This recipe calls for Drained Yogurt; instructions from Martha Rose Shulman are after the recipe.
Spinach Yogurt Soup with Walnuts
from:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/03/he...ipehealth.html
12 ounces baby spinach, or 2 bunches spinach, stemmed and washed
2 to 4 garlic cloves (to taste)
1 tablespoons chopped fresh mint (optional)
Salt to taste
4 cups thickened low-fat yogurt
1/2 to 1 cup ice water, to taste
Freshly ground pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, to taste
1/4 teaspoon Aleppo pepper (optional)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1. Wash the spinach and wilt in batches over high heat in a large frying pan. Transfer to a colander, rinse with cold water, then squeeze dry. Chop fine.
2. Place the garlic in a mortar and pestle with a generous pinch of salt, and mash to a paste.
3. Whisk together the yogurt, garlic, mint and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the spinach, lemon juice, Aleppo pepper and walnuts. Thin out as desired with ice water. Chill for at least an hour.
Yield: Serves four.
Advance preparation: Wilted spinach will keep in a covered bowl in the refrigerator for about four days. You can make this several hours before serving. Add the lemon juice shortly before serving, and adjust seasonings.
Drained Yogurt Instructions
Drained of much of its water content, yogurt becomes a thick, creamy product known in the Middle East as labna or labne. Drained yogurt is like a moist, fresh, tangy cheese, and it makes a great spread or dip. In Turkey and in the Middle East, a number of dips and salad dressings are based on drained yogurt combined with pureed garlic and chopped fresh herbs. Drained yogurt can be mixed with chopped cucumbers for salads or with chopped dried apricots for a sweet and tangy dip.
2 cups low-fat yogurt
Line a strainer with a double thickness of cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Place the yogurt in the strainer, and refrigerate for at least two hours (preferably four hours or longer). Transfer to a covered container and refrigerate again. Serve as a spread, dip, or topping for rice, or use as the base for a salad dressing.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/25/he...ipehealth.html