Ingredients
Doogh
- 500 gfull-fat plain yoghurt, well chilled
- 500 mlvery cold water, still or sparkling
- 1 tspfine salt, or to taste
- 1 tbspdried mint, crushed to a powder
- ½cucumber, coarsely grated or finely diced
- 1small handful fresh mint leaves, torn
To serve
- ice cubes
- a few extra cucumber batons
- a pinch of dried mint for the top
Directions
- Whisk the yoghurt on its own first, until it is completely smooth and glossy with no lumps; lumps will not disappear once the water goes in.
- Add the salt and the crushed dried mint and whisk again, then let it stand 5 minutes so the mint rehydrates and releases its oil into the yoghurt.
- Pour in the cold water in a slow stream, whisking constantly, until the drink is thin enough to pour but still leaves a film on the glass.
- Stir in the grated cucumber and the torn fresh mint.
- Taste for salt. Doogh should be noticeably salty, not sweet and not neutral: it is drunk to cut rich food and to replace the salt lost in a hot, dry climate.
- Chill for at least 30 minutes so the flavours settle and the drink is properly cold; serve it lukewarm and it tastes flat.
- Whisk or shake again just before serving, since it separates on standing, and pour into tall glasses over a couple of ice cubes.
- Finish with a pinch of dried mint and a cucumber baton, and serve alongside a rice dish, with bread, or on its own on a hot afternoon.
Technique
- Doogh is the drinking version of the same yoghurt that gets strained for chaka and dried for qurut; all three are the same dairy line at different stages.
- Sparkling water makes a lighter, more refreshing doogh and is common in Kabul restaurants; still water makes the older, thicker village version.
- Separation is normal, not a fault. Traditional doogh is shaken or stirred in the glass, and a perfectly homogenous drink usually means stabilisers.
Substitutions
- No fresh cucumber: leave it out and increase the dried mint; the Iranian version, also called doogh, is often just yoghurt, water, salt and mint. Kefir can replace the yoghurt for a tangier, fizzier drink.
Variations
- Doogh-e gazdar is the carbonated version, sold bottled across Afghanistan and Iran.
- Some households add a few crushed rose petals or a pinch of dried thyme in summer.
History
Salted yoghurt drink with mint and cucumber, of the Persian dugh family and close cousin to Turkish ayran.
Frequently asked questions
What is Doogh?
Doogh is a drink from Afghanistan: salted yogurt drink with mint and cucumber, served chilled. Salted yoghurt drink with mint and cucumber, of the Persian dugh family and close cousin to Turkish ayran.
How long does Doogh take to make?
Doogh takes 10 min of preparation and 30 min chilling of cooking. The recipe makes 4 glasses. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Doogh?
Yes, within limits. No fresh cucumber: leave it out and increase the dried mint; the Iranian version, also called doogh, is often just yoghurt, water, salt and mint. Kefir can replace the yoghurt for a tangier, fizzier drink.
