Persians love their yogurt! We even drink yogurt in a drink called doogh made of yogurt, water, and mint.  Yogurt enjoyed in its very basic form is a carton of plain yogurt on the table alongside every meal.  The next step up is chopping cucumbers and stirring them in.  We call yogurt with cucumbers, mast-o-khiar.  Mast is Farsi for yogurt and khiar is Farsi for cucumbers.

On a day-to-day basis, we use regular, plain nonfat yogurt.  For a special meal or served as an appetizer, we thicken it up with plain Greek yogurt and a sprinkling of dried rose petals.  Greek yogurt holds its shape and has a nicer presentation for more formal table settings.  Some families dress up mast o khiar further by adding walnuts and raisins.  Our family sticks to the most basic recipe for mast-o-khiar;  plain yogurt, cucumbers, and dried mint seasoned with salt and pepper.  If we’re feeling fancy we use a small pinch of dried rose as a garnish.

In addition to loving the taste of mast o khiar, we make this dish for its nutritional benefits.  Yogurt is so good for you!

Nutritional Benefits of Yogurt

• good source of non-meat protein that helps us feel satiated and strong
• high calcium good for bones and teeth
• probiotics good for digestion

In Iranian culture, foods have a medicinal quality alongside nutritional benefits.  Foods are categorized as having either a ‘warming’ effect or a ‘cooling’ effect.  Too much of one or the other is said to contribute to digestive issues.  Foods that are said to have a warming effect include meats and foods rich in fat and that contain a high caloric density are considered warm.  Foods that are lighter and have a lower oil and caloric density are considered cool foods.  Yogurt, vegetables, and grains are all considered cool foods.  Since mast o khiar has yogurt and cucumbers it is a very cool food!

Yogurt, cucumbers, and salad are all considered to be foods that have a ‘cooling effect’.  In Iranian culture, they are served alongside, richer, more calorically dense foods like meats and oily stews as a side dish.

It may seem like a complicated system but ultimately, if you are having a rich, heavier dish with meat like kabob or a rich stew with meat (warm foods), it is a good idea to balance it with yogurt or salad (cool foods).   The key is to balance the warm foods with cool foods for a nice balance and for easy digestion.

We take these old traditions with a grain of salt and enjoy our mast-o-khiar alone as an appetizer or alongside our lightened versions of dishes such as Loobia Polo.  It is also delicious dolloped on top of a Healthy Persian Slider.

Traditionally Iranian families make large batches of plain yogurt to have all week.  The homemade yogurt I remember is similar to the runnier style European yogurts we find in stores.  We are fortunate to have so many varieties of yogurt available to us – Greek yogurt, full fat, low-fat, and non-fat.  I use plain, non-fat yogurt for our yogurt with cucumber dip because to me it tastes the most similar to the runnier home-style yogurt.  I save the thicker, Greek-style yogurt for special occasions.

The best cucumbers for Persian Yogurt Dip (Mast O Khiar):

Any variety of cucumber can be used for this recipe.  We prefer to use small Persian cucumbers, for the following reasons:

• the skin of the cucumbers is so thin it may be left on – the skin of vegetables and fruit often has the most vitamins, nutrients, and fiber
• the seeds are very small, almost non-existent
• Persian cucumbers are less watery than other varieties of cucumbers which lends well for this dip
• very crunchy with a mild and slightly sweet flavor 

Persian cucumbers

Worth noting is that some markets carry cocktail cucumbers.  I cannot tell the difference between Persian cucumbers and cocktail cucumbers other than the packaging.  Cocktail cucumbers may be slightly smaller and have even fewer seeds.  They are also great for Persian cucumber dip!

In summary, use Persian cucumbers.  If you can’t track down Persian cucumbers, look for either cocktail cucumbers or as a last resort use English cucumbers.  The key is to use cucumber with small seeds and good crunch.

