“Mast o Khiar” (literal translation is Yogurt and Cucumber) is an Iranian side dish that is somewhere between a dip and a proper salad. As a kid, my mom used to serve it in a big dish alongside perfectly cooked Basmati rice, salad and grilled meat. I remember taking ladles of it and smothering this delightful yogurt mixture on the rice – my ultimate comfort food. It is also great as an appetizer with some fresh pita, lavash or other flatbread. When the weather is hot, you can even add a couple of ice cubes to it and have it as a cold soup. Light, super refreshing and delicious – what’s not to love? As for most traditional recipes, every family’s got theirs. Here’s ours:
Ingredients
- 3 cups of full-fat yogurt
- 3 small Lebanese cucumbers or a big English cucumber
- 1 tsp dried mint or 6 fresh mint leaves, cut finely
- 1 tbsp chives, minced
- 1 pinch + 1/2 tsp salt
- Pepper
- Handful of raisins (optional)
Instructions
- Grate the cucumber and season with a pinch of salt. Let it rest for 5 minutes, squeeze out the excess moisture and place it in a large bowl. You should have a good cup and a half of it.
- Mix in the yogurt, mint, chives salt and pepper. At this point you can also add the raisins if you like.
- Chill covered in the fridge for an hour or more before serving
