Najmieh Batmanglij

Yogurt, Drained

Appears in
Silk Road Cooking: A Vegetarian Journey
Silk Road Cooking

By Najmieh Batmanglij

Published 2000

  • About
Many recipes call for drained yogurt, which is simple to produce. If you are using commercial yogurt, pour the yogurt into a bowl and place the bowl in a larger one to catch drips. Place three or four layers of paper towel on the surface of the yogurt, letting the edges overlap its bowl, and refrigerate for several hours. The towel will absorb excess moisture; discard it when the yogurt is thick.

If you are using homemade yogurt (see “Yogurt, Homemade”), pour it into the center of a large square made of three layers of cheesecloth or muslin, draw the corners of the fabric together and tie them to make a bag (use a cotton jelly bag). Hang the bag over a large pot for 15 to 20 minutes. The liquid, which may be discarded, will slowly drain from the yogurt, leaving it thick and creamy.