ayran — Iran

This version of ayran is a savory yogurt drink whisked smooth and thinned with water until it pours easily, then chilled and often lightly carbonated, giving it a faint fizz on the tongue. It is reported as drunk in Iran, where a closely related drink is more commonly called dough, alongside its wider presence in Turkey, Turkmenistan, Greece, Albania, Syria, Lebanon, Armenia and Bulgaria. Iranians and Tajiks each give the drink their own name, and it accompanies rice dishes and grilled meats at the table. To prepare it, yogurt is whisked with water - still or sparkling - until smooth and pourable, then salted and finished with a pinch of dried mint. Some households add a little chopped cucumber or crushed dried rose petals for scent, and the drink is served over ice in hot weather. What sets this preparation apart within the same family of yogurt drinks is the frequent use of sparkling water in place of still water, giving it a light fizz, together with the dried mint finish, which is far more consistent here than in the plainer, unflavored versions drunk elsewhere along the same belt of countries.