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Mast O Musir
Serves 4 Prep 10 min Total 10 min Type Side Origin Persian

Mast O Musir

Persia's wild-shallot yogurt: thick strained yogurt mixed with dried Zagros-mountain shallots. Served with rice or for dipping bread.

Serves 4 Prep 10 minutes active Units Rate

Overview

Dried sliced Persian shallots (sold at Iranian shops, looks like small papery brown discs) cover with cold water and rehydrate overnight (8-12 hours). Drained and patted dry; chopped fine. Strained thick yogurt whisks in a bowl; the chopped rehydrated shallots fold in; a pinch of salt and a small splash of cold water adjust the consistency. Rests for 1 hour for flavours to integrate. Served with a drizzle of olive oil.

Ingredients

  • 30 g dried Persian shallots (musir, sold sliced at Iranian shops)
  • 500 g full-fat thick plain yogurt (strained, or use thick Greek yogurt)
  • 1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
  • 1 tablespoon cold water (only if the yogurt is very thick)
  • ½ teaspoon dried mint (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (to drizzle)

Method

Stage 1 - Rehydrate the shallots

  1. Place the dried shallots in a bowl; cover with cold water (about 200 ml).
  2. Soak overnight (8-12 hours). The shallots will swell and soften from papery dry to fully reconstituted.
  3. Drain through a sieve; rinse briefly to wash off any released bitterness.
  4. Pat dry on kitchen paper.
  5. Chop fine.

Stage 2 - Combine

  1. In a wide bowl, whisk the yogurt smooth.
  2. Fold in the chopped rehydrated shallots.
  3. Season with salt; add 1 tablespoon of cold water only if the texture is dense (mast o musir should be thick-spoonable, not pourable).
  4. Stir in dried mint if using.
  5. Taste; adjust salt.

Stage 3 - Rest

  1. Cover; refrigerate 1 hour (or up to 24 hours - the flavour develops).

Stage 4 - Serve

  1. Tip into a wide shallow bowl.
  2. Make a shallow well in the centre with the back of a spoon.
  3. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil.
  4. Serve alongside grilled meats, kebabs, chelo rice or as a starter with sangak / pita / pieces of warm bread.

Notes

  • Overnight rehydration is non-negotiable: Short soaks (1-2 hours) leave the shallots chewy and the funky-sour flavour underdeveloped. The 8-hour rest is what makes mast o musir work.
  • Strained / thick yogurt only: Watery yogurt makes a thin sad dip. Use Persian-style strained yogurt (or thick Greek yogurt); if your yogurt is loose, hang it in muslin over a sieve overnight to drain off the whey.
  • Substitute for musir: If you cannot find dried Persian shallots, finely chop 2 tablespoons of fresh shallot and let it soak in 2 tablespoons cold water + 1 teaspoon vinegar for 30 minutes; drain. The result is similar though milder.

Storage

  • Refrigerate 4 days. The flavour deepens over the first 24 hours, then slowly fades.
  • Don't freeze.

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Sides 30 minutes Serves4