Chilled Yogurt and Chickpea Soup (Ayran Aşi)

Serves
serves 4-6
Time
3 hours

CEM TALU

Published on February 24, 2016

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.

Featured in: Meet the Chef Who's Traveling All Over Turkey to Bring Old World Food to Fine Dining

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

ADVERTISEMENTAD

Instructions

Step 1

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.

Step 2

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.

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.