Differences between Mast-O-Khiar and Tzatziki:

• tzatziki is Greek in origin; mast-o-khiar is Iranian/Persian
• tzatziki is made with a thicker (strained), Greek-style yogurt while mast-o-khiar can be made with a thinner, plain yogurt
• tzatziki has dill, mast-o-khiar usually has mint
• tzatziki often has olive oil, and lemon juice and/or vinegar – mast o khiar is simpler and normally does not have any of the listed ingredients
• in tzatziki the cucumber is sliced or grated while in mast-khiar the cucumber is chopped

before stirring

Persian yogurt dip with cucumbers is a simple side dish made with yogurt, cucumbers, and dried mint with dried rose as a garnish.  Worth noting, that some Persian cooks prefer adding dried dill to mint.  In our family, we are partial to mint.

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Mint is available in many varieties – peppermint, spearmint, chocolate mint…there are over 15 varieties!  The taste is quite different in each.  Persian mint is one of the mildest forms of mint.  If you choose to use a different variety, the mint flavor may overwhelm and take over the sour flavor of the yogurt and change the overall taste experience.  To order Persian mint online click HERE.

The other specialty ingredient that is called for in this recipe is dried rose.  To order Persian culinary dried rose petals click HERE.

For special occasions or for sweet and sour type flavor with extra crunch, try adding raisins or dried cranberries and chopped walnuts to the mix.  

Persian yogurt dip variation with walnuts and cranberries.

Serving suggestions:

Mast o khiar tastes delicious with Persian rice!  I suggest enjoying it with plain rice (How to Prepare Persian Rice in a Rice Cooker) or with tasty Persian Crispy Rice Cups |Tahchin Bites.

If you are using Mast O Khiar as a dip or spread, the options are endless.  It is delicious dolloped and spread on top of a lamb or beef burger (see the recipe for Persian Sliders).  As a dip, dunk some whole wheat naan or pita into the yogurt and cucumbers, yum yum.  The traditional way mast o khiar is enjoyed in Persian culture is to enjoy a bowl of it plain as an appetizer, or on the side of a richer dish such as rice, stew or kababs.

Yield: 4

Persian Cucumber Yogurt Dip Mast-O-Khiar

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To step it up a notch we enjoy plain yogurt with crunchy, chopped cucumbers.  In Persian cuisine we call yogurt with cucumbers, mast-o-khiar.  The basic recipe is yogurt, cucumbers, and dried mint.  On a day to day basis, we use regular, plain yogurt.  Some families dress up this yogurt dip further and add dried rose petals, walnuts, and raisins.

This recipe makes enough yogurt dip for a family of 4 to have about 1 1/2 cup portion servings.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups chopped, unpeeled cucumbers (we use Persian cucumbers)
• 4 cups or 32 ounces yogurt (we use non-fat plain)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 Tablespoons dried mint (save some for garnish)
• 1/3 cup raisins or dried cranberries/Craisins (optional)
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
• ground pepper to taste
• Couple pinches of dried rose petals as a garnish (optional)
• fresh mint leaves as a garnish

Instructions

1. Wash, peel, and finely chop mini cucumbers
2. Stir into the nonfat yogurt
3. Add 1 Tablespoon dried mint and salt and stir
4. Stir in optional nuts, and raisins or dried cranberries
5. Garnish with dried rose petals and/or mint

Notes

Garnish with dried rose petals and fresh or dried mint leaves.

To order dried rose petals click HERE

To order dried mint click HERE

Any variety of cucumbers will do. We use Persian cucumbers that have thinner skin and smaller seeds. Cocktail cucumbers and English cucumbers (seedless) would also be suitable. If using a large, American cucumber, de-seed it. Only about 1/2 of a large American cucumber is needed for this recipe. Lastly, if using American cucumbers, peel the skin - it tends to be thicker and more bitter than it's Persian counterpart.

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  Persian Mint
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  Dried Rose Petals

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 202Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 551mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 3gSugar: 25gProtein: 7g