Dhallë

Ingredients

Drink

• 800 gthick set yoghurt, sheep or full-fat cow
• 400 mlvery cold water, still or lightly sparkling
• 1 tspfine sea salt, or to taste

Optional finish

• 1 tspdried mint, crumbled
• ice cubes
• a few sprigs fresh mint

Directions

1. Take the yoghurt out of the fridge 10 minutes ahead; ice cold yoghurt does not emulsify and leaves flecks in the finished drink.
2. Tip it into a wide bowl and whisk hard for a minute with a balloon whisk until it is completely smooth and slightly slack.
3. Add the salt and whisk again to dissolve it fully, before any water goes in, so the seasoning is even.
4. Whisk in the cold water in three additions, beating well between each, until the liquid is homogeneous, foamy on top and pours like single cream.
5. If you have a churn or a lidded jar, churn or shake it hard for 2 minutes; the traditional version is beaten, which builds the foam collar that marks a good dhallë.
6. Taste and correct: it should be clearly salty, tart and thin enough to drink in gulps, never sweet.
7. Chill for at least 2 hours, or churn over ice, and stir or shake again just before serving as it will separate.
8. Pour into tall cold glasses over ice, scatter with dried mint and serve with a fresh mint sprig.

Technique

• Dhallë is properly the buttermilk left after churning butter from soured cream, which is why it is thinner and more sour than a simple diluted yoghurt.
• Salt is the defining seasoning and Albanians salt it firmly, around 1 gram per 200 ml. Under-salted it just tastes like watery yoghurt.
• It separates within minutes of standing. That is correct for the real thing; whisk or shake it back together rather than adding thickeners.

Substitutions

• Real cultured buttermilk can be used straight from the bottle, seasoned with salt and thinned only a little.
• Greek style strained yoghurt works but needs more water, around 600 ml per 800 g, to reach a drinkable consistency.

Variations

• The Kosovar and northern version is often left unsalted and drunk alongside hot cornbread.
• In summer some households whisk in a few tablespoons of grated cucumber and extra mint, halfway to a drinkable tarator.

History

Yoghurt thinned with water and salted, drunk cold with meals; the Albanian form of Turkish ayran.

Frequently asked questions

What is Dhallë?

Dhallë is a drink from Albania: salty churned yogurt drink. Yoghurt thinned with water and salted, drunk cold with meals; the Albanian form of Turkish ayran.

How long does Dhallë take to make?

Dhallë takes 10 min of preparation and 5 min plus 2 hr chilling of cooking. The recipe makes 1.2 litres, 4 to 6 glasses. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Dhallë?

Yes, within limits. Real cultured buttermilk can be used straight from the bottle, seasoned with salt and thinned only a little. Greek style strained yoghurt works but needs more water, around 600 ml per 800 g, to reach a drinkable consistency.

What is the most important thing to get right in Dhallë?

Taste and correct: it should be clearly salty, tart and thin enough to drink in gulps, never sweet.