Oh my… already half way into the year… is it just me or are the months flying by and now, time for another In My Kitchen post with lovely Celia and company. Managed to salvage a few slices of this homemade cherry cake for a quick photo before it disappeared completely… we love old-fashioned homely cakes with cups of tea and coffee in our home.
In my kitchen strained a few pots of natural yogurt (shop bought) over the course of two days and made a soft middle eastern yogurt cheese, called Labneh. I then pressed it into a ricotta mould to give it a nice cheesy look. You can either drizzle over olive oil and a scattering of fresh herbs or, drizzle with honey and scatter chopped fresh fruit on top… love a blank canvas of food to flavor.
I know you can buy all sorts of yogurt in the supermarket and it’s quick and convenient too. The satisfaction from making your own yogurt… you wont find in any supermarket brand. I don’t always make yogurt, but love when I do and we love yogurt that’s Greek style… thick and creamy. Although you can make yogurt without an electrical appliance, I prefer knowing the temperature is consistent when incubating the yogurt starter. I have only ever used live cultures from Greek yogurt, Fage. I would like to try other yogurt cultures and taste the difference. Do you like to make your own yogurt and what cultures do you prefer?
Love the small jars too… for breakfast, homemade yogurt topped with chopped delicious sweet golden kiwifruit… need I say more!
In my kitchen… a cooling appetizer made with melon balls, cubes of feta cheese and some fresh mint leaves. The perfect kitchen tool for the job… the melon baller. Thought these appetizers would look more appealing displayed in this long olive dish.
In my kitchen I have been making lots of spicy Thai red and green curry pastes and giving the pestle and mortar a good workout… and myself in the process. When making Thai pastes I like to make extra and freeze portions for later use, which I find very convenient.
With lots of Thai ingredients in my kitchen I also made green curry paste from Andy Ricker’s cookbook, Pok Pok for the cookbook club I attend. The green curry paste in the pestle and mortar is darker than the one above (my recipe) and adds more shrimp paste than I would normally use, but still very tasty when used to make his green Thai curry. The flavors of Thai food are so addictive and one of my favorite cuisines.
Each month Celia over at Fig Jam and Lime Cordial hosts the In My Kitchen theme, bloggers from around the globe join in and showcase their kitchen treasures. Why not join too!
You might like In My Kitchen One Year Ago:
Food and Tools 
Lots of deliciousness in your kitchen this June Moya…lovely post. Yes have been following Fig Jam and Lime Cordial and have been meaning to write up a post for June too…hopefully it will happen:))
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Thank you Shy and look forward to your In My Kitchen post 🙂
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Looove Thai flavours! I don’t know if it’s the extra effort needed but curry paste, pounded by hand always tastes better I think. Love your melon appetiser!
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It does Sandra, nothing beats a good kitchen workout with a pestle and mortar 🙂
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Moya your appetisers look great in your olive dish. What a brilliant idea.
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Glenda, at least I have found another use for my olive dish 🙂
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Moya, everything looks so beautiful. I am in awe. I do make yoghurt and usually buy a reliable brand with the correct cultures and no added stuff as a starter. I use an old Chinese thermos which I rinse out with hot water before commencing. The thermos retains this heat for hours, then I drain it for ticker yoghurt. I love your yoghurt jars- do you pot set your yoghurt and what gadget do you use? Your hand made Thai pastes are inspiring too. Lovely to see the light of summer in your post.
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Francesca I pot-set my yoghurt with the help of the Cuisinart yogurt and cheese maker and depending on the recipe, no need to strain to make it thicker. The jars came with the electrical appliance but I am sure they have newer models now. Wonderful that you are making good use of an old Chinese thermos… it’s so rewarding making your own yogurt 🙂
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It is Moya. If I use extra dried milk powder, along with normal milk, the yoghurt gets very thick but I don’t fancy the taste as much. Must look up the price of one of those cuisinart gadgets…
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Francesca, sometimes I add cream, I don’t mind the taste when powdered milk is added. I believe some newer models have a cooling system in them and chill your yogurt once it has set. 🙂
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love the yoghurt pots, and the melon balls and the labneh. all sorts of goodies in your kitchen!
