Ayran

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title: "Ayran" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["afghan-cuisine", "armenian-drinks", "central-asian-cuisine", "greek-cuisine", "iraqi-cuisine", "israeli-drinks", "palestinian-drinks", "lebanese-cuisine", "assyrian-cuisine", "jordanian-cuisine", "kurdish-cuisine", "pashtun-cuisine", "syrian-drinks", "uyghur-cuisine", "turkish-drinks", "cypriot-cuisine", "yogurt-based-drinks", "fermented-dairy-products", "fermented-drinks", "sour-foods", "albanian-drinks", "bulgarian-drinks", "pakistani-drinks", "kosovan-cuisine"] description: "Yogurt-based, salted drink" topic_path: "geography/israel" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayran" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Yogurt-based, salted drink ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox food"]

Field	Value
name	Ayran
image	Fresh ayran.jpg
alternate_name	Doogh, dhallë, daw, avemast, mastaw, çeqilmast, xynogala, chalap, shanina, suwsab, tan, jeran, or yogurt milk
region	Central Asia, West Asia
course	Beverage
type	Fermented dairy product
served	Cold or lukewarm (depending on preference)
main_ingredient
::

| name = Ayran | image = Fresh ayran.jpg | caption = | alternate_name = Doogh, dhallë, daw, avemast, mastaw, çeqilmast, xynogala, chalap, shanina, suwsab, tan, jeran, or yogurt milk | region = Central Asia, West Asia | creator = | course = Beverage | type = Fermented dairy product | served = Cold or lukewarm (depending on preference) | main_ingredient = | variations = | calories = | other =

Ayran ( ) is a cold savory yogurt-based beverage that is consumed across Central Asia, the Balkans, and the Middle East. The principal ingredients are yogurt, water and salt. Herbs such as mint may be optionally added. Some varieties are carbonated. It is a national drink of Turkey.

Etymology

Ayran (cf. airag in Mongolian: 'mare milk', uyran (уйран) in Chuvash: 'buttermilk') is mentioned in Mahmud al-Kashgari's 11th century Dīwān Lughāt al-Turk, although he did not give any information how ayran was made. The word is derived from the Old Turkic root ("to separate"), cf. Turkish ayır- ("to separate").

Regional names of the drink and its variations are: ; shanīnah or عيران ‘ērān; ; ; Ajrjan; ; shlombey; ; daughe; xinogala or αριάνι ariani; Pontic Greek: αΐραν ayran; .

Preparation

Ayran is served chilled and often as an accompaniment to grilled meat, bread or rice, especially during summer. It is made by mixing yogurt with chilled or iced water and is sometimes carbonated and seasoned with mint. It has been variously described as "diluted yogurt" and "a most refreshing drink made by mixing yogurt with iced water".Lake Van and Turkish Kurdistan: A Botanical Journey P. H. Davis The Geographical Journal, Vol. 122, No. 2 (Jun., 1956), pp. 156–165 Published by: The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers) Article

The traditional method of preparing this drink among various Iranic peoples involves pouring yogurt into a waterskin—known as mashk (مشک) in Luri, Kurdish, and Persian, and maskah (مسکه) in Afghanistan —and vigorously shaking it to separate the butter from the liquid. The process takes a considerable amount of time and effort and is often made easier by suspending the waterskin from a wooden frame called malār (ملار) using woolen ropes, allowing it to swing freely. Once the butter is extracted, the remaining liquid, called doogh, is collected and consumed as a refreshing beverage. In Pakistan, ayran is called Namkeen Lassi ({{nq|نمکین لسی}}).

History

Ayran was developed in Central Asia by Turkic tribes. A c. 1000 CE Turkic dictionary, Dīwān ul-Lughat al-Turk, defines ayran as a "drink made out of milk".

Although not the same, other similar drinks include doogh in Iran and t’an () in Armenia and lassi in the Indian subcontinent. However, they can also differ from doogh.

Variations

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/45/Some_ayran_in_copper_cups.jpg" caption="Turkish Yayık Ayran is served in a copper pitcher."] ::

Salt, black pepper, dried mint, and lime juice can be mixed in. Diced cucumbers can be added to provide a crunchy texture to the beverage. Some varieties of doogh are carbonated. In Balkan countries, the drink is usually consumed for breakfast or lunch, usually combined with pastries like banitsa, börek or other pastries.

In Turkey, there are three types registered well known ayran variations one of them is Susurluk Ayranı. In this version ayran is drawn from the vat and rapidly poured back into it through a narrow pipe from above. During this circulation process, the fat in the ayran creates a foam on its surface.

In some eastern parts of Turkey, ayran is made using a mixing method, which results in a very frothy drink which known as Yayık Ayranı. In Malatya region there is a form of spicy ayran known as Malatya Spicy Ayran. It has gained a registration and patent in 11.04.2022.

