Damascene cucumber and yogurt salad (khyar bi laban)
Cucumber with yogurt is a Damascene staple that no summer spread or Suhoor is without.
Cold yogurt, cucumber, and rubbed mint, a hydration trio that arose before science named its benefits.
Wash the cucumber and cut it into small cubes or thin half-moons with its skin on. The skin is crunch and fiber. The small local cucumber is the master of this dish for its low water content.
In the serving bowl whisk the cold yogurt with the garlic crushed in salt until it is smooth and uniform like silk.
Add the cucumber and stir with a quiet spoon until every cube is clothed in its white robe.
Rubbing the dried mint over the salad, rather than scattering it whole, releases its aromatic oils so the gathering is filled with its scent. A final stir and the dish is ready.
Fresh mint leaves and a fine thread of oil on top, and it is served very cold as a companion to everything hot on the Suhoor table.
The glycemic index (GI) measures how quickly a food raises blood sugar, while the glycemic load (GL) measures how much a full serving raises it. Together they give the complete picture.
A low value (≤55) means a gradual rise in blood sugar — the most suitable range for diabetes and insulin resistance.
Glycemic load reflects the impact of the full serving. To lower it: take half a serving, or pair the recipe with a source of protein and fiber.
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet per FDA food-label reference values — your daily needs may be higher or lower. Values are derived from the recipe's ingredients via the USDA database.
The most common problems when preparing Damascene Cucumber and Yogurt Salad, and how to fix them:
The cucumber's water betrayed the yogurt. Salt and drain in advance, or assemble just before serving.
Raw garlic intensifies in yogurt over time. Start with a small clove if it will wait.
Scattered whole without rubbing, or it aged in its tin. Rubbing between the palms is the condition for releasing the aroma.
Cut its sharpness with two spoonfuls of labneh or a little cream. The taste rounds out.
The peak of its crunch is in its first hour.
One day. Its crunch softens but its taste stays faithful.
Frozen cucumber equals water on thawing.
| Original Ingredient | Tested Substitute | Ratio | Flavor Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local cucumber | Regular cucumber, seeded | 1:1 | Its seeds are watery, so remove them |
| Cow's yogurt | Goat's yogurt | 1:1 | More rustic, with stronger character |
| Dried mint | Fresh chopped dill | 10 g | Turns it close to Greek tzatziki |
| Garlic | No garlic | ~ | The gentle-stomach version for Suhoor |
| Ingredient | 4 servings | 2 servings | 8 servings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laban | 500 g | 250 g | 1 kg |
| Cucumbers | 300 g | 150 g | 600 g |
| Mint | 3 g | 2 g | 6 g |
For anyone preparing it hours before Suhoor: salt the cucumber cubes and drain them in a sieve for a quarter of an hour then dry them, so they do not water down the yogurt or thin the salad.
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