Real African Dishes: [MC-AllEthnic-Recipes] Mediterranean Drained Yogurt

* Exported from MasterCook *

Mediterranean Drained Yogurt - Yogurt Cheese, Greek-Style Yogurt, or Labne

Recipe By :Martha Rose Shulman
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Condiment LowCal (Less than 300 cals)
LowerCarbs Veggie

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 cups plain yogurt

Line a strainer with a double thickness of cheesecloth and set it over a
bowl. Place the yogurt in the strainer, and refrigerate for at least two
hours (preferably four hours or longer). Transfer to a covered container
and refrigerate again. Serve as a spread, dip, or topping for rice, or use
as the base for a salad dressing.

Yield: 1 cup (4 one-quarter cup servings

VARIATIONS: Mix in any of the following:
1 to 2 plump garlic cloves, cut in half, green shoots removed, and mashed
to a paste with 1/4 teaspoon salt in a mortar and pestle
1 to 2 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh peppermint or dill (or other
fresh herbs of your choice)
1/2 cup finely chopped dried apricots
1/2 teaspoon or more ground toasted cumin seeds, curry powder or other
spices

Advance preparation: Drained yogurt will last as long as the regular kind,
so check the sell-by date on the container. The yogurt will continue to
give up water, which you should simply pour away.

AuthorNote; Drained of much of its water content, yogurt becomes a thick,
creamy product known in the Middle East as labna or labne. Drained yogurt
is like a moist, fresh, tangy cheese, and it makes a great spread or dip.
In Turkey and in the Middle East, a number of dips and salad dressings are
based on drained yogurt combined with pureed garlic and chopped fresh
herbs. Drained yogurt can be mixed with chopped cucumbers for salads or
with chopped dried apricots for a sweet and tangy dip.

There has been considerable controversy this year over whether certain
brands of bacteria-laden yogurt really help aid digestive health, but
don't let the hullabaloo sour you on yogurt. It's a bona fide superfood,
and live bacterial cultures are what make it unique.

If they survive the pasteurization process, you should find the bacteria
-- usually Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria -- listed on the container
among the ingredients, right after milk. Both types have long reputations
as probiotics, bacteria that are beneficial to the intestinal tract and
immune system. Beyond that, yogurt is a terrific source of protein and
calcium. Many people who are otherwise lactose-intolerant can digest it.

Still, health isn't the reason that yogurt is a staple of cuisines in the
Caucasus, Balkans, Mediterranean and India. Yogurt is wonderful to cook
with, much more than a breakfast food, and this week's recipes will
showcase a variety of dishes made with it.

Look for plain, minimally processed brands with no added gums, stabilizers
or sweeteners. I prefer low-fat to nonfat, which can be watery and sour,
and may contain fewer fat-soluble vitamins.

Cuisine:
"Mediterranean"
Source:
"Recipes for Health, New York Times, Aug 25, 2008"
S(Formatted by Chupa Babi):
"Feb 2012"
Yield:
"1 cup"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 75 Calories; 4g Fat (47.4% calories
from fat); 4g Protein; 6g Carbohydrate; 0g Dietary Fiber; 16mg
Cholesterol; 57mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Non-Fat Milk; 1/2 Fat; 1/2 Other
Carbohydrates.

NOTES : 2 cups low-fat yogurt

Nutr. Assoc. : 0