Labne

One of my most satisfying things to make is Labne - this is because it is so versatile for use in other dishes or as a delicious dip. 

Labne, made from natural yoghurt, provides probiotics - Acidophilus and Bifidus, which are usual inhabitants of a healthy gut.

However in times of stress, hormonal changes in perimenopause and menopause, a poor diet, and medication use, these gut bacteria can be reduced.

Along with yoghurt and kefir, plus other fermented foods, labne can help restore, maintain and stabilise the healthy gut flora.
If you would like to make other fermented foods and learn about their health benefits, then why not join me at my Fermented Food Masterclass here. 

Have a look at my video making the Labne here on Youtube. 

350g natural unsweetened dairy yoghurt, (without any thickeners added such as gelatine/gums)

Savoury version:
Pinch of salt
1 small handful (25g) fresh basil leaves, finely chopped or 1 tsp dried thyme or oregano leaves
Optional - 1 small garlic clove, crushed
Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

Sweet version:
½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
1 teaspoon honey
Optional - date syrup. 

You’ll need:
Large (about 1 litre) open-necked jar or jug or bowl.
1 piece of muslin cloth or thin cloth (about 60cm x 30cm)
1 long handled spoon or pole

Fold the cloth over to form a double layer and spoon the yoghurt into the centre. Gather and tie the corners, leaving a gap for the handle of the spoon.
Put the spoon through the gap and suspend the cloth ball over the jar/jug/bowl.
Put this in the fridge and leave to drain overnight.

After 24 hours, take out of the fridge, open up the cloth. Inside is your labne!

You can mix this with the fresh basil leaves (or other herbs). Use as a dip, drizzled with olive oil. Or use spread on oat cakes or toast or bread. Alternatively you can stir through some sweet spices and honey or perhaps date syrup, and make a sweet version. This you can use as a health frosting on muffins or cakes. 

Store in the fridge, and use by the date on the original yoghurt container.

Note: The liquid, which gathers in the bottom of the jug/jar/bowl when making the labne, is whey. You can use this in porridge, soups and smoothies if you wish.

Yoghurt types - This labne recipe works well with regular cow, goat, sheep’s yoghurts but not with coconut or oat yoghurts, since they use thickeners to emulsify the yoghurt. If using a thick greek-style yogurt, you may find that less whey drains off overnight and your labne could be thicker than shown in the video. This is still ok. Some dairy yoghurts contain thickeners/emulsifiers, they usually do not work well making labne with, instead choose natural unsweetened plain yoghurt with contains only milk, milk products, and live cultures. 

Did you know that apart from beneficial microbes in Yoghurt, it also contains plenty of calcium important for your bones and relaxation of muscles. 

Have a look at the video of how to make this labne here.