lben

Lben is a kind of whey which is prepared either in a chkoua (goatskin bottle) or a Khabia, a special jar for this purpose. First, put the milk in a Gdra (earthenware dish), cover and leave to curdle. This will take 2 to 4 days depending on the weather.

Then pour the milk in the Chkoua which should be hung up by 2 pieces of cord to the fork of 2 branches of a tree in the country. It has to be swung to and fro patiently until a special splashing sound indicates that the particles of fat with which buffer is made are separated from the curdled milk.

Empty the Lben into a special jar after passing through a fine sieve.The curdled milk should similarly be poured into the Khabia and stirred with a wooden stick with a sort of wooden plate at the end.

The wooden lid has a hole in it through which the wooden stick can be moved up and down in the curdled milk. When particles of fat appear on the surface of the lid the lben is ready.

To help with the preparation add 1 litre (2 pts) of warm water to the Chkoua or Khabia at the beginning of the operation.Serve very cold on its own, or with Saycouk Small quantities of Iben can be whisked in an electriá mixer.

fresh cream cheese (Fresh jbane) 

This is only prepared in dairies. It is a sort of curdled milk which is strained in muslin bags and eaten when free from whey with sugar. 

fresh cream cheese (salt jbane) 

This is curdled milk which is strained and then left to dry in a flat alfalfa basket. It looks like a round, hard, flat cheese. It is sold in markets, like fresh jbane, and is made principally from goats milk.