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Blog Lebanese Food Traditional Ingredients

What is Labneh? One of the Middle East’s Best Kept Secrets

labne

Despite it being much more common than people think, we’re often asked ‘what is labneh?’. The long answer is actually rather interesting. Light, refreshing, versatile and delicious, labneh is a type of soft cheese that has been part of traditional Lebanese cuisine for eons. Also known as labneh, lebneh and even zabedi, this humble yet ancient food is one of the Middle East’s best kept culinary secrets; let’s take a look at why you need to know about labneh.

what is labneh
CC image courtesy of stu_spivack on Flickr

Labneh is healthy, delicious and will make a fantastic addition to any meal of the day. Apart from being an important source of protein, labne is considered a probiotic food, meaning that it is high in a range of healthy bacteria that help to boost your immune system.

The history of labneh

While no one knows exactly when labneh was first created, cheeses made from strained yoghurt have been eaten in the Levant (a region comprising modern day Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Jordan and Israel) for thousands of years. Ancient Bedouin tribes used labneh as an important source of protein and even had a dry version designed to suit their travelling lifestyle, while the Armenians are widely credited with introducing labneh throughout much of the Middle East many centuries ago.

A wealth of options

The popularity of labneh grew quickly and before long every culture throughout the Middle East and beyond had developed a unique version. The main difference between labneh varieties comes via the choice of milk (which drastically affects the flavour) and everything from goat, sheep and cow’s milk through to camel and water buffalo’s milk have been used. The other main differences in labneh come from whether it is eaten fresh, dried or preserved in olive oil.

How to eat Lebanese labneh

In Lebanon, this versatile food tends to be eaten in a similar fashion to hommus and any traditional mezze spread will always include at least one type of labneh. Labneh makes a delicious dip for fresh pita or falafel balls; it is a nutritious breakfast when paired with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of fresh za’atar, and it is often slathered on a pita with za’atar and vegetables to form a fast and tasty lunch.

what is labne
CC image courtesy of Alpha on Flickr

Health benefits

Like most Middle Eastern foods, labneh is extremely good for you. Apart from being an important source of protein, labneh is considered a probiotic food, meaning that it is high in a range of healthy bacteria that help to boost your immune system. Labneh is also low in calories and the process of lactic acid fermentation involved in making labneh means it offers a range of nutritional benefits as well.

Making labneh

The beauty of this amazing food is that it is extremely easy to make, and while every family has their own special technique the basics are as follows.

1. Take freshly made yoghurt (ideally made from raw milk) and mix in a sprinkle of salt.
2. Line a colander with cheesecloth, set it over a large bowl and pour in the yoghurt mixture.
3. Leave it to strain for 24 hours.
4. Your labne is now ready to eat though you can also mix in your favourite herbs and spices such as garlic, chilli, ginger or dill.
5. If kept covered and refrigerated labneh can keep for up to 2 weeks; however, you can also form it into balls and preserve it in olive oil where it will keep for months.

best labne in sydney

Labneh is healthy, delicious and will make a fantastic addition to any meal of the day and no one makes authentic Lebanese labneh quite like we do. To get a taste of Sydney’s best Lebanese food simply drop by Manoosh or order from us online; you will be glad that you did.

Categories
Blog Lebanese Food Traditional Ingredients

The Story of Haloumi

haloumi Chilli

Known to the Turks as hellim, to the Arabs as hallum and to the Italians as calumi, few cheeses can get taste buds tingling and pulses racing quite like haloumi. If you have yet to discover this heavenly cheese, brace yourself for something special, because you will never forget your first taste of haloumi. Let’s take a look at the story of Haloumi and see what all the fuss is about.

the story of haloumi
CC image courtesy of Elin B on flickr http://bit.ly/1RtIyx8

People have been singing haloumi’s praises for hundreds of years, nowadays, haloumi is a core element of cultural cuisines all over the world, from Lebanon to Egypt to Sudan.

What is Haloumi?

Haloumi is a hard, white cheese traditionally made from a mixture of sheep and goat milk, though nowadays cow’s milk is sometimes added too. It looks a lot like mozzarella but it is a whole lot saltier, and because haloumi has a higher than average melting point it is one of the few cheeses that you can grill or fry, making it perfect for everything from Lebanese pizza to traditional Aussie barbeques.

best haloumi inner west sydney

The pride of Cyprus

Haloumi hails from the Mediterranean and was first made on the island of Cyprus during the Medieval Byzantine period (AD 395 – 1191). Cypriot famers relied on haloumi as a source of protein and in many villages the entire community would join forces and make huge batches together. Recipes varied from village to village, with each taking great pride in their special technique and secret ingredients. Haloumi became so important to village life that even the surnames of many Cypriot families reflect their role in haloumi production, with names such as Hallumas, Halluma and Hallumakis common by the 19th century.

haloumi pizza sydney
CC image courtesy of Leonid Mamchenkov on flickr http://bit.ly/1RtJ9Pp

Hearty and mobile

Haloumi was created at a time before refrigeration when it was vital that foods were made to last. Thankfully, because haloumi was stored in salty brine it could keep for long periods without spoiling and early producers found that wrapping haloumi in mint leaves further helped to maintain its freshness and flavour. Haloumi’s impressive staying power made it popular not just with rural families but also with those who travelled long distances, such as the Bedouin tribes who regularly passed through the area.

A taste to write home about

People have been singing haloumi’s praises for hundreds of years, with one of the earliest written mentions coming in AD 867 courtesy of the poet Giorgios Vizinos in his popular poem ‘The Poor Cypriot’. Leonardo Donato (the military leader of Venice from 1606 – 1612) became so enamoured with haloumi during a visit to Cyprus that he recorded intricate details regarding how to make it, while Greek writer Arximandridis Kiprianos raved about haloumi’s distinctive flavour in his book “The Chronological History of Cyprus Island”.

lebanese pizza haloumi
CC image courtesy of Krzysztof Belczyński on flickr http://bit.ly/1MfPgXj

Making magic

There is a definite art to making haloumi that takes years to master; however, the basics are as follows;

  • Add unpasteurised sheep and goat milk to a large pot and heat to approximately 32 degrees Celsius.
  • Add rennet (a stomach enzyme found in young animals); this will cause the milk to separate into curds and whey.
  • Remove the curds as they separate, press them into small rectangular moulds and leave them to cool.
  • Take the cooled, pressed blocks from their moulds and simmer them in the whey until they float (approximately 45 minutes).
  • Remove the blocks from the whey and allow them to cool. You now have haloumi!
  • Soak the haloumi in salty brine for at least 24 hours before consuming.
  • Enjoy your fresh haloumi however you like, though grilled or fried are the most popular options.

Nowadays, haloumi is a core element of cultural cuisines all over the world, from Lebanon to Egypt to Sudan. To get a taste of this ancient delicacy, drop by Manoosh or order from us online, because no one makes haloumi quite like we do.