Yogurt, Draining + Thickening

Yogurt is traditionally thickened by placing it in a muslin bag, or 3 layers of cheesecloth, then hanging it up and leaving it to drain overnight. A shortcut is to put the yogurt in a bowl on a rimmed sheet pan, and place 3 or 4 layers of paper towel on top with the sides hanging down. The paper towels absorb the excess liquid, which then drains onto the pan under the bowl. Leave to drain for 1 to 2 hours, after which the yogurt will have thickened. Cover and store the drained yogurt in the fridge. Thick yogurt is available in supermarkets under the name “labneh.” Labneh, which is often mislabeled as cheese, is also available in Persian markets, where they have the Iranian variety as well, called “mast-e chekideh or mast-e khiky.”