Ingredients
Base
- 750 gmatsun (Armenian yoghurt), well chilled
- 750 mlvery cold water, or sparkling mineral water
- 1 tspfine salt, to taste
Optional finish
- 8fresh mint leaves, bruised
- ¼ tspdried mint
- a 5 cm piece of cucumber, grated (summer version)
To serve
- ice cubes
- tall glasses or a clay jug
Directions
- Spoon the matsun into a wide bowl and whisk it hard for a minute until it is completely smooth and glossy with no lumps; lumps will not disperse once the water goes in.
- Add the salt to the thick yoghurt first and whisk it through, because salt dissolves reliably in the concentrated base and unevenly in the diluted drink.
- Pour in the cold water in three additions, whisking between each, so the yoghurt thins gradually and emulsifies instead of separating into flecks and whey.
- Taste and adjust: proper tan is noticeably salty, thin enough to drink in gulps, and should coat the glass only faintly. If it is thick enough to need a spoon, add more water.
- Bruise the mint leaves between your palms and drop them in, or stir in the dried mint, then chill for at least 30 minutes so the salt and mint infuse.
- For the summer version, squeeze the grated cucumber dry and stir it in just before serving; it should be a suggestion of freshness, not a soup.
- Whisk again immediately before pouring, since tan separates on standing and needs waking up.
- Pour over ice into tall glasses or bring it to the table in a cold clay jug, and drink it alongside grilled food, khorovats vegetables and pilaf, where its salt and acidity cut the smoke and fat.
Technique
- Tan is salty, not sweet, and that is the whole point: it replaces salt lost in summer heat and is the standard Armenian table drink rather than a smoothie.
- Matsun is more sour and more assertive than western yoghurt, so start with a 1:1 yoghurt to water ratio and thin it further if the base you have is mild.
- The same base thickened with grain and warmed becomes spas, the yoghurt soup; tan is that liquid drunk cold.
- Sparkling water makes a lighter, spritzier tan that many Yerevan cafes now serve as standard.
Substitutions
- No matsun: full-fat natural yoghurt or Turkish ayran base works; Greek yoghurt is too thick and needs roughly half again as much water.
- Kefir can replace part of the yoghurt for a tangier, fizzier drink.
Variations
- Ayran, the Turkish version, is essentially the same drink and is often whipped to a foam.
- A herbed tan with dill and tarragon is common in Lori.
- Some households leave the mixture at room temperature for a few hours to sour further before chilling.
History
Matsun diluted with cold water and salted, drunk with meat and with khash across the Caucasus.
Frequently asked questions
What is Tan?
Tan is a drink from Armenia: salty yogurt drink, refreshing beside grilled meat. Matsun diluted with cold water and salted, drunk with meat and with khash across the Caucasus.
How long does Tan take to make?
Tan takes 5 min of preparation and 30 min chilling of cooking. The recipe makes 1.5 litres, 6 glasses. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Tan?
Yes, within limits. No matsun: full-fat natural yoghurt or Turkish ayran base works; Greek yoghurt is too thick and needs roughly half again as much water. Kefir can replace part of the yoghurt for a tangier, fizzier drink.
What is the most important thing to get right in Tan?
Pour in the cold water in three additions, whisking between each, so the yoghurt thins gradually and emulsifies instead of separating into flecks and whey.
