The “Bulgarian” qualifier is important here because the name “tarator” is used to refer to several different dishes from nearby-ish countries, and they aren’t the same. Today’s dish (a very healthy and deliciously cooling cucumber soup) isn’t well-known outside of Bulgaria, but it should be, and with your help we can share it around the world. It’s super-easy and takes only about 10 minutes to prepare:
You will need
- 1 large cucumber, cut into small (¼” x ¼”) cubes or small (1″ x ⅛”) batons (the size is important; any smaller and we lose texture; any larger and we lose the balance of the soup, and also make it very different to eat with a spoon)
- 2 cups plain unsweetened yogurt (your preference what kind; live-cultured of some kind is best, and yes, vegan is fine too)
- 1½ cup water, chilled but not icy (fridge-temperature is great)
- ½ cup chopped walnuts (substitutions are not advised; omit if allergic)
- ½ bulb garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp black pepper, coarse ground
- ½ tsp MSG* or 1 tsp low-sodium salt
Method
(we suggest you read everything at least once before doing anything)
1) Mix the cucumber, garlic, 2 tbsp of the dill, oil, MSG-or-salt and pepper in a big bowl
2) Add the yogurt and mix it in too
3) Add the cold water slowly and stir thoroughly; it may take a minute to achieve smooth consistency of the liquid—it should be creamy but thin, and definitely shouldn’t stand up by itself
4) Top with the chopped nuts, and the other tbsp of dill as a garnish
5) Serve immediately, or chill in the fridge until ready to serve. It’s perfect as a breakfast or a light lunch, by the way.
Enjoy!
Want to learn more?
For those interested in some of the science of what we have going on today:
- How To Really Look After Your Joints ← this is about how cucumber has phytochemicals that outperform glucosamine and chondroitin by 200%, at 1/135th of the dose
- Making Friends With Your Gut (You Can Thank Us Later)
- Is Dairy Scary? ← short answer in terms of human health is “not if it’s fermented”
- Why You Should Diversify Your Nuts!
- The Many Health Benefits Of Garlic
- Is “Extra Virgin” Worth It?
- Black Pepper’s Impressive Anti-Cancer Arsenal (And More)
- Monosodium Glutamate: Sinless Flavor-Enhancer Or Terrible Health Risk? ← *for those who are worried about the health aspects of MSG; it is healthier and safer than table salt
Take care!
