Ingredients
The jug
- 500 gfull-fat plain yogurt, well chilled
- 500 mlvery cold water
- ¾ tspfine salt, or to taste
- ice cubes
Optional
- a few dried mint leaves, crushed
Directions
- Whisk the yogurt alone first until it is completely smooth and loose, with no lumps at all. Adding water to lumpy yogurt gives lumpy ayran that never comes right.
- Whisk in the salt while the yogurt is still thick, so it dissolves properly rather than sinking to the bottom of the jug.
- Add the cold water in three or four additions, whisking hard after each, until the drink is thin, even and pourable.
- Whisk vigorously at the end, or blend for 10 seconds, to raise a head of foam. Ayran is served frothy, and in Azerbaijan and Turkey the foam is expected rather than incidental.
- Taste. It should be clearly salty — this is a savoury drink meant to cut through grilled meat and rice, and under-salting is the usual mistake for anyone making it the first time.
- Pour over ice into tall glasses or shallow copper bowls, scatter mint if using, and drink at once before the foam settles.
Technique
- Full-fat yogurt. Low-fat ayran is thin and chalky and separates in the glass within minutes.
- Everything must be cold before mixing. Room-temperature yogurt makes a flat drink that will not hold foam.
- The ratio is roughly one to one by volume, adjusted to the thickness of your yogurt.
Substitutions
- Sparkling water in place of still, for a lighter, fizzier version.
- Sheep’s-milk yogurt for a tangier, richer drink.
Variations
- Doogh in Iran, often carbonated and flavoured with dried mint and rose petals.
- Salted lassi across South Asia, the same idea with cumin.
History
Shared across the Turkic world; in Azerbaijan it is often served with mountain herbs stirred through.
Frequently asked questions
What is Ayran?
Ayran is a drink from Azerbaijan: salted yoghurt thinned with cold water, drunk with kebabs and pilaf. Shared across the Turkic world; in Azerbaijan it is often served with mountain herbs stirred through.
How long does Ayran take to make?
Ayran takes 5 min of preparation and no cooking at all. The recipe makes 4 glasses. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Ayran?
Yes, within limits. Sparkling water in place of still, for a lighter, fizzier version. Sheep’s-milk yogurt for a tangier, richer drink.
What is the most important thing to get right in Ayran?
Whisk the yogurt alone first until it is completely smooth and loose, with no lumps at all. Adding water to lumpy yogurt gives lumpy ayran that never comes right.
