Fermented Milk Products from All Over the World. Leben (Middle east)

Leben is a form of thick and creamy yogurt original from the Middle East, where the practice of allowing the milk to go sour naturally has been used since ancient times. Although it may be similar to yogurt, leben is slightly different, as it is made with sour cream, for a denser texture and sweeter taste. To make leben, you will need fresh milk, with a fat content of 1 to 3%, and some sour cream. Add one tablespoon of sour cream to each cup of milk when preparing leben. You will have to warm up the milk before adding the sour cream to it, but be careful not to boil it, as you just need to create a favorable environment for bacteria to thrive. Thus, when the milk is warm, add the sour cream and stir really well, making sure that the sour cream dissolved entirely. Then pour the mixture into a glass container or even in small plastic containers, if you want to portion it, cover the containers, and allow it to sit for 24 hours in a warm place. You can even place it in the over in the cold season, allowing it to sit there by using the lowest temperature of your oven. After the 24 hours pass, the leben is ready to be enjoyed. You can add fruit jam or anything you like to it. Store it in the fridge immediately if you don’t consume it, to avoid it from getting too sour.