Strained yoghurt, yoghurt cheese, labneh (also labaneh, lebnah; Arabic لبنة), or Greek yoghurt (in northern Europe, North America and Australia) is yoghurt which has been strained in a cloth or paper bag or filter, traditionally made of muslin, to remove the whey, giving a consistency between that of yoghurt and cheese, while preserving yoghurt's distinctive sour taste. It is a traditional food in the Middle East and South Asia, where it is often used in cooking, as it is high enough in fat not to curdle at higher temperatures. Like many yoghurts, strained yoghurt is often made from milk which has been enriched by boiling off some of the water content, or by adding extra butterfat and powdered milk.Strained yoghurt is used in both savoury and sweet dishes, both cooked and raw. In the Middle East and South Asia, it is often used to enrich savoury sauces, as it does not curdle when cooked like unstrained yoghurt. It is used raw in savoury sauces and dips and in sweet desserts.Recently, it has become popular in northern European cookery, partly because low-fat versions are now made, and so it can function as an alternative to cream in many preparations.In the United States, strained yoghurt has mostly been available in ethnic stores catering to a Middle Eastern clientele.