Make your own yogurt

Crunchy Chicken discusses making your own yogurt.

Here is the old-fashioned Lebanese method for yogurt-making I learned from my father. I remember he taught all our American friends to do this back in the 70s. I watched him and did it myself as a young teen. Still do every once in a while.

The Lebanese way to make yogurt involves no yogurt maker, cooler, thermos or any special equipment.

First organize your yogurt container. A glass or ceramic covered bowl or crock is best. I like those Corning or Anchor Hocking glass casseroles with glass lids, but a sturdy plastic container would do. Boil water and rinse the clean container and lid, let air dry.

Scald enough milk to fill the container - that means heat milk until bubbles form at the edge of the pot. Don't let it foam over, or heavens forbid burn it! Let cool until you can hold your (clean) finger in the milk for the rapid count of 10. About 110 degrees Fahrenheit I believe, but I never use a thermometer. (Update: Google is our yogurt making friend. Kitchen science link below says cool to 112-115; it will reach 110 when you add the starter).

Pour milk into your prepared container.

Stir up some yogurt in a cup. Let's say about a half cup for a half gallon of milk. This is the starter, which in our village we call the "rowbih." I pour a little hot milk into the yogurt, too, to bring it to temperature. You want to "break" the yogurt curds. Use a yogurt with live cultures, and don't use one that has pectin or gelatin (or anything else) added.

Then stir the starter into the hot milk and put the lid on. To keep yogurt warm, set container on a folded blanket or towel, and then wrap it up with old blankets, parka, whatever will keep it nice and warm. Let sit for 6 to 8 hours.

Over the years Americans have suggested all manner of ways to keep the yogurt warm. A haybox, if you already use one, seems like a simple solution; also I suppose a styrofoam "cooler" would also work but I have not tried this. If you already have a warming method you like, go for it. Personally I would not keep yogurt in an oven warmed to 200 degrees (F) for 6 hours - what a waste of fuel. But people do.

The yogurt should look firm and have solidified bubbles on the top. When it has set, refrigerate.

The kitchen-science, USDA-approved method. Includes non-fat dry milk powder, which many people can taste and don't like. OK it tells you to use a double boiler which makes it impossible to scorch the milk. Whatever.

For bonus points, make yogurt cheese (lebneh):

Take your fresh yogurt, leaving some aside for another starter, and put it into a sterilized muslin bag. Add salt. Tie the bag shut and hang it from an olive tree branch. (Or your sink faucet, or anyplace else it can drain. Or put it in a colander).

Let drain until it's the consistency you like, from gooey to solid. Turn out onto a plate and drizzle with olive oil. Serve with olives, tomatoes, mint, cucumbers, and pita bread. Or eat unadorned with bread. But must add good olive oil.

Alternative draining methods I have seen include using coffee filters, layered cheesecloth or even paper towels in a colander.

Your own olive oil from the tree where the lebneh drained would of course be optimal but even Lebanese can't achieve that too often. Most of them buy their lebneh in plastic tubs like the rest of us, these days.

Comments

[Maloof]

I use cheesecloth - put the yogurt in the cloth. Tie it with string or elastic band and stick a few skewers through the top and balance over a large bowl overnight. In the morning we have delicious cheese.

[debbie Kanfani]

Hi
This isn't in response to the food but about the book Unveiled. I am Deborah Kanafani and somehow I came upon the comments you wrote in which you were fearful that my book portrayed Arab men as villians.
I wanted to let you know that I am a Lebanese American and my book has many wonderful Arab men in it! I am as frustrated with the media as you are because although my book does address the loss of my children on the West Bank under the Sharia it also tells of many wonderful men. I vsisited very courageous wives of Arab leaders and they told me their stories fo the book. I wrote about life under occupation for Palestinians and about grass roots peace efforts. Unfortunately the media and markets like to dramatize this one part of my book because people will listen. I have fought for a different approach..but I'm only the author..so they don't really care. My website is www.deborahkanafani.com. Your recipies look great!