How can you use Leben in recipes?
Leben, also called laban, is a fermented milk from the Middle East. Eat it plain, drink it chilled, or use it as you would yogurt: with fruit jam or toppings, as a base for dips and sauces, or strained into thicker labneh. Quantities and sourness vary by maker, so taste as you go. Mind that the word leben means different products in different countries.
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In this article
What is leben?
Leben (also laban, lben or raib) is a fermented milk from the Middle East and North Africa. Meiji’s yogurt library lists it as the fermented milk of Israel, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Jordan and Lebanon, where laban is described as the most popular fermented milk. Because the name covers several products, from yogurt-like to buttermilk-like, the thickness and sourness vary by country and by maker.
How is it made?
A home method shows warming fresh milk (1 to 3 percent fat) without boiling, stirring in one tablespoon of sour cream per cup, and leaving it covered for 24 hours in a warm place. The result is denser and sweeter than yogurt. In Lebanon, households mix cow, sheep or goat milk with a starter of laban from a previous batch.
How can you use leben in recipes?
- Eat it plain or with toppings: the home method suggests fruit jam or any topping you like. In Iraq it is usually eaten plain or with spices.
- Drink it: in Saudi Arabia laban is drunk as a plain yogurt beverage.
- Strain it into labneh: in Lebanon laban is the base for lanane (labni), a condensed yogurt made by draining the whey, usually eaten in winter. It is made by draining laban in a cloth sack; in Syria it is served with olive oil and spices.
- Make kishk: laban is mixed with wheat flour and dried, then simmered into a porridge eaten with bread.
- Use it like yogurt: in dips, sauces and marinades, like yogurt. This last use is a general cooking suggestion; results vary.
Leben vs yogurt
| Leben | Yogurt | |
|---|---|---|
| Texture | Varies; often thinner, or denser if made with sour cream | Usually thick or set |
| Taste | Tangy to mildly sweet, varies | Tangy |
| Use | Drink, dip, strain | Dip, eat, cook |
Storage
The home method says to refrigerate promptly so it does not become too sour. Follow the label on shop-bought tubs.
Who should be careful?
It is made from milk, so avoid it if you have a dairy allergy.
People also ask
What is leben used for?
It is eaten plain, drunk chilled, strained into labneh, or used in sauces and dips like yogurt.
Is leben the same as yogurt?
Not exactly; it is a fermented milk whose texture and sourness vary by region. A home recipe makes it denser and sweeter than yogurt.
How is leben made?
Warm milk is mixed with a starter or sour cream and left covered for about 24 hours in a warm place.
Sources
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