Mast, known in the West as yogurt, is used almost in every Iranian family as well as all over the Middle Eastern and Balkan countries. Some physicians attribute the stamina and longevity of the Middle Eastern and Balkan people to Mast. However, these same people were among the poorest people in the world and their daily food lacked the vitamins required for good health. That's why yogurt was considered the panacea for human ills, and the Iranians' long lite in the past was also attributed to it. It is said that Chengiz Khan lived on it during his long marches through Mongolia and Iran when he couldn't obtain other food.
The Middle Easterners had known mast, which is now popular in the West, by different names. In Iran, yogurt is the food of the rich as well as the poor. Walking down the avenues at lunch hour in major cities, you will see the mason, cobbler, the carpenter, the storekeeper, all using yogurts as a part of their daily food. If you go into a restaurant, you will find yogurt served there in many forms.
An Iranian housewife whose ancestors have had this health food for generations finds many uses for it. She serves yogurt with meals, makes very delicious warm or cold soup with it, or serves it as a dessert. For generations, Iranians have served yogurt as a soft drink in summer as well. They dilute it with water, add a pinch of salt, ipearmint, and call it abdugh. The Iranian housewife, particularly in rural areas, keeps abdugh on hand and serves it to her family and guests on hot summer days. This drink has served as a perfect substitute for salt tablets.
Yogurt may be served with diced cucumbers, green onions, chopped fresh dill, and a pinch of salt and pepper as a salad dish. Quite often it is used for marinating meat. It not only makes the meat tender, but also gives it a very delicate flavor. As a dessert or as a pick up between meals, yogurt can be served with sugar, fresh fruits, canned fruits, preserves. or honey. Try it!