Mountain Refresher · Chilled Yogurt Drink
Ayran
🥛
Photo coming soon
It's whisked with cold water rather than served thick — turning a spoonable yogurt into a savory, salted drink meant to be gulped, not eaten.
Ayran is made by thinning fresh yogurt with cold water and a pinch of salt, whisked until frothy and served ice-cold in a cup or bottle. Market stalls across the North Caucasus sell it chilled from coolers, a common pairing with grilled shashlik and fried khychiny.
Why it's made this way: Ayran runs through the dairy-herding cultures of the Caucasus and wider Turkic world, where a salted, diluted yogurt drink was an easy way to preserve milk and stay hydrated in the mountain heat.
More from Russia
Part of World of Street Food — 3248 dishes from 118 countries.
Something wrong here? Tell us in the comments below.
Photo credits.