Cucumbers in Yogurt (Persian Mast-o-Khiar)

persian-mastokhiar Mast-o-khiar is a scrumptious classic Persian salad of cool cucumbers with creamy yogurt, and infused with fragrant herbs. Presented here in two ways - as a traditional salad and in a modern appetizer style. It makes a great Persian style appetizer that is quick, easy, vegetarian, low carb and gluten free.

1 English cucumber long, seedless
3½ cups Greek yogurt
1-2 cloves garlic, grated
¼ cup fresh dill, chopped
3 Tbsp. green onions, chopped or shallots
2 Tbsp. fresh mint, chopped or 1 Tbsp. dried
2 tsp. rose petals dried, ground
2 pinches black pepper, freshly ground
sea salt
2 Tbsp. raisins, soaked (optional)
2 Tbsp. walnuts, chopped (optional)

Garnish Options:
rose petals, mint, olive oil, barberries, walnuts, raisins, red pepper flakes

Scrub the surface of one cucumber using a vegetable brush and rinse well. Chop into small pieces. Alternatively you may grate the cucumber, especially for making the appetizer style cucumber yogurt salad bites.

Drain any juices very well. It should yield about 2 cups grated cucumber.

In a mixing bowl, combine cucumber, yogurt, garlic, dill, green onions, mint, and ground rose petals. Season it with pepper and salt as per taste.

Add raisins and walnuts if you desire. The addition of these ingredients is most suitable if preparing it for the appetizer style cucumber salad bites. Chill the mixture for one to two hours.

If serving it as a traditional salad, then transfer the mixture to a serving bowl. Garnish with rose petals and mint to finish off the Mast-o-khiar.

If serving it as cucumber salad bites, then take the other cucumber, scrub and rinse the surface very well with a vegetable brush.

Cut off the ends of the cucumber. Then using a sharp knife cut it lengthwise through the center into two long halves.

Using a melon baller scoop out the center portion of the cucumber to create a hollow cavity along the length of the halves. Then cut the hollowed out cucumber halves into smaller pieces. Using a small spoon fill these with the cucumber yogurt mixture.

Garnish the yogurt cucumber salad bites with rose petals, mint, red pepper flakes, walnuts, raisins, barberries etc.

Place the cucumber salad bites on a serving platter and insert toothpicks to make it easy to serve.

Makes 6 cups.

Cook's Notes:

Dried mint, dried dill, dried barberries are available online and at Persian and middle eastern grocery stores.
Use thick Greek style yogurt. Make sure to drain the grated cucumber if making the yogurt cucumber salad to serve it in an appetizer style.
The typical preparation of mast-o-khiar does not include the use of raisins and walnuts. But these may be used, as per preference, especially for the appetizer style cucumber salad bites. The sweet and nut surprises reminds me of Waldorf salad, expect that this mast-o-khiar is much lighter and does not use mayonnaise.
I prefer to use fresh herbs for optimum flavoir, but you may substitute with frozen or dried herbs too. If using dried herbs, you may replace the fresh herbs by up to ⅓rd dried herbs in quantity (3 Tbsp. fresh = approx 1 Tbsp. dried).
When trying to hollow out the cucumber halves for making the appetizer style salad bites make sure to use a melon baller or a sharp utensil to scoop out the cucumber flesh very well, leaving a thin and firm exterior. This will ensure that the salad bite will have a good balance of cucumber and yogurt. If it is not hollowed out properly, then the salad bite will feel more like eating a cucumber with a tiny smear of yogurt.