Chilled Yogurt Soup With Cucumber And Mint Recipes

CHILLED CUCUMBER MINT SOUP

Steps:

• Cut one of the cucumbers into small dice, and set aside for garnish. Cut the others into large chunks. Combine cucumber chunks, garlic, yogurt, lemon juice, and water in a blender and puree until smooth.
• Add scallions and mint leaves, reserving some of the mint for garnish, and puree briefly. Season with salt and pepper, and add more lemon juice if a tarter flavor is desired.
• Chill until ready to serve. Stir well before serving, and ladle into bowls or mugs, garnishing each serving with a big spoonful of diced cucumber and a sprig of mint.

COLD YOGURT SOUP (ABDOOGH KHIAR)

Steps:

• Puree yogurt, salt, and dried mint in a blender with enough of the water to create a smooth, thin soup. It will thicken some when you add the bread.
• Divide the cucumbers, raisins, walnuts, and herbs among four bowls.
• Pour one-fourth of the yogurt mixture into each bowl.
• Top with rose petals, and add a few ice cubes to each bowl.
• Tear bread into small pieces and add some to each bowl. Let bread soak 5 to 7 minutes before serving. Serve cold.

MINT CUCUMBER SOUP

Steps:

• Peel and cut 1 1/2 of the cucumbers into large chunks (set the remaining unpeeled 1/2 cucumber aside).
• Combine the cucumber chunks in a food processor with the yogurt, sour cream, olive oil, mint, salt, garlic and plenty of white pepper. Pulse, scraping down the sides, until completely smooth.
• Ladle the mixture into cold bowls or refrigerate until serving. Chop the remaining cucumber into fine dice and divide among the bowls. Swirl some sour cream into each bowl, drizzle with a bit of olive oil and scatter with mint and almonds.

ABDOOGH KHIAR (CHILLED BUTTERMILK CUCUMBER SOUP)

Steps:

• If using dried rose, crumble a few petals coarsely for garnish and set aside. Place the rest on a cutting board and chop as finely as possible.
• Place the buttermilk, yogurt and 1 teaspoon salt in a blender and blend until frothy, about 30 seconds, or whisk together in a large bowl until smooth and frothy. If you used a blender, pour the mixture into a large bowl. Add the cucumbers, raisins, walnuts, dill, chives, dried mint and 1/4 teaspoon of the finely chopped rose petals. Stir well to combine and season to taste with more salt. Cover and refrigerate to chill and allow the flavors to come to life, at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
• Just before serving, toast the lavash or bread until crisp but not burned, and break into pieces. Stir the soup to mix. It should be the consistency of a thin, runny soup. If it's too thick, thin it out with water or more buttermilk, 1 tablespoon at a time. Keep in mind that you will be adding ice cubes, which will also thin out the soup as they melt. Divide the soup among serving bowls and add the ice cubes. Garnish the top as creatively as you like with crumbled dried rose petals, cucumber, dried mint, dill sprigs, raisins, walnuts and fresh mint leaves. Add the bread pieces right before serving or serve on the side.

COLD CUCUMBER SOUP WITH MINT

Steps:

• In a bowl with a fork mash together yolk and vinegar to form a smooth paste and stir in sour cream until smooth.
• In a blender purée cucumber and mint with buttermilk and salt to taste until smooth. Add purée to sour cream mixture in a stream, whisking.
• Divide soup between 2 chilled bowls.