Dairy
Yogurt
Strained overnight through cloth it thickens to the body of a cream sauce.
Ingredient reference image: AI-generated. Recipe photography is my own.
In the kitchen
Under heat
Its proteins split if it hits direct high heat or acid too fast — stir it into a hot sauce off the heat, or temper it first.
Against air
The surface skins over and can weep liquid if left uncovered; that liquid is whey, not spoilage — stir it back in.
In storage
Sealed in the fridge, it keeps for a couple of weeks past opening if you use a clean spoon each time.
At the shop
Check for a thin layer of liquid on top through the lid if you can — a little is normal, a lot means it’s been sitting.
Which variety, for what
- Regular / plain
- Looser and tangier — better whisked into a dressing or marinade.
- Greek / strained
- Thicker and milder from having whey removed — closer to sour cream in body, and a reasonable substitute for it.