Turkish · Widespread across Turkey; particularly associated with Aegean and Istanbul meze culture · mezze

Haydari (Strained Yogurt + Herb Dip)

haydari

Haydari is the richer, more assertive cousin of tzatziki — thick strained yogurt beaten with garlic, fresh dill, dried mint, crushed walnuts, and a generous pour of olive oil. It's a fixture on any Turkish meze table, served cold alongside warm bread, olives, and whatever else is coming. The straining step is non-negotiable: you need that dense, almost cream-cheese texture for the dip to hold its character.

• full-fat plain yogurt (to strain down to ~2 cups / 480g strained)

  4 cups

  960g

• garlic cloves

  2 medium cloves

  10g

• fresh dill, fronds only, finely chopped

  3 tablespoons

  10g

• dried mint

  1 teaspoon

  1g

• walnuts, roughly chopped

  3 tablespoons

  25g

• extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving

  2 tablespoons

  30ml

• fine salt

  1/2 teaspoon

  3g

• pul biber (Aleppo pepper) for garnish

  1/2 teaspoon

  1g

  Substitution · hard-to-find

  Original: pul biber (Aleppo or Maraş pepper). Mix 3 parts sweet paprika to 1 part red pepper flakes — you lose some of the fruity warmth but it works. Whole Foods and Middle Eastern markets usually carry Aleppo pepper if you want to seek it out.

• pomegranate seeds for garnish (optional but traditional)

  2 tablespoons

  20g

1. 01

   5 min

   Strain the yogurt: Line a fine-mesh strainer or colander with two layers of cheesecloth (or a clean, thin cotton kitchen towel) and set it over a bowl. Spoon in all 4 cups of yogurt, fold the cloth loosely over the top, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours — or overnight if you have time. You're aiming to lose roughly half the liquid whey, ending up with about 2 cups of thick, almost spreadable süzme yogurt. Don't skip this: thin yogurt makes a watery dip that slides off the bread.

2. 02

   5 min

   While the yogurt strains, prep your aromatics. Peel the garlic cloves and mince them very fine, then sprinkle with a pinch of the salt and use the flat of your knife to smear them into a smooth paste against the cutting board. This removes any sharp raw-garlic bite and distributes the flavor evenly through the dip. Finely chop the dill fronds and roughly chop the walnuts.

3. 03

   3 min

   Once the yogurt is fully strained, transfer it to a medium bowl. Add the garlic paste, chopped dill, dried mint, and salt. Beat vigorously with a fork or whisk for about a minute — you want the yogurt to lighten slightly and become very smooth. Taste and adjust salt.

4. 04

   2 min

   Drizzle in the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and fold it in gently — don't over-mix at this stage or the dip can get slightly grainy. Fold in the chopped walnuts last so they stay distinct.

5. 05

   2 min

   Spread the haydari onto a shallow plate or wide bowl, using the back of a spoon to make gentle swirls across the surface. Drizzle generously with additional olive oil (don't be shy — this is a meze, not a diet food), scatter the pul biber across the top, and add pomegranate seeds if using. Serve immediately at room temperature, or refrigerate for up to 2 days and bring back to room temp before serving.

• · LLM tiebreak failed for "pul biber" — picked first result as fallback

Reheating · Tzatziki, labneh dips. Drain off any whey that separates before serving.

Source: foodkeeper