Skip to main content

Yogurt and Persian Shallot Dip (Mast-o Musir)

Photo of a bowl of PersianShallot Yogurt.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Erika Joyce
  • Active Time

    15 minutes

  • Total Time

    3 hours (includes soaking)

I think of Persian shallots like truffles—they grow wild in the foothills of the Zagros Mountains, and have to be found and dug out of the earth by dedicated artisans. Their flavor is like a cross between elephant garlic and regular shallots. This lovely, simple dish is great to have in your fridge at all times (it will keep, covered, in the fridge, for a week). It goes to perfection with eggs and every kind of kabab, adding a wonderful and distinctive flavor to any dish it accompanies.

Ingredients

6 servings

1 ½ cups dried musir (Persian shallots, see note)
4 cups (960g) plain yogurt
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup (85g) shredded fresh mint, or 1 tablespoon dried mint

Garnish:

1 teaspoon crushed dried rose petals (see note)
1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Soak the musir in water for 3 to 24 hours in the fridge. Drain, rinse in cold water, and pat dry. Inspect the soaked musir, cutting out any stems that remain hard after soaking, and chop finely.

    Step 2

    In a mixing bowl, combine the chopped musir with the yogurt, salt, pepper, and mint. Mix well.

    Step 3

    Add the garnish if you like and serve as an appetizer or an accompaniment.

Ingredient Info

Dried Persian shallots (musir) are available in Iranian markets and online. Edible dried rose petals are available in Iranian markets, some specialty tea shops, and online.

Cover of the cookbook featuring a crispy wedge of tahdig in a bowl with a stew garnished with barberries and seeds.
From Joon: Persian Cooking Made Simple copyright © 2019 by Najmieh Batmanglij. Published with permission by Mage Publishers. Buy the full book from Amazon.
Sign In or Subscribe
to leave a Rating or Review

How would you rate Yogurt and Persian Shallot Dip (Mast-o Musir)?

Leave a Review

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

Read More
Wildly popular and incredibly simple, it’s easy to make the ultimate restaurant side dish at home.
A classic vinaigrette takes notes from sweet-and-sour Italian agrodolce, featuring tangy raisins and lightly pickled shallots.
This easy pan-roasted fish dinner looks and tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen, but it’ll be on your table in less than 30 minutes.
Carrots need not be boring. These are sweet and sticky, with a hint of orange and ginger.
Frozen cauliflower deserves to be more than a side. Here a quick zap in the microwave primes the veggie crumbles to become a hearty vegetarian main.
Staring down a bare pantry and fridge? This one-pot wonder—which pairs protein-rich chickpeas and briny olives and capers with tender orzo—will save dinner.
Swiss chard, bitsy ditalini, salty feta, toasted pistachios, and sage take your average pasta salad into winter territory.
A creamy base meets the zing of pickles and lemon, dill, chile flakes and a Cheez-It crust for a salty crunch. Enjoy it cold or hot.