Haydari
A thick mezze of strained yoghurt, garlic and herbs. One thing separates it from cacık and it is decisive: haydari has no cucumber and the yoghurt is strained, so a spoon stands up in it.
Strained yoghurt reaches 20–24% total solids where set yoghurt sits at 13–15%. The difference is not only thickness: the higher solids and fat also stop the mezze weeping as it stands.
What it is made of
Yoghurt
pH 4.4 · splits above 85 °C
Dairy: it brings creaminess, protein and calcium.
Temper it with a few spoons of the hot liquid before it goes in; added straight, it splits.
Ga
Garlic
Allicin forms 60 s after cutting
A base: it neutralises acid and shifts colour and lift.
Let it sit for a minute after chopping: that is when allicin forms. Straight into the pan and it never appears.
Oo
Olive oil
Smoke point 190–210 °C (EVOO)
Fat: it carries the aroma and softens the texture.
Do not burn extra virgin on high heat; use it as a finishing oil and leave the frying to a plain one.
Mi
Mint
Menthol is volatile · add off the heat
Spice: it adds aroma and edge.
Fresh mint goes in off the heat; dried mint is bloomed in fat. They are not the same job.
Sa2
Salt
0.8–1.5% of the weight of the food
Seasoning: it sets the perception and balances the salt.
0.8–1.5% of the weight of the food. Coarse and fine salt do not weigh the same by the spoon, so weigh it.
What it tastes like
The axes that define this dish: aroma 51 — the ones sitting clearly above the average.
This profile is computed rather than measured: the role-weighted average of its ingredients’ taste vectors, shifted by what the cooking does. The thin line is the database average on that axis.
How it is made
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Start with strained yoghurt; if yours is not strained, hang it in muslin overnight first.
Why Water is the only thing separating haydari from cacık: here it is taken out, there it is added. -
Work the garlic to a paste with salt and stir it in.
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Add dried mint and finely chopped dill and mix well.
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Spread it in a bowl, hollow the middle with the back of a spoon, pour olive oil into it and rest two hours.
Where it comes from
A classic of the Turkish mezze table and a direct product of the strained-yoghurt tradition.