What a fun side by side comparison of how yogurt is used in India and Turkey! While I do love plain yogurt with fruit and berries, I most often eat it with cherry tomatoes and garlic chili oil that has some crunchies in it. The best breakfast! Thank you ladies for such an informative read!
Oh that does sound interesting! There is a Turkish meze called atom that involves yogurt and a chili oil. I have a recipe for it with an addition of sweet potato mash as the base. I can imagine that a garlic chili oil with tomatoes would also be delicious. Thank you for sharing Betty, I will have to try it soon as tomato season is finally upon us. 😊
Such an interesting post, you two! Yogurt is not a breakfast food for me but I admit it is not an ingredient I use broadly. So many delicious ways here to expand my repertoire! Bookmarked for future reference 💕
So glad it was interesting to you, Elizabeth. :) We aimed to stretch the mind and the comfort zone a bit with this yogurt discussion, and it’s awesome to hear when a piece has had that effect. Thank you for reading. 😊💕
Thank you Elizabeth! I have grown up seeing yogurt as an active ingredient in cooking but looking at how it is used in Turkish cooking, my mind was blown.
I made the Turkish pasta and yogurt from Leslie and Annada’s yogurt article this week and it was so good. Just served it with a salad and it made the perfect light, fast, summer meal.
What a wonderful post, Leslie and Annada. Leslie, you know I am really loving yogurt in savory dishes, and there are SO many great ideas. I'm very excited to try both recipes. On that note, I am seeing dried mint in lots of Turkish recipes, and I can't find it anyyyywhere in Spain. I am thinking I might stop by some stores in Madrid when I'm there this weekend or order online, because I think I need to have it in my kitchen at this point. I'm amazed by the idea of neighbors borrowing cultures from their neighbor to set yogurt — how beautiful is that! I also love the idea of these refreshing yogurt-based drinks. Leslie, your bazlama look really wonderful, and I hope to try them soon. Also the description of those kebabs are unreal. The more I learn, the more I want to cook! Thanks for such a great article.
Thank you, Katie. Yes, the possibilities of savory yogurt applications are endless. Here’s an idea abt dried mint that I follow. I’m sure you get fresh mint where you are in Spain. Just pluck the leaves and dry them in the corner of your house where there is some sun. Within a few days the leaves will become dry. Dry them till they crackle when you rub them. Now they are ready to be stored and used throughout the year. Just rub them between the palms of your hands and crush them before using.
Annada, I’m not going to lie: I just immediately went to my kitchen, washed some fresh mint, and left it out to dry! What a fun experiment! Thank you for the tip :)
Aw YAY! I’m so happy you enjoyed this post, Katie. Definitely had you in mind as we were writing because I remember you saying a few weeks ago that yogurt should be eaten in more savory ways. I highly recommend getting some mint! You can add it to so many things besides this sauce—but this sauce alone is worth it. 😁 I like to add it to kofte/meatballs, or put a little in spice mixes for roasting vegetables or fish or chicken. Annada’s recommendation for drying your own mint is great. Worth a try if you can’t find it in Madrid.
Look at that @Lisa McLean - my mom echoes your sentiments. :) Thank you, Mom. 🥰 Glad you enjoyed it! I will have to make these dishes next time I see you. I think you’ll love them both!
This was such an enjoyable read, Leslie and Annada! I loved your comparison between the two cuisines and seeing some of the similarities (and differences). I’m such a huge fan of yogurt in savory dishes and with all of its health benefits I find myself gravitating toward it more and more. Thank you for the inspiration—including the two delicious looking recipes that I now want to try!
So glad you enjoyed it, Kerry 🥰 Thank you for taking the time to read it. I'm glad to hear that you're already familiar with yogurt in savory dishes. If you make either/both recipes, we'd love to know what you think of them!
Ya, the comparison & parallels are just stunning! I don’t eat fish, but I do remember the horror my friends expressed at the thought of combining fish & yogurt, similar to Leslie’s husband.
This was absolutely brilliant! I adore yoghurt and always keep it in the fridge - for breakfasts, dips, to bake with, for bread and flatbread doughs, marinades etc. Such a wondrous ingredient.
Thank you Sophia! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. It really is a wonderful ingredient. Based on your recipes, I can imagine that you create some delicious and magnificent things with it. 😊
I do love playing with strained yoghurt / labneh in desserts - makes wonderful cheesecake, great as a bed for roasted or macerated fruit and I also love making a labneh whipped cream for a little extra tang and stability! And of course, loaf cakes made with yoghurt also have such a wonderful texture and plush crumb.
