Ayran

The ayran (in Turkish AFI /aɪˈran/; in Albanian, dhallë; in Arabic, عيران 'airan or شنينة shanina; in Armenian, Թան tahn; in Assyrian, döweh; in Bulgarian, айрян or sometimes мътеница / бърканица; in Greek, Αϊράνι; in Kazakh, Айран; in Macedonian, матеница, аjрaн) is a drink made from yogurt, water, salt and mint. The yogurt used comes from sheep's milk and has a thick, tasty flavor and slightly acidic, and sometimes, through the added use of a few drops of lemon juice.

It is very popular in Turkey and other Turkic peoples, Armenia, the Balkans, and the Arabs, Assyrians and Kurds of the Levant.

Its consumption is recommended along with spicy food, given the fat-dissolving nature of yogurt on capsaicin, which is fat-soluble.

Preparation

Its basic preparation is very simple, and consists of blending the ingredients and adding ice to consume the cold ayran. It is used as an accompaniment to meals.

Variations

This drink has various versions that are drunk throughout Western and South Asia under different names.

Doogh

The doogh is a variant of the ayran. It is popular in Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Afghanistan and the Balkans. In its preparation, the ingredients are mixed and emulsified for a long time to obtain a foamy preparation.