Turkish cuisine · Soups & Stews

Cold Yogurt and Bulgur Soup

Cold eastern Anatolian yogurt soup with cracked wheat, chickpeas, cucumber and plenty of mint.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 100 g cracked wheat
• 150 g chickpeas (from a jar)
• 800 g yogurt
• 1 cucumber
• 1/2 bunch mint
• 1/2 bunch dill
• 2 garlic cloves
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp dried mint
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Soak the cracked wheat in cold water the evening before, drain the next day and cook in plenty of salted water for 35–40 min. until soft and the grains burst open; drain and rinse cold.
2. Rinse and drain the chickpeas; peel the cucumber, halve lengthwise, scrape out the seeds with a spoon and cut the flesh into fine dice.
3. Stir the yogurt smooth with 400 ml ice-cold water in a large bowl until an even, thin base forms with no lumps.
4. Stir in the crushed garlic, the cooled cracked wheat and the chickpeas and season boldly with salt and pepper – cold soups need more salt than warm ones.
5. Finely chop fresh mint and dill, fold in with the diced cucumber and let the soup chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hrs.
6. Ladle ice-cold into bowls, drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the dried mint crumbled between your palms.