Prep Time0 min
Cook Time0 min
Servings1
DifficultyEasy
Vegetarian Gluten-Free
About This Dish
A tangy, refreshing fermented milk drink that is the traditional accompaniment to couscous in Morocco. Leben is made by churning milk until the fat separates to become butter, leaving behind a thin, tangy liquid similar to buttermilk. It has a pleasantly sour taste and a slightly effervescent quality. In rural Morocco, leben is still made the traditional way — by agitating a goatskin bag filled with milk. In cities, commercial leben is available in every corner store. It is considered essential with Friday couscous and is valued for its cooling, digestive properties.
Ingredients
- 250 ml Leben (Moroccan buttermilk) or kefir
Instructions
- 1
Pour chilled leben into a glass.
- 2
Serve cold alongside couscous or as a refreshing drink.
- 3
If unavailable, mix plain yogurt with cold water (2:1 ratio) and a pinch of salt.
Tips & Tricks
- Leben should be served very cold.
- The homemade substitute of yogurt thinned with water is a reasonable approximation.
- Goat milk leben has a tangier, more authentic flavor than cow milk versions.