Ayran is a fermented milk product that can be both food and drink. Hundreds of years ago, nomadic peoples carried it with them in leather wineskins, using it as food, or to quench their thirst by diluting it with water or kumis. Ayran is a relative of the kefir we are used to. It is good as a cold drink in the heat or as a base for cold summer soups.
Ayran is a fermented milk product that can be both food and drink. Hundreds of years ago, nomadic peoples carried it with them in leather wineskins, using it as food, or to quench their thirst by diluting it with water or kumis. Ayran is a relative of the kefir we are used to. It is good as a cold drink in the heat or as a base for cold summer soups.- Prep time: 5 minutes
- Cook time: 5 minutes
- Serves: 1
- Difficulty: easy
- Course: drink
- Cookware: blender, grater
- Cuisine: European
Ingredients
- 500 ml natural yogurt
- 150 ml mineral water
- 1 cucumber, peeled and grated
- ½ bunch of dill, finely chopped
- salt
Cooking method
Step 1
Cool the yoghurt and mineral water beforehand. Pour yogurt, water and salt into a container with high sides. Blitz with a blender until smooth. Add cucumbers and dill. Stir well and serve.
My tips and tricks:
My friend Chef Ivan is a famous Odessa meat specialist. He knows how to choose it and can cook it even with his eyes closed. Ivan says that ayran is the ideal finish for a meat feast. The ingredients of ayran, besides yogurt, mineral water, and salt, depend on Ivan’s mood and what kind of fresh herbs he found on Privoz bazaar. Here are a couple more ideas for what to put in ayran: tarragon and freshly ground black pepper; basil and garlic; fresh coriander, garlic, and freshly ground black pepper. Just remember, everything should be very fresh, as it is customary in Odessa: from the garden straight to Privoz?
- 500 ml natural yogurt
- 150 ml mineral water
- 1 cucumber, peeled and grated
- ½ bunch of dill, finely chopped
- salt
- Cool the yoghurt and mineral water beforehand. Pour yogurt, water and salt into a container with high sides. Blitz with a blender until smooth. Add cucumbers and dill. Stir well and serve.