Doogh (fermented mint drink)
A whipped yogurt thinned with water, salted, perfumed with dried mint, sometimes sparkling. Tangy and thirst-quenching, it cuts the richness of khoresh and soothes the palate after saffron—the Persian equivalent of table water.
A whipped yogurt thinned with water, salted, perfumed with dried mint, sometimes sparkling. Tangy and thirst-quenching, it cuts the richness of khoresh and soothes the palate after saffron—the Persian equivalent of table water.
At our house, next to the rice, there was always a tall glass of doogh—nothing simpler: yogurt you beat with cold water, a pinch of salt, dried mint crushed between your fingers. The trick is to whisk it well so it gets a little frothy on top. When it's hot, you drink it iced, and it calms everything: the spice, the fatigue, the Tehran summer. I preferred it still, but my father liked it fizzy.
- •Plain yogurt (mâst) — a bowl (fermented base)
- •Fresh spring water — to taste for thickness (dilution)
- •Dried mint — a pinch (flavor)
- •Salt — a pinch (seasoning)
Doogh (fermented mint drink)
A whipped yogurt thinned with water, salted, perfumed with dried mint, sometimes sparkling. Tangy and thirst-quenching, it cuts the richness of khoresh and soothes the palate after saffron—the Persian equivalent of table water.
Why this dish? A daily drink on every Iranian table, doogh accompanies stews and rice in every home. It was the refreshment of Maryam's household, the ordinary and comforting gesture of the Iranian family meals she perpetuated.
At our house, next to the rice, there was always a tall glass of doogh—nothing simpler: yogurt you beat with cold water, a pinch of salt, dried mint crushed between your fingers. The trick is to whisk it well so it gets a little frothy on top. When it's hot, you drink it iced, and it calms everything: the spice, the fatigue, the Tehran summer. I preferred it still, but my father liked it fizzy.
Ingredients (period version)
- Plain yogurt (mâst) — a bowl (fermented base)
- Fresh spring water — to taste for thickness (dilution)
- Dried mint — a pinch (flavor)
- Salt — a pinch (seasoning)
Ingredients
- Plain stirred yogurt — 250 g (fermented base)
- Cold water (still or sparkling) — 250 ml (dilution)
- Dried mint — 1/2 tsp (flavor)
- Salt — 1 pinch (seasoning)
- Ice cubes — a few (serving)
Method
- Whisk the yogurt vigorously with cold water until smooth and frothy.
- Add salt and dried mint crushed between your fingers.
- Taste and adjust water to desired consistency (more or less thick).
- Serve very cold with ice cubes; for a sparkling version, replace some water with sparkling water just before serving.
How it was made : Doogh descends from a long tradition of fermented dairy products from the plateaus of Central Asia and Iran, where yogurt extended the shelf life of milk. Thinned and salted, sometimes with rose petals or seeds, it kept and traveled well, serving as both table drink and refreshment.
The contemporary twist : A modern variation adds a few dried rose petals or a hint of grated cucumber for summer freshness.
Sources : Najmieh Batmanglij, Food of Life
Maryam Mirzakhani · Charactorium