Turkish cuisine · Salads & Mezze

Atom (Yogurt Meze with Chili Oil)

Thick strained yogurt with dried chili peppers, topped with foamy chili butter and mint.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 600 g yogurt
• 4 chili peppers
• 60 g butter
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp dried mint
• 1 tsp Aleppo pepper flakes
• 1 flatbread
• 1 tsp salt

Instructions

1. Mix the yogurt with the salt, pour it into a sieve lined with a kitchen towel and let it drain over a bowl in the fridge for at least 4 hrs., ideally overnight, until spreadably thick.
2. Remove the stems and seeds from the dried chili peppers and cut them into narrow rings; set half aside.
3. Crush the garlic cloves with a pinch of salt into a fine paste and stir it, along with the remaining chili rings, into the drained yogurt.
4. Spread the yogurt on a flat plate with the back of a spoon into a shallow well and chill for 15 min. so the garlic and chili can infuse.
5. Melt the butter and olive oil in a small pan over medium heat, let the reserved chili rings infuse for 1 min., then stir in the Aleppo pepper flakes and the mint crumbled between your palms, and remove from the heat immediately before it darkens.
6. Pour the fragrant chili butter into the well so it runs down the edge, and serve with warm flatbread.