Cold Yogurt Soup with Wheat Berries

Servings 2 appetizer servings

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup yogurt 8 Tbsp.
  • 4 to 6 tbsp. cold liquid (chickpea cooking liquid, wheat berry cooking liquid, water or any combination of these)
  • salt to taste
  • 4 tbsp. cold cooked or canned chickpeas well-drained, garbanzo beans
  • 4 tbsp. cold cooked wheat berries well-drained
  • sprinkling sprinkling of dried mint
  • cayenne pepper or pepper flakes to taste (optional)
  • 4 fresh mint leaves (optional)

Instructions

  • Spoon yogurt into a bowl. Gently stir in 4 to 6 Tbsp. cold liquid to thin the yogurt as desired. Avoid stirring it hard; it's best if the yogurt keeps its consistency. Season to taste with salt. At this point, you can stir in the chickpeas and wheat berries, or you can divide the yogurt mixture between 2 bowls and spoon chickpeas and wheat berries into each one. Serve sprinkled with dried mint and cayenne pepper; garnish with mint leaves.
  • Cooking Wheat Berries: 6 cups water, pinch of salt, 1-1/2 cups whole wheat berries, picked over and rinsed
  • Boil 6 cups water in a large saucepan and add salt. Add wheat berries and return to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat for 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until wheat is tender but a little chewy. Drain well, reserving the liquid. Makes about 3 cups wheat berries.

Notes

* Recipe courtesy of author Faye Levy in the Jerusalem Post.