Leban Sauce Recipes

KOUSA BI LABAN

Steps:

• For the stuffed zucchini: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the ground top round and ground lamb and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 10 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, Lebanese seven spices, cinnamon, cardamom, 1/2 cup of the pine nuts and the parsley and stir gently. Set aside to cool.
• Cut the stem off the top of the zucchini. Using a vegetable corer or small spoon, core the zucchini by gently removing the center while leaving the sides intact. Fill the center of the zucchini with the filling, packing to make tight and leaving a 1/2-inch space between the filling and the top.
• Add the vegetable oil to a large skillet over medium heat and fry the zucchini for a few minutes, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the zucchini to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the excess oil.
• Arrange the stuffed zucchini side by side in a large pot of simmering water. Sprinkle with salt, reduce the heat and cover. Cook until the zucchini is tender when pierced with a sharp knife, about 20 minutes. Remove the zucchini and reserve the cooking liquid.
• For the yogurt sauce: Place the yogurt in a medium high-sided skillet over medium heat. Whisk together the cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Add the cornstarch mixture to the yogurt and cook, stirring, until it begins to steam, about 5 minutes. Add the white pepper and sea salt. Add 3 spoonfuls of the reserved zucchini cooking liquid. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 3 minutes.
• Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and dried mint and cook while stirring until browned, about 3 minutes. While stirring, add the garlic mixture to the yogurt and cook for another 2 minutes.
• Carefully drop the partially cooked zucchini in the yogurt sauce and continue cooking until completely done, about 10 minutes. Add the remaining 1/2 cup pine nuts on top to garnish. Serve hot with vermicelli rice.
• Heat the vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Drop the vermicelli noodles into the pan and stir every few seconds until they are browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside on a towel-lined plate.
• Bring 2 1/4 cups water to a boil in a medium pot. Add the rice, noodles, the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and the sea salt. Stir together, cover, reduce the heat to low and cook until tender, about 20 minutes.

LABNEH (LEBANESE CREAM CHEESE)

Steps:

• Line a large colander with a cheesecloth. Stir salt into the yogurt, and pour the yogurt into the cheesecloth. Set the colander in the sink or bowl to catch the liquid that drains off. Leave to drain for 24 hours.
• After draining for the 24 hours, transfer the resulting cheese to a bowl. Stir in the olive oil. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator.

LEBAN SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat the yogurt in a 2-quart saucepan over low flame, always stirring in the same direction, using a wire whisk, until smoooth. Keep stirring for 5 minutes or more.
• Place a couple of tablespoons of the yogurt in a glass, and dissolve 2 tablespoons of cornstarch in it.
• Add the mixture back to the yogurt. Keep stirring.
• Add the garlic and salt to taste. You may sauté the garlic first for slightly more flavor.
• Serve over stuffed squash or any stuffed vegetable.

SHAGHRIA BI LABAN WA SNOBAR

Steps:

• Cook the vermicelli in plenty of boiling water with the crumbled bouillon cubes until just tender, then drain. You may not need to add salt to the water, because of the saltiness of the cubes.
• For the sauce, mix the yogurt with the garlic and a little salt.
• For the topping, fry the pine nuts in the oil, shaking the pan, until lightly colored all over.
• Serve the vermicelli with the yogurt poured over and sprinkled with the pine nuts.
• Instead of the pine nuts, heat 4 tablespoons olive oil with 2 teaspoons paprika and dribble over the yogurt.

LEBAN (YOGURT)

Steps:

• Pour the milk into a pot. Heat the milk until it is almost boiling, stirring with a metal spoon. You'll see small bubbles form around the edges and steam beginning to rise.
• Check the temperature- it should be around 180-185°F You can use a candy thermometer if you want. Remember to heat slowly and stir often to prevent scorching.
• Allow the milk to cool at room temperature. Stir frequently in order to accurately check the temperature. In Lebanon, they cool it till they can stick their pinky finger in for 10 seconds, but it's better to use a thermometer. It should reach 112°F.
• Don't proceed until the milk is below 120F(49C), and don't allow it to go below 90F (32C). 105-110 (41-43) is optimal.
• Add nonfat dry milk, if desired. Nonfat dry milk will thicken and increase the nutritional content of the yogurt.
• Add the starter. The first time you make your own yogurt, use store-bought plain yogurt. Be certain it has "active cultures" on the label. For each quart of your cooled milk, you'll need 2 tablespoons of yogurt. When I make it using a gallon of milk, I add one whole single serving container. Let the starter yogurt sit at room temperature while you are waiting for the milk to cool. This will prevent it from being too cold when you add it inches.
• Allow the yogurt bacteria to incubate. Keep the yogurt warm to encourage bacteria growth (between 105F and 122F (41C and 49C) is ideal). I just put the lid on the pot and wrap it in heavy towels, but you can use your oven, just make sure the thermometer is accurate. You'll need to use your candy thermometer and perhaps turn your oven on and then off again periodically or keep the oven light on to warm. Most ovens don't have set temperatures this low. To check the oven temperature, place your thermometer into a bowl of water inside the oven. Wait until the yogurt is thick, about the consistency of pudding.
• Important: Keep the yogurt still during this process. Jiggling won't ruin it, but it makes it take a lot longer. It can take anywhere from 8-14 hours to incubate. The longer it incubates, the thicker and more tangy the final yogurt will be.
• Refrigerate the yogurt. Place the yogurt in your fridge for several hours before serving. It will keep for 1-2 weeks. If you are going to use some of it as starter, use it within 5-7 days, so that the bacteria still have growing power. Whey, a thin yellow liquid, will form on the top. You can pour it off or stir it in before eating your yogurt.
• Don't get discouraged if it turns out a little runny your first time (mine did). You can always put a cheese cloth in a strainer to drain some of the excess fluid.