Yogurt or Buttermilk Soup With Wheat Berries

By Martha Rose Shulman

Published May 30, 2013

  • Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
20 minutes, plus 1 hour's cooling
Rating
4(18)
Comments
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This is the kind of meal I could eat every day for lunch and never tire of. Cold summer soups welcome the addition of chewy whole grains. On a hot day in early summer, a soup like this one is both refreshing and substantial.

Featured in: New Ways to Use ‘Ancient’ Grains

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings

  • 1 ½ cups finely diced cucumber (2 Persian cucumbers)

  • Salt to taste

  • 1 quart plain low-fat yogurt (free of gums and stabilizers) or buttermilk, or a mixture of the two

  • 1 cup finely diced celery

  • 1 garlic clove, finely minced or puréed with a little salt in a mortar and pestle

  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

  • 2 tablespoons chopped chives (optional)

  • 1 cup cooked spelt, kamut or farro

  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

  • Freshly ground pepper to taste (optional)

  • ½ teaspoon sumac

  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro or mint, plus additional leaves for garnish

  • Dukkah for sprinkling (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

20 grams carbs; 21 milligrams cholesterol; 157 calories; 1 gram monosaturated fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 9 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 641 milligrams sodium; 8 grams protein; 9 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Place the cucumber in a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Toss and place in a strainer set over the bowl. Allow to drain for 15 minutes. Rinse if desired and drain on paper towels.

  2. Step 2

    Combine all of the ingredients. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill for one hour or longer. Serve, garnishing each bowl with cilantro or mint leaves.

Tip

  • Advance preparation: You can make this several hours before serving. It keeps well for a few days in the refrigerator.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
18 user ratings
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Comments

Nancy

I made this with buttermilk and really liked it. It was good with or without the farro.

Catherine S

This is fantastic on hot summer days: cold, wet, salty, a little sour, refreshing crunch of cucumber, satisfying tooth of farro. It's definitely going in my repeat-this stash.

Wisco

I made my own pistachio dukkah from the America’s Test Kitchen The Complete Plant Based Cookbook. Delicious. Thanks for this recipe.

Nancy

I made this with buttermilk and really liked it. It was good with or without the farro.

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