LABAN MATBOOKH
LEBANON | SYRIA | PALESTINE
Cooking with yogurt is very common in Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan, as well as in Turkey and parts of Southern and Central Asia. Goat yogurt is the most stable yogurt to use in cooking, but it is safer to use a stabilizer when boiling yogurt, regardless of the type. Many use cornstarch and/or egg. I like to use only egg, as cornstarch tends to make the yogurt sauce coarser. Ideally you should cook the dish and serve it immediately as the sauce risks curdling during reheating, especially if done too quickly and if the sauce is allowed to boil hard. This sauce is the base for several dishes and can be flavored with mint or cilantro depending on what you are using it for.
SERVES 4 TO 6
2 tablespoons (30 g) unsalted butter
½ bunch cilantro (about 3½ ounces/100 g), most of the bottom stems discarded, finely chopped, or ¼ bunch mint (2 ounces/50 g), leaves stripped off the stems, finely chopped (or 3 tablespoons finely crumbled dried mint)
4 large cloves garlic, minced to a fine paste
4 cups (1 kg) yogurt
1 organic egg
1. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped fresh herb of choice (or dried mint) and garlic and sauté for 1 minute, or until the herb has wilted. Take off the heat.
2. Whisk the yogurt and egg together in a large heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly (or else the yogurt will curdle). When the yogurt has come to a boil, reduce the heat to low and let simmer for 3 minutes, still stirring.
3. Add the herb-garlic mixture and set aside to use with the recipes for Lamb Shanks in Yogurt, Kibbeh Balls in Minty Yogurt Sauce, and Lebanese Dumplings in Yogurt Sauce.