Doogh is a cold and savoury Iranian drink. It is made with fermented milk. Unlike its sister beverage of Turkish origin, ayran, Doogh is not diluted yogurt. According to the Iranian Ministry of Food Standards, Doogh "is a drink resulting from lactic fermentation of milk whose dry matter is standardized by diluting yogurt (after fermentation) or buttermilk (before fermentation)."[1]

Doogh
TypeFermented dairy product
CourseBeverage
Place of originAncient Persia
Associated cuisineIranian cuisine
Serving temperatureCold
Main ingredientsYogurt or buttermilk, milk, water, salt

Production

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Milk and plain yogurt, at a ratio of 15:1, are mixed and placed on low heat until uniformly warm. Salt is added and the mixture is poured into a closed container and placed in a warm area for 3–4 days, after which it is ready to serve.[2] The longer the drink is left to ferment, the more savoury it becomes. Many subcultures in Iran prefer a longer fermentation period.

Etymology

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Doogh has historically been referenced in Persian literature as the representation of a "sour version" of milk. The history of this word is uncertain. It is present in Avestan scripture, and essentially seems to have been another word for milk, or for the product of milking[3][4] thus, the word Doogh derives from the Persian word for milking, dooshidan.[5]

In Avestan scripture, doogh is defined[further explanation needed] as milk. Additionally, in the Avesta, the word for "girl," or "woman," or "female," is dooghtar, which means "the one who milks/is milked," and sounds very similar to the current-day word in Persian for "girl," dokhtar. Some Persian language scholars claim that the English word "daughter" also derives from this word.[4][better source needed]

History

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Doogh (دوغ) is an Iranian fermented drink[6][7] that has long been a popular drink and was consumed in ancient Iran (Persia).[8] Doogh is mentioned in Persian literature from the middle[when?] period.[4] In Avicenna's Kitab al-Qanun the word denotes milk used medically. Though Avicenna wrote in Arabic, the word "doogh" doesn't exist in Arabic, so his use of it is taken as a part of Persian literature strictly for the purposes of this article[clarify].

Culture

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Doogh is recognized as one of the main Iranian beverages to serve alongside meals. Dishes such as Dizi and Chelo-Kabab are the most commonly served with doogh.

In some parts of Iran, mainly Isfahan, doogh is served with the sweet pastry Gosh-e fil as a hallmark tradition and snack.

In Iranian popular culture doogh is also considered to have a sedative effect. Pop culture jokes imply that it is a bad idea to drink doogh during lunch at work or school.[citation needed]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "استاندارد دوغ ساده - سازمان ملی استاندارد". www.inso.gov.ir. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
  2. ^ "طرز تهیه دوغ محلی با شیر : به روش خانگی و قدیمی". نمناک (in Persian). Retrieved 2024-05-21.
  3. ^ "دوغ - معنی در دیکشنری آبادیس". abadis.ir. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
  4. ^ a b c Margarat Shaida, "Yoghurt in Iran", In: Milk-- Beyond the Dairy: Proceedings of the Oxford Symposium on Food and Cookery 1999, ISBN 1903018064, 2000, pp. 311-312
  5. ^ Islamic Republic of Iran (26–29 January 2009). Project Document for a Regional Standard for Doogh (CX/NEA 09/5/8) (PDF). Tunis, Tunisia: United Nations. Joint FAO/WHO food standards programme of the FAO/WHO coordinating committee for the Near East. Retrieved 26 June 2011.
  6. ^ Nishinari, Katsuyoshi (2019-12-31). Textural Characteristics of World Foods. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-1-119-43079-7. Archived from the original on 2020-12-18. Retrieved 2020-10-31. Doogh is an Iranian type of traditional fermented dairy-based drinks that is usually produced by mixing set or stirred yogurt and water at the same rate, as well as some aqueous extracts of local herbs, and spices such as thyme.
  7. ^ Katz, Sandor Ellix (2016). Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of Live-Culture Foods, 2nd Edition. Chelsea Green Publishing. p. 117. ISBN 978-1-60358-628-3. Archived from the original on 2020-12-18. Retrieved 2020-10-31.
  8. ^ Simmons, Shirin (2007). Treasury of Persian Cuisine. Stamford House Publishing. ISBN 978-1-904985-56-3. Archived from the original on 2020-12-18. Retrieved 2020-10-31.