Perfect Homemade Yogurt - The Transformation: Milk, Yogurt, Lebne and the Thousand Perfect Moons

I

You

He 

She

We....

In the garden of Mystic

Lovers, These

Are not

True 

Distinctions

Rumi

One day, the Milk bumped into the Yogurt. He said My Friend! How did you end up so creamy and delicious? How is it that in the West they enjoy you with honey and jams and in the East with cucumber and garlic? Something changed in you. We used to be so similar. We used to be the same. The Milk looked almost sad.   As if he longed for a part of himself.

The Yogurt looked puzzled at the milk. Finding it hard to recall how, this transformation happened. You see, it was so quick. Almost over night (10 hours to be exact...). The Milk could feel himself slowly heating up as the Yogurt tried to remember. Then just before the Milk started burning... The yogurt started retracing it's steps, and showed the milk how it was stirred up, and the milk moved with it.. almost as if they were dancing... like dervishes whooshing round contraclockwise... humming some beautiful names... 

Mingling in the bottom of the pot together, they started reminiscing about the good old days. The Milk found the yogurt to have so much knowledge and had many cultures! And they both remembered how when they were both Milk, they used to upset everyone's tummies, but people enjoyed it anyway, even against their good judgement! It was warm, with a biscuit before bed, or with some dates in the morning, or with cocoa powder, or cereal... 

Before the night drew in and the cold came, the Yogurt and the Milk wrapped themselves up nice and warm, with two big blankets and rested in each others arms like lovers. The Milk did not know what was happening, but he could feel something changing within himself. A love was opening. With all that he had danced, and talked and essentially, loved, he knew there was no way he could be the same again.

As dawn arrived and cockerel's called out to the new day, and blessed the universe with with song, Milk and Yogurt arose finding that they were now one. There was no distinction. No separation. They were joined together, everything the yogurt had taught the Milk, the Knowledge, the Cultures, the Dancing, had now become part of the Milk... Finally understanding that everything the yoghurt had was inside him, and had been all along. The Milk understood his sadness, the longing, the separation, and finally he could let it go. Happiness became him.  


And then they heard a poet reciting:

'No one knows what makes the soul wake up so happy!

Maybe a dawn breeze has blown the veil from the face of God. 

A thousand new Moons appear. 

Roses open laughing.

Hearts become perfect Rubies...'

It was Rumi. Of course it was Rumi! Milk had reached his first Stage of Perfection :) It was easy and it was with love and dancing. But where were these Moons that Rumi spoke of? Something opened in his heart, and made him want to learn more....

Creamy Tips!

 My adaptations to the recipe as I find it the easiest way to remember that; we don't always have everything at hand, everything can be done slightly differently, and there are some things, that just can never be left out

- There are different stages to this - all very easy, and they all make slightly different forms of yogurt

- Yogurt Making is very easy Alhamdullilah... even easier than most of the recipe's that you will find anywhere online. Again, I am in the middle of nowhere.. so something to check the temperature of the Milk or a thermometer or 'Candy Blah blah' stick thing.. yeah. I don't have one of those and I was forced to use my senses to make this yogurt perfect and delicious.. So I went on memory, and some small bits of advice from different sources...

- When you heat up the milk, it needs to get to just above body temperature (between 43-45°C) so, instead of using a thermometer, I stick my finger in the pot, it will be warm but not burning, not so hot that I can't keep my finger in, (don't force your finger to burn because you think you are brave!) the maximum that I or you should feel is a tiny pinching. If it is too hot, the heat will kill the live cultures the yogurt wont work, if it is not warm enough, the Live Cultures won't be stimulated enough to blend together and start reacting with the milk...

- I usually end up heating the Milk a tiny bit too warm and then waiting 10 minutes for it to cool down to the perfect temperature.

- All you need is Live Yogurt or Yogurt with Live Cultures, Milk, a pan (not aluminium) a whisk and two blankets.

