That day has finally come!
To start things off I want to share a great recipe for my favorite Persian side dish: Maast-o Khiar (Persian Cucumber Yogurt). This dish is great for parties as a dip with pita chips, or with vegetables. It is also a great side dish to add to a heavy meal of meats and starches. Skip the chips and use this dish as a side to your sandwich or salad.
Ingredients
- 1 (32 ounce) container plain yogurt (I use low fat Greek yogurt)
- 3 English cucumbers, peeled and cubed
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 5 tablespoons dill weed (dried is easier to find but fresh dill is a nice touch)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
You can add nuts, raisins, fresh mint, oregano, and change the amounts of cucumbers, garlic, dill weed or shallots based on your desire.
Substitutions:
Lemon juice instead of salt
Nonfat yogurt instead of Regular yogurt
Once all the ingredients are mixed together in a bowl, let it sit in the refrigerator for an hour before serving if you can wait. I usually can't wait and it is just as yummy freshly made.
Prep time: only 15-20 minutes depending on fast you can peel, cube, and chop.
Enjoy and let me know how you like it, and the changes you might have made. I would love to try new ways of enjoying this tasty dish.
That's my take :)
