A Trio Of Labneh

1. 1

   PREPARE THE YOGURT: stir the yogurt well and season with salt. The salt helps draw out the whey (think of cucumbers& aubergines where the salt drains them of their natural liquids). If you want to use this in a 'sweet' recipe, temper how much salt you add.

2. 2

   BAG AND HANG: place the yogurt in the centre of a muslin/cheesecloth folded 4 times (or line a sieve with coffee filters). Gather up the ends of the cloth and tie up tight, gently gathering up the yogurt to form a ball. You'll notice the whey begin to drip as soon as you begin. (Keep the whey in the fridge stir into your breakfast cereal, or back into yogurt, in pancake mixes...or find out a myriad other ways to use it - it is rich in protein, and remember Little Miss Muffet?)

3. 3

   Moving on, pass a skewer through the tie/knot and hang over a deep bowl. Some people leave it to hang at room temperature but for hygiene issues, I place my yogurt over a bowl, in the fridge overnight. The next morning, much of the whey will have drained out, leaving a creamy residue - firm on the outside andsoft and creamy on the inside.

4. 4

   If you like, you can serve it now, gently stirred together and topped with anything from olives and tomatoes to herbs and spice mixes.

5. 5

   MAKE LABNEH BALLS: put your spice mixes in bowls. The amount you need will vary according to preferences. Pinch off chunks of cheese, dunk them in the spices, then gently roll them to form balls. This will reduce the amount of cheese that sticks to your fingers, though note that a bowl of water close by is very handy.

6. 6

   For the Almond mix, gently mix some chopped fresh mint in the labneh, using the tips of your fingers and minimising the stickiness and loss associated with wet foods. Pinch off cheese chunks and roll them in the crushed almonds or dukkah mix.

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.

No additional tips available.