Haydari
Haydari is a thick and creamy Turkish meze made with strained yogurt, feta cheese, garlic, fresh dill, walnuts, and mint butter. Serve it cold with bread, kebabs, grilled meat, vegetables, or a Turkish meze spread.
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 168kcal
Ingredients
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese (2 ½ oz/75 grams)
- ¾ cup thick strained yoghurt (7 oz/200 grams)
- 1 clove garlic (turned into a paste with a pinch of salt)
- 2 tablespoon fresh dill (finely chopped)
- ⅓ cup walnut (finely chopped)
- 1 tablespoon melted butter (to garnish)
- ½ teaspoon dried mint
- ¼ teaspoon chilli flakes (optional) (to garnish)
Instructions
- Place the feta cheese in a bowl and mash it with a fork until it turns into a paste.
- Gently melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the dried mint and chili flakes, then turn off the heat and let it sit for about 5 minutes.
- Add the strained yogurt, melted mint butter, garlic paste, finely chopped dill, and walnuts to the bowl with the feta. Mix well until thick, creamy, and fully combined.
- Transfer the Haydari to a serving bowl or shallow plate. Garnish with extra chili flakes, chopped walnuts, fresh dill, olive oil, or a little extra mint butter if you like.
- Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Use thick strained yogurt, süzme yogurt, thick Greek yogurt, or labneh.
- If you can’t find thick strained yogurt, place regular plain yogurt in cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel and strain it for a few hours to remove excess water.
- Mash the feta well before adding the yogurt for a smoother texture.
- Use fresh garlic for the best flavor, and add it gradually if you prefer a milder taste.
- Skip the walnuts if you want a smoother Haydari or use pistachios instead of walnuts if you prefer.
- You can lightly toast the walnuts before adding them for a deeper flavor.
- Chill the Haydari for at least 30 minutes before serving so the flavors have time to settle.
- You can replace the butter with extra virgin olive oil.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Do not freeze Haydari because the yogurt can split and turn watery after thawing.
Nutrition
Calories: 168kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 258mg | Potassium: 132mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 236IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 161mg | Iron: 1mg