrary to what many think, cheese does not make one gain weight. Unprocessed cheese satisfies your hunger and is a good source of protein,” says Monisha.
Moonrocket Cheese Company currently retails in Kozhikode, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai, Coimbatore, Ootty and Coonoor.
Published – October 03, 2025 12:00 pm IST