4 cups of cold water
2 cups of plain yogurt
1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
Whisk the ingredients together until it is the consistency of light cream.
Serve it cold. Ice is optional.
Note: Traditionally airan was made from fermented milk, by boiling milk and adding leaven to it, and letting it ferment.
Mixing airan with cold water then makes chalap. It is known as a good refresher of thirst.
Recipes and photos adapted from the following cookbooks:
Ancient Kyrgyz Cuisine, by Venera Tageava
Kyrgyz Cooking, by Martha E. Weeks