Yogurt Dip with Walnuts & Herbs - Haydari

Haydari - Yogurt Dip with Walnuts and Herbs

Haydari - Yogurt Dip with Walnuts & Herbs

Haydari is a typical meze (appetizer) made with strained (thick) yogurt.  You can strain regular yogurt and keep it in the refrigerator to be used for dips and mezes. To make strained yogurt, first place a cheese cloth or muslin on a sieve. Place the sieve over a large bowl.  Put a tub of yogurt into the sieve. Let it drain in the refrigerator for at about 12 hours. If you let it drain for 24 hours, yogurt will be very thick, a bit softer than cream cheese. I started with 2 cups of yogurt, after leaving it in the fridge overnight, I ended up with 1 1/2 cups of strained yogurt. If you don't want to wait, then substitute Greek style yogurt for this dip.

 

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups strained yogurt (or Greek style thick yogurt)
• 3 tablespoons feta cheese, grated
• 2 table spoons fresh dill, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh mint, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup walnuts, finely chopped
• 1 table spoon lemon juice
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• Salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil for garnish
• 1 teaspoon paprika for garnish

Directions:
Mix all ingredients with a spoon until well blended. Place in a serving dish. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle with paprika. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint or dills.

Strained Yogurt

Strained yogurt and grated feta cheese

Walnuts, mint, dill and minced garlic

Haydari - Yogurt Dip with Walnuts and Herbs

Afiyet Olsun! Bon Appetit!