Atlama

Ingredients

Base

• 1 litrebuttermilk, from churning butter
• or 700 g plain yoghurt with 400 ml cold water

To season

• 1 teaspoonsalt, or to taste

Sometimes added

• ice cubes
• a sprig of fresh mint
• a pinch of dried mint
• a small cucumber, grated

To serve

• tall glasses, well chilled

Directions

1. Strain it through a fine sieve to catch any butter grains. It should be thin and faintly sour. Chill it thoroughly before doing anything else. Put the yoghurt into a large jug.
2. Add the salt directly to the thick yoghurt first. Salt dissolves far better in thick yoghurt than in the thinned drink. Whisk it in until it has completely disappeared. Now add the cold water gradually. Whisk continuously as you pour it in.
3. Whisk until the mixture is entirely smooth. The finished drink should be thin and pourable. Add more water if it is too heavy.
4. Add more yoghurt if it seems watery and thin. Thicker yoghurts need proportionally more water. Taste it and add more salt if it seems flat. Remember that cold dulls the perception of salt.
5. Season it slightly more than seems right at room temperature. Many people take it entirely plain.
6. Warm atlama is thoroughly unpleasant. Some vendors keep it packed in ice all day. Whisk or shake the jug again before pouring. It separates within minutes of standing still.
7. Add a few ice cubes to each glass in very hot weather. Float a sprig of mint on top if you like. Whisk it thoroughly again before serving it.

Technique

• Nakhchivan is an Azerbaijani exclave with its own strong regional food traditions.
• Salted yoghurt and buttermilk drinks appear right across the Caucasus, Iran, Turkey and Central Asia under many names.

Substitutions

• Cultured buttermilk from a shop works directly and needs only salting.
• Kefir gives a tangier and slightly fizzy version of the same drink.

Variations

• Some households add grated cucumber and dill, which makes it closer to a cold soup.
• Doogh in Iran is the same idea and is often lightly carbonated.
• Ayran in Turkey is usually served with a thick whipped foam on top.

History

A Nakhchivan speciality served very cold, sometimes with ice and mint, at roadside stops in the heat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Atlama?

Atlama is a drink from Azerbaijan: chilled buttermilk-style drink left after churning butter, drunk salted in summer. A Nakhchivan speciality served very cold, sometimes with ice and mint, at roadside stops in the heat.

How long does Atlama take to make?

Atlama takes 5 minutes of preparation and none of cooking. The recipe makes serves 4. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Atlama?

Yes, within limits. Cultured buttermilk from a shop works directly and needs only salting. Kefir gives a tangier and slightly fizzy version of the same drink.