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Ayran

Ayran yogurt drink

A traditional Turkish yogurt drink gets an herbaceous lift.

This tangy mix of yogurt, salt, and water gets an aromatic lift from a handful of fresh basil. 

Ingredients

Yield:8-10
  • 5 cups full-fat plain yogurt
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 tsp. kosher or sea salt
  • 1/2 cup torn basil leaves
  • Tools:blender
  • Glass:tumbler or large rocks

Preparation

Put all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and the color is off-white with a light green tint. Pour into ice-filled glasses. Garnish with a few basil leaves and a slice of lemon, if you like.
Personalize Your PourIn Turkey, ayrans are available everywhere from bakeries to bazaars to McDonald’s franchises. How yours is served will likely depend on where you’re sipping: A shopkeeper in a rural market may ladle it into a shallow bowl to sip on the spot, counter joints in urban centers often serve ayrans in plastic cups, and home cooks might set out a pitcher with a stack of short glasses. When preparing yogurt drinks at home, you can use ice-filled rocks glasses or whatever is on hand. “It’s completely customizable,” says BouKaram.

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