Name: Mast-o Khiar
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Persian
Ingredients: 500 g thick plain yogurt (Greek-style or Persian mast); 2 Persian cucumbers, finely diced or grated; 1 tbsp dried mint; 2 tbsp raisins; 30 g walnuts, chopped; 1 tbsp dried rose petals (optional); ½ tsp salt

Mast-o khiar (yogurt and cucumber) is the Persian cousin of tzatziki, but sweeter and more aromatic. Walnuts, raisins and dried rose petals turn a simple side into something festive.

In summer it is also thinned with cold water and ice and eaten as a soup, abdoogh khiar, with torn bread.

Ingredients

Servings4

500 g thick plain yogurt (Greek-style or Persian mast) (1.1 lb)
2 Persian cucumbers, finely diced or grated
1 tbsp dried mint
2 tbsp raisins
30 g walnuts, chopped (1 oz)
1 tbsp dried rose petals (optional)
½ tsp salt

Instructions

If using grated cucumber, squeeze out some of the liquid so the yogurt stays thick.
Stir the cucumber, salt and most of the mint, raisins and walnuts into the yogurt.
Chill for 20 minutes so the raisins soften.
Serve topped with the remaining mint, walnuts and raisins, and the rose petals crushed between your fingers.

Tips & variations

For abdoogh khiar, thin the mixture with cold water and ice cubes, add chopped fresh herbs, and serve with dried bread broken into it.

Where to buy the ingredients

Persian grocers carry the saffron, dried herbs, spices and long-grain rice that Persian cooking depends on:

Mast-o Khiar

Ingredients

Instructions

Tips & variations

Where to buy the ingredients

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