Name: Turkish Mint Ayran
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 4 drinks
Ingredients: 1 pint plain yogurt; 1 pint cold water; 2 sprigs fresh mint (leaves only); 1/4 t. salt; handful ice cubes

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There’s no better way to beat the heat than with a tall, ice-cold glass of refreshing ayran! Frothy, minty, and just a tiny bit salty, ayran is here for every too-hot afternoon and too-spicy dinner.

Anyone tried Turkish ayran before? I just discovered it a couple weeks ago and now I’m hooked. It’s like the savory version of an Indian lassi, with a plain yogurt base and super-fresh mint leaves.

Simplicity is key here – toss it all in the blender, let it go for 30 seconds, and you’re done! The ice cubes melt immediately into the yogurt and water so the drink is extra-cold for serving. Pulse the drink on high speed a few times to get an extra frothy head!

Ayran isn’t thick like a smoothie – it’s thin with just a little body to keep from being too heavy. Pretty sure I’ll keep a carafe in the fridge all summer long!

I used regular plain yogurt instead of low-fat or fat-free to give the drink more body. You can use whatever you have on hand, or go fat free if you want, and reduce the water to keep it from thinning out too much.