Ingredients
Milk
- 2 litreswhole milk
- 3 tbsplive plain yoghurt or buttermilk, as starter
To serve
- flatbread
- green onions and radish
- a pinch of salt
Directions
- Warm the milk to about 25°C (77°F) — barely warm. Laban rayeb is a slow room-temperature clabber, not a heat-set yoghurt, and warming it further changes what it becomes.
- Stir in the starter and pour the milk into a wide earthenware bowl or a jar.
- Cover with a cloth, not a lid, and leave at room temperature for 24 to 48 hours. Do not stir or move it once it starts to thicken — a jolted curd never sets cleanly.
- It is ready when it has set into a soft curd that pulls away from the side of the bowl and a layer of clear whey has gathered at the edge. It should taste sharply sour but clean.
- Skim off the cream that has risen to the top if you want it — in Egyptian households this is lifted off and used separately.
- Chill for a few hours before eating. Serve cold from the bowl with flatbread, green onions and a pinch of salt.
- To turn it into areesh cheese, drain the curd in muslin for several hours.
Technique
- Cover with cloth. A sealed lid traps gas and the curd rises and splits into an ugly separated mess.
- Room temperature, not warm. Above 30°C (86°F) it sours fast and turns bitter rather than tangy.
- It should smell clean and sour. Anything yeasty or bitter means it went too warm or too long, and that batch is finished.
Substitutions
- Buttermilk as a starter, which is closer to the traditional culture than yoghurt.
- Buffalo milk, which is what much of Egypt actually uses and which sets far richer.
Variations
- Drained through cloth it becomes areesh cheese.
- Left to ripen for months with salt it becomes mish, which is a different and far stronger thing.
History
The oldest Egyptian dairy preparation, made by leaving milk in earthenware until it clabbers; the drained curd becomes areesh cheese.
Frequently asked questions
What is Laban rayeb?
Laban rayeb is a fermented & pickled from Egypt: raw milk left to sour and set into a tangy curd, eaten cold. The oldest Egyptian dairy preparation, made by leaving milk in earthenware until it clabbers; the drained curd becomes areesh cheese.
How long does Laban rayeb take to make?
Laban rayeb takes 10 min plus 2 to 3 days souring of preparation and no cooking at all. The recipe makes makes about 1 litre. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Laban rayeb?
Yes, within limits. Buttermilk as a starter, which is closer to the traditional culture than yoghurt. Buffalo milk, which is what much of Egypt actually uses and which sets far richer.
What is the most important thing to get right in Laban rayeb?
Cover with a cloth, not a lid, and leave at room temperature for 24 to 48 hours. Do not stir or move it once it starts to thicken — a jolted curd never sets cleanly.
