Snow White salad — Bulgaria

Snezhanka salad, often called Snow White salad in English, is a cold Bulgarian preparation built from thick strained yogurt beaten with grated cucumber, crushed garlic and salt until it turns a pale, almost white paste. The name nods to the fairy-tale character, a reference to the salad's near-white color once the yogurt and cucumber are combined. Bulgarian households also know it as milk salad or dry tarator, since it shares its base ingredients with the better-known cold soup but is served thicker, as a scoopable salad rather than a liquid. It is reported across Bulgaria as a fixture of the mezze-style spread that opens a meal, sitting alongside grilled peppers, cheese and bread rather than as a main course. Home cooks make it year-round, though it is especially common in warmer months when a cold, garlicky dish is welcome, and it appears on tables at family gatherings and casual restaurants serving regional fare. Preparation starts with straining plain yogurt through cloth or a fine sieve until it thickens noticeably, then folding in finely grated or diced cucumber that has been salted and drained to remove excess water. Garlic is crushed to a paste and stirred through with salt and a spoonful of oil, and the mixture is chilled before serving. Chopped dill is folded in or scattered on top, and many cooks finish the bowl with a scattering of crushed walnuts and thin strips of roasted red pepper for color and crunch. Compared with tarator, the cold cucumber-yogurt soup it is closely related to, this version keeps its yogurt undiluted and its texture spoonable rather than drinkable, which is why some cooks call it dry tarator. Households vary the balance of garlic, the amount of oil, and whether walnuts, roasted pepper or parsley go in, so the salad can range from a light, herby dip to a richer, nuttier one depending on who is making it.