Chortan is mentioned in the Armenian epic poem, Sasuntsi Davit, as an oral tradition dating from 8th-century, which was first put into written form in 1873. Kashk is also mentioned in the 10th-century Persian book of poetry Shahnameh. In fact it must have come from Khushk [Persian خشک] which indicates that the Kashk or Kishk is prepared through drying [خشکیدن] process.

In modern Iran, kashk is a thick whitish liquid similar to whey (a dairy product) similar to sour cream, used in traditional Persian/Iranian cuisine, like Ash Reshteh,Kashk O Bademjan, Kale Joush. It is available as a liquid or in a dried form, which needs to be soaked and softened before it can be used in cooking. Kashk was traditionally produced from the leftovers of cheese-making (more specifically, the milk used to make it). The procedure is, subtracting butter from milk, the remainder is Doogh which can be used as the base for Kashk. The water is subtracted from this whitish beverage and what remains is Kashk which can be dried.

In Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria, Kishk is a powdery cereal of burghul (cracked wheat) fermented with milk and laban (yogurt). It is easily stored and is valuable to the winter diet of isolated villagers or country people. Kishk is prepared in early Autumn when the wheat crop is harvested. Milk, laban and burghul are mixed well together and allowed to ferment for nine days. Each morning the mixture is thoroughly kneaded with the hands. When fermentation is complete the kishk is spread on a clean cloth to dry. Finally it is rubbed well between the hands until it is reduced to a powder and then stored in a dry place.

• Françoise Aubaile-Sallenave, "Al-Kishk: the past and present of a complex culinary practice", in Sami Zubaida and Richard Tapper, A Taste of Thyme: Culinary Cultures of the Middle East, London and New York, 1994 and 2000, ISBN 1-86064-603-4.

• Keşkek, a related meat-and-grain stew
• Qurut
• Frumentry
• Gachas, a Lathyrus gruel consumed since ancient times in parts of the Iberianpeninsula.