In Afghanistan, ayran (known as doogh or shromba) is a summer beverage. It is made with yogurt, salt, mint, diced cucumbers, lime, and is sometimes carbonated. It is enjoyed alongside bolani, Afghan flatbread, and other picnic foods.

In Albania, ayran is known as dhallë and is made exclusively with yogurt, salt and water and it is served cold. The name 'dhallë' comes from mixed and shaken.

In Southern Cyprus ayrani (αϊρανι) is made with sour sheep yogurt, water, salt and mint.

In Russia and some other Slavic countries, the local variant is called kefir which houses a similar taste but is instead made using fermented milk from kefir grains.

Turkish national drink status

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, a Turkish politician who has held the posts of President and Prime Minister, has promoted ayran as a national drink. Speaking at a 2013 WHO Global Alcohol Policy Conference held by simar in Istanbul, Erdoğan contrasted ayran with beer, which he claimed was a recent introduction to Turkey.

Nevertheless, sales of ayran in Turkey lag behind other non-alcoholic beverages. According to a 2015 joint statement from the Soft Drink Producers Association, the Sparkling Water Producers Association, and the Milk Producers and Exporters Union of Turkey, ayran consumption during Ramadan had declined every year for the years 2010 to 2015.

In 2015, Turkey's Ministry of Customs and Trade imposed a 220,000 TL fine (approximately $70,000) on state-owned Çaykur manufacturers, stating that ayran had been "insulted without reason" in one of their advertisements for iced tea, in which the rapper Ceza rapped that ayran makes him sleepy; the ministry halted advertisements of Çaykur's competing iced tea product.

Gallery

File:Ayran - Ankara.jpg|Ayran served in traditional way with copper cup (maşrapa) File:Ayran in a big glass.jpg|Ayran served in a glass in Ankara, Turkey File:Ayran, Istanbul, Turkey.JPG|Ayran served in a fast-food restaurant in İstanbul File:Sise ayran.jpg|Ayran in a bottle ابشار دوغ در جاده بانه - panoramio.jpg|Buttermilk waterfall on Bane road

Notes

References

References

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6. (28 September 2022). "Turkish National Drinks".
7. (2017). "Language Dispersal Beyond Farming". John Benjamins Publishing Company.
8. Otyzbay, Zhazira. (September–October 2019). "Etymology, Meaning and Place of the Word Ayran in Turkish Culture". Institute of Turkish World Studies - [[Ege University]].
9. Reşat Genç. (1997). "Kaşgarlı Mahmud'a göre XI. yüzyılda Türk dünyası". Türk Kültürünü Araştırma Enstitüsü.
10. (January 2025)
11. "Turkish Buttermilk". Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Turkey.
12. Gina Husamettin. (24 May 2013). "Ayran – Turkish national beverage". balkon3.com.
13. (1956). "Lake Van and Turkish Kurdistan: A Botanical Journey". The Geographical Journal.
14. Islamic Republic of Iran. (26–29 January 2009). "Project Document for a Regional Standard for Doogh (CX/NEA 09/5/8)". United Nations. Joint FAO/WHO food standards programme of the FAO/WHO coordinating committee for the Near East.
15. Yildiz Fatih. (2010). "Development and Manufacture of Yogurt and Other Functional Dairy Products". CRC Press.
16. Halici, Nevin. (27 April 2013). "Turkish Delights". University of California Press.
17. "آیین مشک زدن ( استان چهار محال بختیاری )".
18. (3 June 2019). "تهیه لبنیات مثل ماست، دوغ،روغن، و پنیر روستائی کار ساده ی نیست. - YouTube".
19. (2012). "Entice With Spice: Easy Indian Recipes for Busy People". Tuttle.
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21. Nishinari, Katsuyoshi. (2019-12-31). "Textural Characteristics of World Foods". John Wiley & Sons.
22. Katz, Sandor Ellix. (2016). "Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of Live-Culture Foods, 2nd Edition". Chelsea Green Publishing.
23. Islamic Republic of Iran. (26–29 January 2009). "Project Document for a Regional Standard for Doogh (CX/NEA 09/5/8)". United Nations. Joint FAO/WHO food standards programme of the FAO/WHO coordinating committee for the Near East.
24. Nishinari, Katsuyoshi. (2019-12-31). "Textural Characteristics of World Foods". John Wiley & Sons.
25. "Ayran". Telif Hakları.
26. "Susurluk Ayran".
27. "Arşivlenmiş kopya".
28. "Malatya Pirpirimli Acılı Ayran / Malatya Semizotlu Acılı Ayran".
29. (27 April 2013). "PM says Turkey's national drink is doogh, not beer". [[Zaman (newspaper).
30. (22 June 2015). "Turks turn away from 'national drink' despite Erdoğan". [[Zaman (newspaper).
31. Çelikkan, Erdinç. (9 November 2015). "State-owned tea firm fined 220,000 liras for 'insulting ayran' in ads". [[Hürriyet]].

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