Middle
Eastern Yogurt Cheese
from the ESL
Discussion Center
Posted by Olga on December
19, 1999 at
13:08:33:
The history of yogurt goes back perhaps 8,000 years, to the dawn of civilization. It
is believed to have been discovered by the bedouins of the Arabian Peninsula. The story
goes that when a family of nomads had stored milk in bags made from goat stomachs in
preparation for a long journey, the hot sun, the movements from the pack animal, and the
bacteria from the goat's stomach combined to ferment the milk, producing yogurt. 1 quart milk, preferably homogenized whole milk
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
Heat milk in a saucepan over medium heat
until it begins to rise and bubbles form around the edges; then allow milk to cool to the
point at which you can insert your little finger and count to ten (110 degrees F.)
Pour into an earthenware jar/pyrex bowl
with a tight-fitting lid. Stir in the yogurt until thoroughly mixed; then place in a warm
spot away from drafts.
Cover with a wool blanket to keep warm.
Alternatively, place container in an oven heated to 150 degrees F. After five minutes,
turn the heat off, and let the container sit for 6 hours undisturbed; then uncover and
remove from oven, and refrigerate until the following day.
Remove about 2 tablespoons of yogurt and
place in a small, covered glass jar; then store in refrigerator. This will be your starter
(or rawba) for the next yogurt preparation. Cover the remaining yogurt and keep in
refrigerator.
Yogurt Cheese
Pour a quart of yogurt (see preceding recipe) into a bag made of fine white cotton. Stir
in 1 teaspoon of salt. Suspend the tied bag from a faucet over a sink, allowing the water
to drip out, overnight or until contents are firm.
When the yogurt is firm, remove contents
from the bag and place in a deep bowl. Taste to see if labana requires more salt; then
stir. Cover, refrigerate, and use as needed
To serve, remove required amount and spread
it evenly on a small plate. Sprinkle with a little olive oil just before serving.
Yogurt Cheese Balls (Zanakeel Laban)
To preserve the labana or yogurt cheese for
long periods, follow these steps;
Place 1 heaping tablespoon of labana in the
palm of the hand; roll into a ball and place on a tray. Repeat, using as much as you wish
to preserve.
Allow to stand overnight, then place in
sterilized jars and cover with olive oil Seal and store for future use. This will keep
indefinitely, stored in the refrigerator. Serve balls with a little of the olive oil.
Both forms, labana and zanakeel laban, are
excellent for appetizers, sandwiches, and as a toast spread.
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