This creamy, crunchy soup is popular in Israel but comes from Bulgaria. The cold soup is especially nice in hot weather and travels well for lunch, picnics, and potlucks. Toasting the pistachios in butter gives this soup its special and yummy character. Go easy on the nuts if you are a low-oxalate dieter.
Cold Yogurt Soup with Buttered Pistachios
Contains about 9 mg oxalate per serving (calcium in yogurt may reduce oxalate absorption).
Ingredients
2 C plain yogurt (preferably homemade from raw milk)
1 C cold water
1½ T olive oil or sesame oil
2 tsp. red or white wine vinegar
1 T sliced shallot or onion (opt.)
¼ tsp. dill weed (opt.)
½ tsp. salt
Dash white pepper
1 large or 2 small cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and sliced (9mg oxalate)
2 tsp. clarified butter (ghee)
2 T shelled pistachios, lightly chopped (9mg oxalate)Minced chives for garnish (opt.)
Instructions
- Mix first 8 ingredients in a blender until smooth.
- Add sliced cucumbers, mix briefly to chop in the cucumber slices.
- Chill soup in refrigerator for 45 minutes or more.
- Melt the clarified butter in a small pan, add nuts, and sauté for 4 minutes or until lightly toasted.
- Serve soup in bowls, and spoon nuts on top of each serving.
- Sprinkle 1 tsp. minced chives over each bowl (opt)