Haydari is a Turkish meze of strained yogurt, herbs and garlic and it pairs well with crunchy carrots and beetroot in this simple veggie starter
Prep:45 mins
6 as a starter or as part of a meze spread
400g Greek yogurt1 red and 1 green chilli, halved, deseeded and very finely choppedsmall pack dill, leaves only, roughly chopped2 garlic cloves, crushed5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil600g cooked beetroot (not pickled)400g carrots2 tsp toasted cumin seeds½ tsp white balsamic vinegar½ lemon25g walnut pieces, lightly toasted
STEP 1Make the haydari 2 hrs ahead of when you want to serve. Line a sieve with a piece of muslin or a brand- new J-cloth. Tip in the yogurt and leave for 2 hrs to thicken.STEP 2Put the drained yogurt in a bowl and combine with 2 tbsp of the olive oil, the dill (keeping some back for serving), garlic and chilli – don’t overmix, you should still be able to see bits of chilli.STEP 3Peel and cut the carrots into matchsticks, and the beetroots into wedges. Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add half the cumin seeds, cook for 30 secs, then add the carrots. Stir-fry for 1 min, then add the vinegar, a good squeeze of lemon and some seasoning and quickly remove from the pan. Add 1/2 tbsp of oil to the pan with the rest of the cumin seeds. Cook for 30 secs, then add the beetroot. Squeeze on some more lemon juice and season.STEP 4Put some of the haydari on each of six plates, flattening it and swirling it a little with the back of a spoon. Spoon some beetroot on top, then some carrots, sprinkle with dill and walnuts, drizzle with a little more of the olive oil and serve.