Leslie and Annada, this is a very successful writing project. It’s truly a delicious conversation that tells such an interesting story of how two cultures use and revere fermented milk in such diverse yet similar ways. As you say, if yoghurt hasn’t made it off the breakfast table, you don’t really know yoghurt. Well done, an excellent article you’ve created together.
Thanks so much, Lisa! We really appreciate you reading it and supporting us. 💕 Yes, we were blown away at all the parallels! It was truly a fun conversation and writing project.
Not so much in cooking as far as I know, but it is eaten a lot. There is also a drink called lben that is essentially similar to ayran I think. It’s traditionally served with couscous on Fridays.
Fantastic exploration guys!! The cross culture similarities blows my mind, everytime I read about it. The youghurt rice, the kebab base, the buttermilk drink and thevlist goes on.
Leslie, I would love to try the pasta recipe. I have been thinking recently, what kind of sauces I have not tried thats a bit unique and there comes your post. Going on my list to cook from Leslie's Substack.
Annada, That dahi ke aloo....comfort food with a Chefs kiss. Absolutely favourite of mine. As much as I like it with my parathas my Son loves it with his tlfresh bakesld pitabreads.
Thank you for this sweet and thoughtful response, Harshita! Like you both said, yes, so many similarities AND such breadth, too. If you try the pasta, I'd love to know what you think of it. It's one of my favorite ways to eat pasta these days. I will be making that dahi wale aloo soon. It sounds delicious!
naan bread and chai tea 😖
thank you for this 🙏
What a fun side by side comparison of how yogurt is used in India and Turkey! While I do love plain yogurt with fruit and berries, I most often eat it with cherry tomatoes and garlic chili oil that has some crunchies in it. The best breakfast! Thank you ladies for such an informative read!
Thank you, Betty! That is SO my kind of breakfast!
Oh that does sound interesting! There is a Turkish meze called atom that involves yogurt and a chili oil. I have a recipe for it with an addition of sweet potato mash as the base. I can imagine that a garlic chili oil with tomatoes would also be delicious. Thank you for sharing Betty, I will have to try it soon as tomato season is finally upon us. 😊
Such an interesting post, you two! Yogurt is not a breakfast food for me but I admit it is not an ingredient I use broadly. So many delicious ways here to expand my repertoire! Bookmarked for future reference 💕
So glad it was interesting to you, Elizabeth. :) We aimed to stretch the mind and the comfort zone a bit with this yogurt discussion, and it’s awesome to hear when a piece has had that effect. Thank you for reading. 😊💕
Thank you Elizabeth! I have grown up seeing yogurt as an active ingredient in cooking but looking at how it is used in Turkish cooking, my mind was blown.
I made the Turkish pasta and yogurt from Leslie and Annada’s yogurt article this week and it was so good. Just served it with a salad and it made the perfect light, fast, summer meal.
So happy to hear that, Ginger. Thank you for your kind comment.
What a wonderful post, Leslie and Annada. Leslie, you know I am really loving yogurt in savory dishes, and there are SO many great ideas. I'm very excited to try both recipes. On that note, I am seeing dried mint in lots of Turkish recipes, and I can't find it anyyyywhere in Spain. I am thinking I might stop by some stores in Madrid when I'm there this weekend or order online, because I think I need to have it in my kitchen at this point. I'm amazed by the idea of neighbors borrowing cultures from their neighbor to set yogurt — how beautiful is that! I also love the idea of these refreshing yogurt-based drinks. Leslie, your bazlama look really wonderful, and I hope to try them soon. Also the description of those kebabs are unreal. The more I learn, the more I want to cook! Thanks for such a great article.
Thank you, Katie. Yes, the possibilities of savory yogurt applications are endless. Here’s an idea abt dried mint that I follow. I’m sure you get fresh mint where you are in Spain. Just pluck the leaves and dry them in the corner of your house where there is some sun. Within a few days the leaves will become dry. Dry them till they crackle when you rub them. Now they are ready to be stored and used throughout the year. Just rub them between the palms of your hands and crush them before using.
