Life

Mast-o Khiar — A cooling, crunchy treat you can feel good about dipping into

For iftar, tuck in with bread or crackers… or indulge with chips!

For iftar, tuck in with bread or crackers… or indulge with chips!

Yogurt dip garnished with pistachios, mint leaves and dried rose petals, in a blue bowl. The bowl is on a white platter on a pink napkin, on a white tabletop. Torn pieces of pita and a bowl of chips sit beside the dip.
(CBC Life)

Creamy and delicately crunchy, crowned with swirls of olive oil, dip your bread or crackers into this to break your Ramadan fast at the end of a long day. In our home, we like to enjoy this mast-o khiar scooped up with salty potato chips.

Mast-o Khiar

Make ahead: You can grate the cucumber a day in advance and store in the refrigerator.

 

Ingredients

  • 1 cup grated English cucumber, unpeeled
  • 3 cups full-fat Greek yogurt
  • 1 garlic clove, finely minced
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped walnuts
  • 1 tbsp dried mint, plus extra for garnish
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp crushed dried rose petals
  • 1 tsp finely chopped shelled pistachios
  • 4 mint leaves, julienned
  • 4 mint leaves, left whole, for garnish
  • Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
  • Flatbread (lavash, focaccia, or pita), for serving

Preparation

Add the cucumber, yogurt, garlic, walnuts, mint and salt to a medium bowl and stir well to combine. Preferably, chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Transfer the mixture to a small serving bowl. Before serving, sprinkle different sections of the surface with dried mint, dried rose petals and pistachios. Garnish with the julienned and whole mint leaves. Drizzle with your favourite extra virgin olive oil. Serve with flatbread for dipping.

Yield: Makes 4-6 servings


Shayma Owaise Saadat is a Food Writer and Chef. She lives in Toronto with her husband and son. You can follow her culinary journey at www.ShaymaSaadat.com or on Instagram.