Mast Va Khiar (Yoghurt with Cucumber and Sultanas)

The Complete Middle East Cookbook, p. 300 (Iran)

2 green cucumbers

2 cups drained yoghurt

2 spring onions, finely chopped

½ cup sultanas, washed if necessary

¼ cup chopped walnuts, optional

Salt

Freshly ground white pepper

1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint or 1 teaspoon dried mint

Choose slender, firm cucumbers and peel thinly. Halve lengthwise; if cucumber is very seedy, remove with the end of a teaspoon. 

Seedy like a bar down by the docks.

Slice cucumber thinly into a colander and leave to drain.

Combine cucumber with yoghurt in a bowl. Stir in spring onions (including some of the green tops), sultanas, walnuts if used and salt and pepper to taste.

Add finely chopped fresh mint or dried mint rubbed to a coarse powder, stir well, cover and chill mixture for 1 hour at least.

Minty fresh!

Serve with flat bread cut in squares.

I added a little goose sausage to the platter for some extra protein, but it would have been a great stand-alone light meal with just the flatbread.

Note: This is classed as a borani. 

My Rating: 5/5 "This has everything. It's wonderfully refreshing thanks to the cucumber and mint, and the sweet sultana and earthy walnut undertones boost that into something substantial. Plus you can't go wrong with the way you feel after eating yogurt. Absolutely adored it."