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Mast-o khiar
Mast-o khiar: Persian yogurt with cucumber, mint, walnuts and rose
Mast-o khiar is the cool yogurt bowl that sits beside rice and stew on Iranian tables all summer, and families pack it in a cool box for picnics in the parks of Tehran and Isfahan. Thick yogurt is mixed with crunchy diced cucumber and dried mint, then dressed up with walnuts, raisins and a scattering of dried rose petals, which make it sweeter and more fragrant than the plain garlic-cucumber dips of its neighbours. Serve it with polo, kuku or simply with bread. Chef's tip: soak the raisins in warm water for 10 minutes first so they are plump, not chewy.
- Total time
- 10 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Dice 3 small cucumbers into small cubes about 5 mm. If they are watery, pat them dry with kitchen paper. A common mistake is grating the cucumber: it floods the yogurt with water and the dip turns thin within minutes.
Step 2: Beat 1 ⅛ lb thick plain yogurt with ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper until smooth and glossy.
Step 3: Crumble in 1 tbsp dried mint between your palms to wake up its smell, then fold in the cucumbers, 1 oz walnuts and drained 1 oz raisins.
Step 4: Chill for at least 10 minutes. Spoon into a bowl and scatter with 1 tbsp dried rose petals, a pinch more mint and a few walnut pieces just before serving.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 190 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbs
- 15 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does mast-o khiar take?
- About 10 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of thick plain yogurt?
- Sour cream or buttermilk, same amount.
- What can I use instead of small cucumbers?
- Courgette, same weight (in salads, use young ones).
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