- You have to buy yogurt with Live Cultures in it for this to work, I also heavily recommend the freshest most delicious, most organic milk (and yogurt) you can find, Tetrapak Milk will not turn out as delicious and may even Kill your live Cultures! Not Cool! Anything that has been overly refined, well that, in my view is just taking away the goodness....

- You make yogurt with yogurt... so that means that after making this yogurt, you can just use a couple of tablespoons or more to make the next batch of yogurt.. you get out what you put in!

- This recipe can be used for very large quantities so don't be shy if you have loads of Milk!

- You need a cheese cloth to Make the Lebne, Perfect Moons, and Greek Yogurt.. White Turban Material is Perfect! 

- When the Whey separated from the yogurt, you can use the Whey for many things. you can drink it straight it is very nutritious, though not so delicious! Some have used to it to soften meat and as a base for Marinade, you can also use it as a base for Ayran (just add 2 tbsp of yogurt, salt and mint to it!) just ask google! (I may do another post on all the things you can Whey! lol)

- You can speed up the process from yogurt to greek yogurt by slightly squeezing the cheesecloth with the yogurt in it (if you have guests and are in a rush for example), although I have found that sometimes if you squeeze too hard, yogurt comes out and there is waste instead.

- Making yogurt is very satisfying, and since I have been making it, I have been eating more and more of it! I even found some interesting facemasks and hair conditioners using it! (another post!)

- Want it savoury? for the Creamy Lebne, or Lebne Balls aka the perfect moons, why dont you try a selection of these spices and herbs? thyme,  basil,  oregano, fennel, corriander, carraway, chile flakes, dried onion, chives, smoke paprika and garlic. 

- I also bought 2kg's of yogurt once, just to make the lebne yogurt balls because I couldn't get my hands on any fresh milk... so yes, greek yogurt, lebne and the Perfect Moons can all be made out store bought yogurt...

First Transformation - Milk to Yogurt

Ingredients:
2 Litres of Milk
4 Tablespoons of Yogurt with Live Cultures

Directions:
1. Slowly heat up the milk in a pan. Very slowly.
2. Check that the milk has reached 43-45°C with your finger or a thermometer or Candy Blah Blah and take off the fire
3. Put 4 tbsp of Yogurt in a bowl, and add 100ml of the warm Milk to the bowl and mix together
4. Add the Yogurt and Milk Mix back into the Milk Pot, and stir gently until fully mixed
5. Cover the Milk and Yogurt Mix with a lid and then wrap in two blankets to insulate. The mixture should not get cold.
6. Leave the pot somewhere where it will not be disturbed or moved. 
7. After resting for 10 hours, voile! you have Homemade Yogurt!

Second Transformation  - Yogurt to Greek Yogurt

Ingredients: Home Made Yogurt

Directions: 

1. Take your homemade yogurt, and put it in a cheese cloth or square piece of Turban 

2. Lay the cheesecloth on a strainer, which is resting on another pot to collect the Whey

3. Spoon the yogurt into the cheese cloth (If you want to be fancy you can also hang the yogurt at this stage but it is unnecessary)

4. Leave for 30 minutes to 1 hour

5. Take the yogurt out of the cheesecloth and serve!

Third Transformation  - Greek Yogurt to Lebne 

Directions:

Just as with Greek Yogurt, to make Lebne, and the Thousand Perfect Moons, the Yogurt needs to strain. For Lebne:

1. Strain the yogurt for 12-24 hours days in the fridge, 

2.  Take the yogurt out of the cheese cloth and serve

3. Garnish with your selection of herbs and spices

Final Transformation  - Lebne to the Thousand Perfect Moons

For the Thousand Perfect Moons (Lebne Yogurt Balls):

1. Strain the yogurt for 3 days in the fridge until the yogurt is very thick

2. Prepare a bowl for the moons, half fill it with olive Oil, and spice of your choice,  

3. Take a large pinch of yogurt and roll it in your hands into a ball and place it into the prepared Bowl

4. Serve the Perfect Moon Yogurt balls as an appetizer, a side to any savoury dish, or as part of another dish... the Magical Melting Chickpea Tagine for example!

Remember to Always Serve with Love!