Laban (Yoghurt Drink) is a traditional Saudi recipe for a traditional drink made from home-made yoghurt blended with salt and herbs. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Saudi dish of: Yoghurt Drink (Laban).
(click this button to prevent the screen from sleeping so Cook Mode is 'ON')
Just as in Lebanon, Laban is a staple drink in Saudi Arabia. It's made simply from yoghurt, thinned with water, blended with a little salt and optionally flavoured with herbs. This recipe lets you prepare laban from scratch by making the yoghurt first.
Ingredients:
2l water
100ml live yoghurt (or yoghurt starter)
water to thin the yoghurt
pinch of salt
herbs to flavour
Method:
Pour the milk into a saucepan and heat to blood temperature (do not make too hot or you will kill the yoghurt starter).
Turn into a bowl then whisk in the live yoghurt or the yoghurt starter. Cover the bowl with a clean cloth then set aside in a warm place to ferment.
The milk will thicken and develop a tangy flavour as the yoghurt culture goes to work. You can also put the milk in the refrigerator where the culture will get to work over night.
When the yoghurt is ready you can start making your laban (at this stage, the yoghurt will keep for two weeks in an air-tight container in the refrigerator).
Blend in enough water into the yoghurt to give it your preferred consistency (not too thick but don't over thin either).
Add a generous pinch of salt to lift the flavour of the laban.
At this stage you can also add in some finely shredded herbs (mint is typical, but basil, dill, coriander and flat-leaf parsley also work well as do lemon and pineapple-flavoured herbs).
Chill the laban in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
)
