Abdoogh Khiar - Persian Cold Yogurt Soup with Cucumbers, Herbs, Walnuts & Raisins

آبدوغ خیار Abdoogh khiar is a chilled yogurt soup with lots of aromatic fresh herbs, diced cucumbers, chopped radishes, crushed walnuts and sweet golden raisins topped with dried rose petals and served with pieces of dried/toasted flatbread. With the temperature pushing 90 degrees Fahrenheit for the past several days, this traditional summer recipe replenishes you and keeps you cool during this hot, sauna-like weather. Then all you need is to take a 15-minute nap right after! That's how I remember it being in our home. Most of you who grew up in Iran probably remember the dreaded grown-ups' chorte baad az nahar (nap after lunch) in your home and that you were not allowed to play outside while they were napping. This was way before the world of text messaging, Twitter, Facebook and the internet to keep you busy. However, we were not as bored as the kids these days that seem to have everything.

Yogurt is a staple in Persian cuisine and it's usually served either plain or as mast o khiar, a healthy side dish for most meals, or as doogh, our favorite yogurt drink. You most likely already have the main ingredients either in your refrigerator, cupboards or right on your kitchen table and what makes it easy is that the exact measurement of the ingredients is not really necessary. I posted this recipe a long time ago as just mast o sabzi without making it into a cold soup. This is more or less the same recipe with some minor changes. For this recipe, it's best to use mast-e kiseh (thick yogurt) for a creamier soup. To that, you can either add cold water or ice cubes. Make sure not to make it too watery. Also, if you happen to have any leftover dried flatbread, cut them into pieces and add to the soup a few minutes before serving. This way the bread won't be too mushy and would still have some chew. You can add dried herbs to the cold soup if fresh ones are not available.

Abdoogh Khiar

Ingredients:
Serves anywhere from 2-4 depending on how much you enjoy this

2 cups plain thick yogurt
4 small Persian seedless cucumbers, peeled and cut into small pieces
3 medium-sized radishes, finely chopped
1 small bunch of fresh chives, chopped
1 small bunch of fresh mint, chopped
1 small bunch of fresh basil, chopped
1 small bunch of fresh tarragon, chopped
1 small bunch fresh savory, chopped
A few sprigs of fresh dill, chopped
1/2 cup of walnuts, roughly chopped
1/2 cup of yellow raisins, rinsed (use more if you like it more on the sweet side)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon dried rose petals
Dried or toasted flatbread
Coldwater or ice cubes

Method:

1.  In a large bowl beat the yogurt with a whisk for a couple of minutes until smooth.
2. Add the chopped cucumbers, radishes, chives, mint, basil, tarragon, savory, dill, raisins, and walnuts, mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate for a couple of hours.
3. Remove from the refrigerator and slowly add a little bit of cold water while mixing until it reaches the consistency you like. I like to add 1/2 cup of crushed ice.
4. About 5-7 minutes before serving add the pieces of bread to the soup or serve on the side. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

To serve, ladle abdoogh khiar into a large serving bowl or individual bowls and garnish with dried rose petals.

Enjoy!