LABNEH

Yummy gooey balls of goodness, labneh balls are part of a Mediterranean mezze platter. You might have tasted them in good Mediterranean restaurants as part of their mezze sampler. Labneh is a simple 3 ingredient recipe that is deceptively simple to make. It tastes best with soft pita bread or lavash. In these #lockdown times, such an easy minimal recipe was the need of the hour when planning different meals for the family. With hummus, falafel and fattoush, and this labneh, it was a perfect summery lunch.

SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS

6 cups of curd or yoghurt

1 tsp salt (or to taste)

2 tbsp dried mint powder

2 tbsp za'atar

1 tbsp crushed pistachios

1 tbsp sesame seeds

METHOD

1. Mix enough salt into the curd so it's flavoured well. Tie it in a muslin cloth and hang it for 24 hours in the fridge so that all the whey comes out. What remains must be a tight ball.

2. Before serving, roll into small balls of 1-2 inch in diameter and then roll them with a variety of toppings. In the photo above, I did 3 varieties - dried mint powder, za'atar and crushed pistachios and sesame seeds.

3. Serve immediately with your mezze platter and breads.

* When you roll them into balls, the mixture might stick to your hands. Wet your hands with water or olive oil and continue rolling.

* To store, pour olive oil into the container and seal it tight. To serve, remove from the oil and plate them. If you want a homemade recipe of za'atar, a spice that is used in mediterranean cuisine, comment below and I will post it soon.

#yoghurt @hungcurd #mediterranean #mezze #dip #glutenfree