We’re risking something, but we’ll call it that. Of all the Turkish yogurt dishes there are, this one Turkish atom meze recipe it’s our favorite.
There! We said it!
The Havuç tarator – garlic and carrot yogurt sauce – is definitely of a high standard.
But Atom surpasses that, for us.
The soothing and refreshing creaminess of yogurt against the spicy chilli pepper.
It’s those hot, spicy red chili peppers that are your atomic explosion: the atomic bomb.
An explosion of heat before the magic of yogurt takes over to refresh and soothe the taste buds. Allowing you to delve deeper.
From nowhere to everywhere
I don’t know why, but when we first came to live in Fethiye, we never saw Atom anywhere in the meze fridges of local restaurants.
It seemed to appear out of nowhere. But now it’s everywhere!
From kebab restaurants to steak houses to fish restaurants: you’d be hard-pressed to find a meze fridge like this No functionality atom.
And we always order it when we see it.
A few plates of meze with some freshly made lavash bread (Turkish balloon bread) and all is right with the world.
The photo above is from Çarıklı Et restaurant in Fethiye.
For us, marinated beetroot is another must. Then we have the essential atomic meze.
And, if you know us, you’ll know that we also love yeşil tabağı (green dish). The above is fresh greens and other greens; broccoli, avocado, glasswortparsley and mung beans.
We replicated this dish in our mung bean salad recipe.
And then there’s Girit Ezmesi, a delicious spicy and cheesy Cretan meze.
The Joy of Turkish Atom Meze
But what makes atom so special, one of the most popular meze varieties in Turkish cuisine?
THE quality of ingredients and the absolute simplicity they certainly do their part.
- A high-quality süzme yoghurt – strained yoghurt – is a must. The thicker and creamier it is, the better.
- The whole dried chili pepper – arnavut biberi – both for its spiciness and its consistency.
- And then that drizzle of olive oil and paprika-infused butter mixture.
Accompany it with your fresh bread: it’s divine!
And nowadays, restaurants go to great lengths to create elaborate presentations with their atomic meze.
Presentation worthy of its fabulous flavor and texture.
Spicy dried cayenne peppers in the center.
Sivri biber (long thin peppers) dried and crunchy as edible dipping utensils in the corners.
Those aren’t hot but just add crispier textures.
How to make Turkish Atom Meze
Well, we said it’s our favorite yogurt-based meze recipe…
This cold appetizer or side dish is too Very quick and easy to make. So it’s an all-round winner.
We simply mix a pinch of salt into the thick natural yogurt and put it on a plate.
Then we use the back of a spoon to level the surface of the yogurt and create a shallow cavity for our chilies.
Next, we add our dried red chillies to a small pan and toast them lightly over medium heat before adding our butter and olive oil mix along with a pinch of paprika.
A few seconds later, we pour the hot oil mixture over the yogurt, sprinkling some around the edges.
And that’s all!
Perfectly simple. Perfectly delicious.
Some people like to add lemon juice and crushed garlic to yogurt.
While we do this in many of our yogurt-based Turkish dishes, for the Atom Meze we keep it very simple; replicating the examples we have had in restaurants.
Turkish Atom Meze Recipe
Get those taste buds ready. Let’s make the atom!
Atom Meze Recipe – Turkish Yogurt Dip with Chilli
This spicy Turkish yogurt dip – Atom – is one of the most popular meze dishes in Turkish cuisine and is definitely one of our favorites. Let the heat of the dried chili peppers (cayenne peppers) be soothed by the smooth, refreshing yogurt on your taste buds, so you can keep craving more.
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1 small pan
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1 sharp knife
- 3 spoons strained natural yogurt
- 3 whole dried red chili peppers (cayenne peppers or cayenne pepper)
- 1 table spoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon butter
- ¼ teaspoon sweet paprika
- salt (a pinch for seasoning)
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Mix the pinch of salt into the yogurt.
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Place on a saucer and use the back of a spoon to level the surface of the yoghurt and create a shallow cavity for the chillies.
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Now chop the dried chilies into 3 or 4 pieces and place them in your small pan.
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Toast over medium heat for a few seconds until you start to see them smoke and then add the butter and oil.
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Now add the paprika and stir until the hot oil and butter mixture begins to boil and the colors of the paprika blend.
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Spread the chillies evenly in the center of the yogurt and then drizzle the paprika-colored butter and oil mixture over and around the yogurt.
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Serve with fresh bread alongside other meze dishes or as a side to kebabs.
- This atom meze recipe is very simple and relies on quality ingredients. Use the best quality strained natural yogurt you can find. The thicker and creamier it is, the better.
- In Türkiye, whole dried red chili peppers are sold on strings in spice markets and are called arnavut biberi. If you don’t have a Middle Eastern or Turkish supermarket near you, look for whole dried cayenne peppers.
- Some Atom recipes call for soaking the dried chilies first. One of the things we love about Atom Meze is the freshness of the dried chilies we’ve eaten in restaurants. It’s a great contrast in texture and flavor. So, no soaking for us.
- Nutritional information is intended as an approximate guide only. If you have any special dietary requirements, please do your due diligence.
Serve: 1Calories: 115kcalCarbohydrates: 2GProtein: 2GFat: 12GSaturated fat: 2GPolyunsaturated fats: 1GMonounsaturated fats: 6GTrans fats: 0.1GCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 17mgPotassium: 26mgFiber: 1GSugar: 0.1GVitamin A: 186UISoccer: 1mgIron: 0.1mg
Enjoy your meal!
Want more tasty suggestions? Discover all our Turkish recipes now!
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