We Persians consider appetizers a strong word. We wouldn't start with something light to fill our tummies and prevent overeating, we would start with rice and stew. We have appetizers as side dishes to trigger our appetite and encourage us to eat more. That's a fact and Mast-o-khiar is not different. You may think of this as a starter, but we consider it a side dish to help us swallow the rice.
It's an easy one, since we have been making these time-consuming plates for the main course, and have no energy left for something that isn't the star of the show.
In Persian cuisine, yogurt is one of the most popular sides. My suspicion is that the reason is that you don't have to chew the yogurt, so you can focus on chewing the main course. However, since plain yogurt is so white and bland, we try to enliven it a little with color and flavor. It is quite possible with all these amazing ingredients that we use.
Here's what we do:
Ingredients
2 medium-sized Persian cucumbers
2 cups of whole fat yogurt, the more sour the better
1-2 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs such as parsley, cilantro, basil, tarragon or dill, use any combination you like
Garlic powder (you can also use one garlic clove, finely grated into a smooth paste)
Salt and black pepper
3 tablespoons golden raisins
2 tablespoons chopped walnut
To garnish: dried rose petals, dried mint and dried dill
Instructions
Submerge the raisins in warm water and leave them for 15 minutes, then drain.
Grate the cucumber, drain it well and put it in a large bowl.
Add drained raisins, yogurt, fresh herbs, garlic, salt and pepper.
Stir to combine and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
Stir in the walnuts and transfer the dip to a serving bowl.
Garnish the bowl with rose petals, dried mint and dried dill.
You can keep the leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. of course if there's ant left ;)
Bon Appetit! نوش جان!
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