Access to this page has been denied because we believe you are using automation tools to browse the website. 1 billion American yogurt industry came from the strained yogurt sub-segment, typically marketed yogurt substitute “Greek yogurt”. In the US, there is no legal or standard definition of Greek yogurt, and yogurt thickened with thickening agents may also be sold as “Greek yogurt”. In English, strained yogurt only became well known outside of immigrant communities in the 1980s, when it was imported into the United Kingdom by the Greek company Fage, under the brand name “Total”.
Starting in the 1980s, essentially all yogurt in the UK called “Greek yogurt” was strained yogurt made in Greece. Levant, Egypt, and the Arabian Peninsula. Labneh is made by straining the liquid out of yogurt until it takes on a consistency similar to a soft cheese. It tastes like tart sour cream or heavy strained yogurt and is a common breakfast dip.
It is usually eaten in a fashion similar to hummus, spread on a plate and drizzled with olive oil and often, dried mint. Strained labneh is pressed in cheese cloth between two heavy stones and later sun dried. Labneh is the main ingredient in jameed, which is in turn used in mansaf, the national dish of Jordan. Labaneh bil zayit, “labaneh in oil”, consists of small balls of dry labneh kept under oil, where it can be preserved for over a year. As it ages it turns more sour. In Egypt, it is eaten with savory accompaniments such as olives and oil, and also with a sweetener such as honey, as a snack or breakfast food. Shanklish, a fermented cheese, is made from areesh cheese.
Arish cheese is made from yogurt heated slowly until it curdles and separates, then placed in cheesecloth to drain. It is similar in taste to ricotta. As in Greece, strained yogurt is widely used in Cypriot cuisine both as an ingredient in recipes as well as on its own or as a supplement to a dish. In Cyprus, strained yogurt is usually made from sheep’s milk. Strained yogurt in Iran is called mâst chekide and is usually used for making dips, or served as a side dish. In Northern Iran, mâst chekide is a variety of kefir with a distinct sour taste. In Armenia, strained yogurt is called kamats matzoon.
Traditionally, it was produced for long-term preservation by draining matzoon in cloth sacks. Kept for a couple of hours in its clay pot, some of the water evaporates through the unglazed clay’s pores. It also cools the curd due to evaporation. Chakka is also eaten in Pashtun-dominated regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan with rice and meat dishes.
Yogurt is drained in a cloth sack from few hours to overnight. The water released from this process is called “hirrë” and can be used to preserve cheese or as a drink. A variety of strained yogurt called “basa” is a traditional variety of cheese from the region of Lika in Croatia. In southern Serbia, fermented with peppers, it is known as vurda. A type of strained yogurt named ymer is available in Denmark.
In contrast to the Greek and Turkish variety, only a minor amount of whey is drained off in the production process. Strained yogurt is known as hangop, literally meaning ‘hang up’ in the Netherlands. Hangop may also be made using buttermilk. In the UK, strained yogurt can only be marketed as “Greek” if made in Greece.