Mehmet Gürs of Mikla in Istanbul adds heaps of fresh parsley and mint to his yogurt soup for a bright flavor and a shot of color. For the full Turkish taste, search for buffalo milk yogurt, which has a welcome undertone of funk—but in a pinch, plain yogurt will do.
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Chilled Yogurt and Chickpea Soup (Ayran Aşi)
Packed with green lentils, wheat berries, and black-eyed peas, this filling, tangy soup is brightened with handfuls of fresh parsley and mint.
Yield: serves 4-6
Time:
3 hours
Ingredients
- 3⁄4 cup green lentils
- 3⁄4 cup wheat berries
- 1⁄2 cup dried black-eyed peas
- 1⁄2 cup dried chickpeas
- 4 cups plain, full-fat yogurt, preferably made with buffalo milk or goats’ milk
- 1⁄4 cup thinly shredded flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 1⁄4 cup thinly shredded mint leaves
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In 4 separate bowls, soak the lentils, wheat berries, black-eyed peas, and chickpeas in water overnight, then drain. In a large saucepan of boiling, salted water, add the wheat berries and cook for 15 minutes. Add the lentils and chickpeas and continue cooking for 10 minutes. Add the black-eyed peas, and continue cooking until all the grains and beans are tender, about 15 minutes more. Drain the grains and beans, transfer to a bowl, and let cool.
- Stir the yogurt, two-thirds each of the parsley and mint, and 2 cups ice-cold water into the grains and beans and season with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Serve the soup chilled and garnished with the remaining mint and parsley.
