Haydari (Minty Brown Butter, Feta, and Strained Yogurt Dip)
(high-DAH-ree)
Meze & Muhabbet (The Evening Table)
If you grew up around a Turkish table, the smell of dried mint hitting warm butter is a homing beacon. It means the evening is slowing down, the rakı is pouring, and the meze spread is about to begin. Too many rushed recipes tell you to just stir raw garlic and dusty dried mint straight into cold yogurt. Don't do that. The grandmother-approved secret to a proper haydari—a dish whose name literally translates to 'lion'—is blooming that mint and tempering the garlic in hot butter first. It takes exactly two extra minutes, but it's the absolute difference between a bland, watery dip and the unapologetic, razor-sharp taste of home.
Before you start
Let the feta sit out.
Pull your feta from the fridge ten minutes before starting; cold cheese is stubborn, and letting it warm slightly makes mashing it into a smooth paste significantly easier.
Ingredients
- full-fat Greek yogurt1 1/2 cup
- sheep's milk feta cheese in brine2 oz
- garlic1 large clove
- kosher salt1/2 tsp
- unsalted butter1 tbsp
- dried mint1 tbsp
- fresh dill2 tbsp
- extra virgin olive oil1 tbsp
Method
- 01
Whip the cheese and yogurt into a heavy paste.
In a medium mixing bowl, aggressively mash the feta with the back of a fork until it turns into a smooth, creamy paste with no large lumps. Add the Greek yogurt and stir vigorously until completely incorporated into a dense, velvety mixture.
- 02
Obliterate the garlic.
Place the garlic clove on a cutting board, sprinkle it with the kosher salt, and mince it. Using the flat side of your knife, repeatedly drag and scrape the garlic against the board until it forms a smooth paste. Nobody wants to bite into a raw chunk of garlic.
- 03
Bloom the flavors in warm butter.
In a small skillet or Turkish cezve, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Once it foams, add the garlic paste and swirl it for exactly 15 seconds to kill the harsh, raw edge without browning it. Immediately remove from the heat and stir in the dried mint. Let the residual heat toast the mint until the butter turns a deep, fragrant greenish-brown, then let it cool for a few minutes so it doesn’t split the cold yogurt.
- 04
Fold the infused butter into the yogurt base.
Scrape every last drop of the minty brown butter into the yogurt and cheese mixture. Add the chopped fresh dill and stir everything together until smooth. Taste for seasoning, adding a pinch more salt only if the feta didn't already do the heavy lifting.
- 05
Plate and serve.
Transfer the haydari to a wide, shallow plate. Use the back of a spoon to carve deep swoops and wells into the surface of the dip. Flood those wells with the extra virgin olive oil, hit it with a final pinch of dill, and serve cold alongside warm pita or crusty bread.
Notes
Skip the pre-crumbled feta at all costs.
Pre-crumbled feta is coated in anti-caking cellulose and will refuse to mash into the creamy paste required for this meze. You need a solid block preserved in brine.
Mind your yogurt consistency.
Authentic Turkish süzme yoğurt is incredibly thick. If your supermarket Greek yogurt feels a bit watery, line a mesh strainer with cheesecloth or a paper towel and let it drain in the fridge for an hour before starting.
Add walnuts for regional crunch.
Some Eastern Turkish variations fold in a handful of finely chopped walnuts. If you go this route, toast them gently in the butter before adding the garlic and mint.
From Turkish Heritage Kitchen.