Borani - Persian Yogurt

Borani is a category of Persian dip or side dish built on a foundation of thick, strained yogurt combined with a cooked or raw vegetable. Common versions include borani-ye esfenaj (spinach), borani-ye laboo (beet), and borani-ye bademjan (eggplant). The yogurt provides a cool, tangy base that acts as a natural contrast to warm spiced main dishes. 

On this show, Chris Morgan made a beet borani as a component of his ras el hanout duck breast, pairing earthy beet sweetness with yogurt's acidity. 

For home cooks, borani is remarkably simple: roast the vegetable until deeply caramelised, cool completely, then season and fold into full-fat Greek yogurt with crushed garlic and dried mint. A drizzle of good olive oil and a pinch of sumac to finish elevates it from simple dip to elegant condiment.