Mast O khiar (ماست و خيار) which means “yogurt and cucumber” is a kind of Iranian Tzatziki or Indian Raita often served as an aperitif or as a starter. It is found at all meals of Iranian families.
Typical starter of Iranian cuisine, The Mast-o-khiar recipe is made from thick yogurt (mast) like Greek yogurt mixed with grated cucumber (khiar), raisins, mint and sometimes chopped nuts and garlic powder. It is served as a sauce for salads and grilled meats or is simply enjoyed with a Koukou sabzi or a Koukou Sibzamini, a delicious Lavash bread or a Lebanese Pita. You can also use it as a dipper for your aperitifs with family or friends. Mast o Khiar is often served in summer when it is very hot because the combination of cucumber and yogurt has a very cooling effect.
In Iran, it is served in different forms: with grated cucumber or in larger pieces, with or without the skin and with different aromatic herbs. Some families even turn it into a soup by adding water and ice cubes. You can add any aromatic herbs you like such as mint, parsley or basil in your recipe. Personally, I often add pomegranate or barberry seeds and dried rose petals for decoration.
Mast-o-Khiar is a recipe that I have grown used to serving regularly. This is an easy, quick and delicious recipe that goes very well with all types of food, both as an aperitif and with meals.
You can try many variations of Mast o Khiar and shape your recipe to your liking.
Let’s make some !
