Ayran, doogh, dhallë, daw, xynogala or tan is a cold savory yogurt-based beverage popular across Western Asia, Central Asia, South Asia, Southeastern Europe, North Asia and Eastern Europe. The principal ingredients are yogurt, water and salt. Herbs such as mint may be optionally added. Some varieties are carbonated. Etymology Ayran (cf. airag in Mongolian: 'mare milk', () in Chuvash: 'buttermilk') is mentioned in Mahmud al-Kashgari's 11th century Dīwān Lughāt al-Turk, although he did not give any information how ayran was made. The word is derived from the Old Turkic root adır- ("to separate"), cf. Turkish ("to separate"). Preparation Ayran is served chilled and often as an accompaniment to grilled meat or rice, especially during summer. It is made by mixing yogurt with chilled or iced water and is sometimes carbonated and seasoned with mint. It has been variously described as "diluted yogurt" and "a most refreshing drink made by mixing yogurt with iced water". The traditional way of preparing the drink among various Iranic peoples is straight from milk, without yogurt, using a waterskin, known as mashk (مشک) in Luri, Kurdish and Persian in Iran, and maskah (مسکه) in Afghanistan. This is done by pouring the milk in the waterskin, usually made of deer or sheep skin, and shaking it for hours, sometimes using a wooden structure to keep the waterskin above the ground with woolen strings to make the task easier. In Pakistan, Ayran is sometimes called Namkeen Lassi (). History Similar drinks exist elsewhere, such as doogh (دوغ), an Iranian fermented drink that has long been a popular drink and was consumed in ancient Iran (Persia). Described by an 1886 source as a cold drink of curdled milk and water seasoned with mint, its name (Doogh) derives from the Persian word for milking, dooshidan. Other similar drinks include t’an in Armenia and lassi in Southern Asia and are popular in Asian countries; however, they can differ from doogh. Ayran has been consumed by Turkic tribes from the distant past. According to Nevin Halıcı, ayran was consumed by Turkic people of Central Asia. A c. 1000 CE Turkic dictionary, Dīwān ul-Lughat al-Turk, defines ayran as a "drink made out of milk". Regional names of the drink and its variations are: ; šinīna or eayran; t'an; ; ; ; shrombey; ; daughe; xinogala or αριάνι ariani; Pontic Greek: αΐραν ayran; . Variations Salt, black pepper, dried mint, and lime juice