I expect to be indoors for about a month, although it could be a much longer time than that. Before going stir crazy, I think about food projects I can do that will actually empower me to extend or preserve foods that I don’t always do. Yogurt is just one of those foods that I’m not so great at eating very often, but I like to keep it in the fridge for a variety of recipes, as a sour cream substitute, and for any tummy aches because it’s such a good probiotic, which is essential to gut health- but….it can be a little difficult on those of us who are lactose-intolerant and for me, this has become an even bigger issue while I’ve been in Turkey, for some reason. That said, I opt for making yogurt cheese, commonly known throughout the Middle East as labneh. Here’s how I make it:
I use four things: a cheesecloth to hold the yogurt, twine or a clip or rubber band to tie the cloth, a colander/strainer where the yogurt can drip, and a bowl underneath that to catch it all.
I prefer to use organic cheesecloth because other cotton towels may be bleached, which is no bueno for our food…
I use twine or rubber band to tie the cloth and also make a loop if using twine because sometimes I like to drain this over the sink for a couple of hours.
Anything longer than that and I put the whole contraption I’ve showed you into the fridge.
This is the process of how I make it. Here’s how the final result looks at this link. You can make this delicious recipe with the yogurt cheese as a spread with pomegranates, hazelnuts or other nuts. Get it here.
You can also get this recipe in my cookbook, available here.
If you want to even go further and make your own yogurt, you can get your own starter and begin that process, too. From there, you should never have to buy yogurt again!