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Me too Sherry and each pot of yogurt makes a perfect serving for one 🙂
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Talk about class with the ricotta mould. I just strain it and if I have time, roll it into balls. Yours looks much prettier! Very clever styling of the melon balls in the olive dish too. You’re full of good ideas…
Always interesting to see what’s happening. xxx
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Fiona, rolling Labneh into balls is also a neat way of serving. Maybe I could use my olive dish for this too 🙂 🙂
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Wow Moya, so many good things in your kitchen!! I LOVE your labneh, and the cherry cake too x
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You can’t beat a good old fashioned cake Lizzy. Thought the labneh would look pretty when turned out from the cheese mould… trying to make good use of my kitchen tools 🙂
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I agree with you, Moya, you really can’t beat a good old fashioned cake xox
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Your labne is much fancier than mine – must get myself a ricotta mould like yours. What a wonderful looking entree with the melon in the olive tray – it’s a great idea and one I may be copying……:)
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Nancy, the ricotta mould was helpful shaping the Labneh, not sure it would have looked as nice if I had done it by hand. 🙂
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I absolutely adore everything in your kitchen!
Have a wonderful day.
🙂 Mandy xo
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Thank you Mandy you have a good day too 🙂
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What gorgeous things in your kitchen. I think that using the olive tray for the melon balls is fantastic. I’ve yet to make labneh but you have inspired me.
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Vicki it’s so easy to make Labneh and once you have tried it I am sure you will make it more than once. So happy to hear I have inspired you and thank you for stopping by 🙂
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Moya, I’ve never tried making homemade yogurt, but I prefer “thick & creamy” too! (Thankfully I can get Fage locally.) Your watermelon appetizers look wonderful, as do your red & green curry pastes and homemade cherry cake — such a cute “cooling/serving rack!” Thanks for this month’s peek in your kitchen, xo.
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Kim, I’ve had great success using Fage (it is delicious) as the starter for making yogurt at home. You never know, you might like to try your hand at making yogurt at home some day 🙂
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That olive dish was a great way to display that appetiser. Making my own yogurt and paneer cheese are on the list of things to do once I move home! Lovely seeing yours and how you use it!
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Best of luck moving home and I am sure you will love making your own yogurt and cheese in your new kitchen. Thank you for stopping by Maggie 🙂
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Hi there Moya. I too can’t believe another month has flown by! It will be Christmas before we know it.
I love your cake stand holding your slices of cherry cake. So dainty.
And what a clever way to display your appetizer in that olive dish.
Cheers, and have a great month, Kirsty xx
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Hi Kirsty, I know… time goes quickly. It’s a really nice cooling rack and as it’s so pretty, I use it as a serving plate. You have a great month too 🙂
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Lots of delicious goodies in your kitchen this month Moya – I just love your cherry cake which I’m wondering if there’s a recipe for? Looks way too good & I’d love to try it – reminds me of childhood 🙂 Your Labneh looks fantastic and there’s nothing like making your own cheeses and yoghurts – you can certainly taste the difference! My favourite is your Thai curry pastes – thank you for sharing the idea of freezing any excess. I love a good Thai curry paste, which I’m still yet to make from scratch (and I love Asian cuisine!) Lovely peek in your kitchen, see you next month 🙂
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Moya, every single IMK post, I find something here that I want in my kitchen. Today it’s that fabulous olive dish – it would be perfect for chocolate truffles, although it would be hard pressed to find a prettier use than your watermelon balls! 🙂 Your cake and labneh look wonderful, as do your curry pastes. Have a great month! 🙂
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Celia I think chocolates truffles would be perfect… have a wonderful great June 🙂
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