In the Levant, encompassing Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, and Jordan, fermentation is not a speciality. It is simply how food is made.
In villages tucked into hillsides, in city apartments with balconies full of drying herbs, in refugee kitchens where recipes carry memory across borders, fermented foods sit quietly at the centre of the table.
There is no fanfare around them. No one calls them “probiotic”.
They are just food.
And they have been for thousands of years.
A Culture Where Fermentation Is Daily, Not Occasional
The Levantine climate shaped its food traditions:
- Hot summers.
- Mild but damp winters.
- Seasonal milk abundance.
- Wheat harvest cycles.
- Olive oil as a preservation fat.
Fermentation allowed families to:
- preserve milk quickly,
- stabilise grains,
- extend vegetables through winter,
- create portable nourishment.
What’s striking is not how exotic these ferments are, but how ordinary they remain.
Laban – Yoghurt as a Daily Foundation
In the Levant, yoghurt is called laban. And it is eaten daily.
How laban is traditionally made
- Fresh milk (often sheep or goat) is gently heated.
- A spoonful of previous yoghurt is stirred in.
- The milk is left warm and undisturbed for several hours.
- It sets into a thick, tangy yoghurt.
This process is repeated endlessly; each batch seeding the next.
How it is eaten
- With every savoury meal.
- Alongside grilled meats.
- Mixed with cucumber and mint.
- Thinned with water and salt into a drink.
- Poured over rice and lamb dishes.
- Served with olive oil and flatbread.
Laban is not dessert. It is not flavoured. It is not sweet.
It is digestive support, protein, fat, calcium, and living bacteria, served several times a day.
Labneh – Strained, Concentrated Nourishment
If laban is the base, labneh is its concentrated form.
How labneh is made
- Fresh yoghurt is poured into a cloth.
- It is hung and left to drain for 12–48 hours.
- Whey drips away.
- What remains is thick, creamy, spreadable yoghurt cheese.
Sometimes it is shaped into balls and preserved in olive oil.
How it is eaten
- Spread thickly on bread with olive oil and za’atar.
- Served with eggs and olives for breakfast.
- Formed into balls and stored in jars for months.
- Used as a side dish with grilled meats.
Straining increases protein concentration and reduces lactose, making it easier to digest.
It is fermentation refined.
Kishk – Winter Stored Fermentation
Kishk may be one of the most brilliant preservation foods ever created.
What is kishk?
A mixture of:
- fermented yoghurt,
- bulgur (cracked wheat),
- salt.
The mixture is fermented together, then shaped and dried into hard balls.
How it’s made
- Laban is mixed with soaked bulgur.
- The mixture ferments for several days.
- It is salted and kneaded.
- Formed into balls.
- Sun-dried completely until hard.
Once dried, it can last for months, even a year.
How it’s eaten
- Rehydrated with water or broth.
- Simmered into thick, tangy soups.
- Often enriched with butter or lamb fat.
- Sometimes topped with minced meat.
This is fermentation designed for winter survival, grain pre-digested, dairy cultured, and preserved in one.
Makdous – Aubergines Transformed
Makdous is one of the Levant’s most beloved ferments.
What it is
Baby aubergines stuffed with:
- walnuts,
- garlic,
- salt,
then lightly fermented and preserved in olive oil.
How it’s made
- Small aubergines are boiled until tender.
- They are salted and pressed to remove moisture.
- Stuffed with the walnut-garlic mixture.
- Left to ferment briefly.
- Packed into jars and covered with olive oil.
How it’s eaten
- As part of breakfast spreads.
- Alongside eggs and labneh.
- Served with flatbread and fresh vegetables.
Makdous is rich, sour, earthy, and deeply satisfying.
Turshi – Pickled Vegetables at Every Table
No Levantine meal feels complete without pickles.
Common vegetables
- Cucumbers.
- Turnips (often dyed pink with beetroot).
- Cabbage.
- Cauliflower.
- Carrots.
How they’re made
- Vegetables are submerged in salted brine.
- Sometimes flavoured with garlic or spices.
- Left to ferment for days or weeks.
How they’re eaten
- With shawarma and grilled meats.
- Alongside rice dishes.
- To cut through richness.
- In small amounts, never as the main event.
These pickles stimulate digestion and balance heavy foods.
Shanklish – The Bold Fermented Cheese
Particularly associated with rural areas of Syria and northern Lebanon, shanklish is fermented yoghurt taken further.
How it’s made
- Yoghurt is strained heavily.
- Formed into balls.
- Salted and dried.
- Allowed to ferment and age.
- Often coated in thyme or spices.
It develops a strong aroma, similar to aged European cheeses.
How it’s eaten
- Crumbled with tomatoes and onions.
- Drizzled with olive oil.
- Served as part of mezze.
- Eaten in small portions.
It is powerful, mineral-rich, and intensely savoury.
Fermentation as Continuity
What unites all these foods is rhythm.
Milk becomes yoghurt.
Yoghurt becomes labneh.
Labneh becomes shanklish.
Yoghurt and grain become kishk.
Vegetables become turshi.
Aubergines become makdous.
Nothing is wasted.
Nothing is rushed.
Fermentation here is not extreme. It is steady, daily, and integrated.
What the Levant Teaches Us
From a traditional nutrient-dense perspective, Levantine fermentation shows us:
- Animal foods and fermented dairy belong together.
- Grains are improved by fermentation.
- Vegetables support digestion when soured.
- Preservation and nourishment are intertwined.
- Small daily exposure is more powerful than occasional extremes.
Most importantly:
Fermentation works best when it is normal.
Not a project.
Not a cleanse.
Not a protocol.
Just the way the kitchen runs.
Final Thoughts
In the Levant, fermentation is memory. It is survival. It is hospitality.
It is the labneh offered to a guest.
The kishk soup in winter.
The pickles beside grilled lamb.
The yoghurt that appears at every meal without question.
This is fermentation as inheritance; quiet, consistent, and deeply wise.
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Disclaimer: The content of this blog post is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. While I strive to provide accurate, well-researched, and up-to-date information, I am not a licensed medical professional. The insights shared here are based on personal research and experience. I encourage you to conduct your own research and consult a qualified healthcare provider before making any health-related decisions. Your well-being is important, and any actions taken based on the information in this blog are solely at your own discretion and risk.