Ab-Doogh-Khiar

Ab-Doogh-Khiar Soup

Cold Persian Cucumber & Yogurt Soup

Chef Erin Mahoney

JOON Restaurant Montreal

Serves 4 (as an appetizer) or 2 (as a meal):

500ml Greek or Mediterranean yogurt 10% fat
1 large or 2 small Persian cucumbers cut into very small dice (about a 3/4 cup)
Very very cold water to thin out yogurt
¼ cup raisins (sliced very small)
4 tablespoons crushed walnuts
3 tablespoons fresh dill
3 tablespoons fresh chives
Salt to taste
A few cracks of fresh pepper from a Pepper mill
1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of dried rose petals
1 tbsp dried crushed mint (or 2 tbsps mint oil)
A few Micro arugula or edible flowers from the garden to sprinkle over the top of the finished soup
To serve: Some toasted crunchy flatbread such as Lavash, Sangak or Pita. Either next to the soup or broken into pieces and garnishing the top of the soup.

Add a pinch of salt and a few cracks of pepper to your cold yogurt in a large mixing bowl.
Take your very cold yogurt and very cold water and thin the yogurt by adding a bit of water at a time to reach the desired consistency. Whisk until smooth.
Taste for salt and pepper and adjust if necessary.
Mix your cucumber, fresh herbs, raisins, and walnuts into the yogurt. You may like to reserve a ½ to 1 tsp of each of the above as a garnish for each person if you are presenting the soup already in bowls.
Garnish with reserved garnishes (see above) and dried mint/mint oil, rose petals and any micro herbs or edible flowers you might have on hand.
Serve with crunchy toasted flatbread either in pieces as on top of the soup or at the table where people can serve themselves.

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