Annada, I’m not going to lie: I just immediately went to my kitchen, washed some fresh mint, and left it out to dry! What a fun experiment! Thank you for the tip :)
Yay! Great
Aw YAY! I’m so happy you enjoyed this post, Katie. Definitely had you in mind as we were writing because I remember you saying a few weeks ago that yogurt should be eaten in more savory ways. I highly recommend getting some mint! You can add it to so many things besides this sauce—but this sauce alone is worth it. 😁 I like to add it to kofte/meatballs, or put a little in spice mixes for roasting vegetables or fish or chicken. Annada’s recommendation for drying your own mint is great. Worth a try if you can’t find it in Madrid.
I’ll be on the lookout this weekend, and I also already started drying my own! It would be very interesting to see the difference between the two.
I couldn't have said it any better than Lisa. Beautiful and informative article.
Thank you, Goldie! We had fun exchanging ideas about this favorite ingredient of ours.
Look at that @Lisa McLean - my mom echoes your sentiments. :) Thank you, Mom. 🥰 Glad you enjoyed it! I will have to make these dishes next time I see you. I think you’ll love them both!
This was such an enjoyable read, Leslie and Annada! I loved your comparison between the two cuisines and seeing some of the similarities (and differences). I’m such a huge fan of yogurt in savory dishes and with all of its health benefits I find myself gravitating toward it more and more. Thank you for the inspiration—including the two delicious looking recipes that I now want to try!
So glad you enjoyed it, Kerry 🥰 Thank you for taking the time to read it. I'm glad to hear that you're already familiar with yogurt in savory dishes. If you make either/both recipes, we'd love to know what you think of them!
Ya, the comparison & parallels are just stunning! I don’t eat fish, but I do remember the horror my friends expressed at the thought of combining fish & yogurt, similar to Leslie’s husband.
So interesting!
This was absolutely brilliant! I adore yoghurt and always keep it in the fridge - for breakfasts, dips, to bake with, for bread and flatbread doughs, marinades etc. Such a wondrous ingredient.
Thank you Sophia! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. It really is a wonderful ingredient. Based on your recipes, I can imagine that you create some delicious and magnificent things with it. 😊
I do love playing with strained yoghurt / labneh in desserts - makes wonderful cheesecake, great as a bed for roasted or macerated fruit and I also love making a labneh whipped cream for a little extra tang and stability! And of course, loaf cakes made with yoghurt also have such a wonderful texture and plush crumb.
Leslie and Annada, this is a very successful writing project. It’s truly a delicious conversation that tells such an interesting story of how two cultures use and revere fermented milk in such diverse yet similar ways. As you say, if yoghurt hasn’t made it off the breakfast table, you don’t really know yoghurt. Well done, an excellent article you’ve created together.
Thank you for the kind words of appreciation, Lisa. These similarities are awe inspiring and just fill me with wonder.
Thanks so much, Lisa! We really appreciate you reading it and supporting us. 💕 Yes, we were blown away at all the parallels! It was truly a fun conversation and writing project.
What a wonderful collaboration! Saving this for future use for sure!
Thanks so much, Wendy. I’m glad you liked it. :) Do you use much yogurt in Moroccan cooking?
Not so much in cooking as far as I know, but it is eaten a lot. There is also a drink called lben that is essentially similar to ayran I think. It’s traditionally served with couscous on Fridays.
Fantastic exploration guys!! The cross culture similarities blows my mind, everytime I read about it. The youghurt rice, the kebab base, the buttermilk drink and thevlist goes on.
Leslie, I would love to try the pasta recipe. I have been thinking recently, what kind of sauces I have not tried thats a bit unique and there comes your post. Going on my list to cook from Leslie's Substack.
Annada, That dahi ke aloo....comfort food with a Chefs kiss. Absolutely favourite of mine. As much as I like it with my parathas my Son loves it with his tlfresh bakesld pitabreads.
Lovely write up guys!
Seriously, the list goes on. Also the fundamental features of yogurt & why it is valued also is so similar in both the cuisines.
100% agreed.
Thank you for this sweet and thoughtful response, Harshita! Like you both said, yes, so many similarities AND such breadth, too. If you try the pasta, I'd love to know what you think of it. It's one of my favorite ways to eat pasta these days. I will be making that dahi wale aloo soon. It sounds delicious!
Absolutely, I will. I am sure it will be amazing.
Wait, people eat yogurt for breakfast?
Wait til you hear that they put fruit and honey in it!
I could feel like i was in Turkey again reading this post!
What a compliment! 😁 Thanks so much for reading it, Stephanie.