Persian Yogurt Salad 21 Food

PERSIAN CUCUMBER YOGURT (MAAST-O KHIAR)

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, stir together the yogurt, cucumbers, garlic, and shallot. Season with dill, salt and pepper. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to blend flavors.

MASHT-O KHIYAAR (PERSIAN CUCUMBER SALAD WITH SULTANAS AND WALNUTS)

Steps:

• Place yogurt into a fine-mesh sieve lined with a coffee filter and allow to drain, about 20 minutes. You should end up with about a cup of thick yogurt.
• Heat a small skillet over medium heat, add walnuts, and toast while stirring until nuts start to turn golden brown and become fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Allow to cool.
• Mix yogurt, sultanas, walnuts, dill, mint, salt, and pepper in a large bowl, add cucumber and toss to combine. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

MAST-O KHIAR (PERSIAN CUCUMBER AND HERB YOGURT)

Steps:

• In a small bowl, submerge the raisins in boiling water to plump for 10 minutes, then drain well.
• Remove alternating stripes of peel on cucumbers and trim ends. Dice cucumbers into 1/4-inch pieces and place in a large bowl with raisins, yogurt, fresh herbs, garlic, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and, if using, half the rose petals. Using your fingers to break up any large pieces, gently grind the dried mint and dried dill into the bowl. Stir to combine and adjust seasoning with salt as needed.
• Just before serving, stir in the walnuts and transfer to serving bowl. Garnish with remaining rose petals, if using. Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.

MAST-O-KHIAR (YOGURT CUCUMBER SALAD BITES)

Steps:

• Scrub the surface of one cucumber using a vegetable brush and rinse well. Chop into small pieces. Alternatively you may grate the cucumber, especially for making the appetizer style cucumber yogurt salad bites.
• Drain any juices very well. It should yield about 2 cups grated cucumber.
• In a mixing bowl, combine cucumber, yogurt, garlic, dill, green onions, mint, and ground rose petals. Season it with pepper and salt as per taste.
• Add raisins and walnuts if you prefer. The addition of these ingredients is most suitable if preparing it for the appetizer style cucumber salad bites. Chill the mixture for one to two hours.
• If serving it as a traditional salad, then transfer the mixture to a serving bowl. Garnish with rose petals and mint to finish off the Mast-o-khiar.
• If serving it as cucumber salad bites, then take the other cucumber, scrub and rinse the surface very well with a vegetable brush.
• Cut off the ends of the cucumber. Then using a sharp knife cut it lengthwise through the center into two long halves.
• Using a melon baller scoop out the center portion of the cucumber to create a hollow cavity along the length of the halves. Then cut the hollowed out cucumber halves into smaller pieces. Using a small spoon fill these with the cucumber yogurt mixture.
• Garnish the yogurt cucumber salad bites with rose petals, mint, red pepper flakes, walnuts, raisins, barberries etc.
• Place the cucumber salad bites on a serving platter and insert toothpicks to make it easy to serve.

SALAD-E SHIRAZI (PERSIAN CUCUMBER, TOMATO AND ONION SALAD)

Steps:

• Remove alternating stripes of peel on cucumbers and trim ends. Dice cucumbers into 1/4-inch pieces and place in a large bowl with onion and fresh herbs. Using your fingers to break up any large pieces, gently grind the dried mint into the bowl. Remove tomato cores, dice remaining tomatoes into 1/4-inch pieces and add to bowl.
• In a small bowl, make a vinaigrette by whisking together 1/4 cup lime juice, oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Just before serving, dress vegetables with vinaigrette and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and lime juice as needed. This salad should be bright, crunchy and tart, a nice counterpoint for rich, buttery rice and unctuous stews. Serve at room temperature or lightly chilled. Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 2 days.