Ash-e doogh

Ingredients

The pot

• 1.5 litresdoogh, or 1 litre plain yogurt whisked with 500 ml water
• 1egg, beaten
• 1 tbspcornflour
• 100 gshort-grain rice
• 150 gcooked chickpeas
• 1large onion, finely chopped
• 3 tbspbutter or oil
• 1½ tsp salt

Herbs

• 150 gflat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 150 gcoriander, chopped
• 100 gspring onion tops, chopped
• 3 tbspdried mint
• 2 tbspdried tarragon (optional)

To finish

• 2 tbspdried mint
• 3 tbspoil
• 1onion, fried dark
• walnuts, roughly chopped

Directions

1. Whisk the beaten egg and cornflour into the cold doogh until completely smooth. This is the step the soup depends on — yogurt curdles the moment it boils unless it is stabilised first.
2. Pour into a heavy pot and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring constantly in one direction with a wooden spoon. Do not stop stirring and do not let it boil hard. It will thicken slightly and turn glossy after about 10 minutes.
3. Once it has thickened it is stable and can be left to tick over. Add the rice and chickpeas and simmer 25 minutes, stirring often, until the rice is soft.
4. Soften the chopped onion in the butter separately, then stir it into the pot with the fresh herbs, dried mint and tarragon.
5. Simmer another 25 minutes on the lowest heat, stirring now and then, until the soup is thick, pale green and tastes rounded rather than sharply sour.
6. Season carefully — doogh is already salted, so taste before adding anything.
7. Make the mint oil off the heat as for any Persian ash: warm oil, wait, stir in the dried mint so it darkens without burning. Serve with fried onion, mint oil and walnuts scattered over. It is also eaten cold in summer.

Technique

• Stir in one direction only, constantly, until it thickens. Persian cooks are emphatic about this and it does seem to help the emulsion hold.
• Never let it reach a rolling boil at any stage, even after thickening.
• Full-fat yogurt is far more stable than low-fat, which splits easily however carefully you work.

Substitutions

• Kashk thinned with water in place of some of the doogh gives a sharper, more traditional Ardabil version.
• Barley instead of rice, for a chewier soup.

Variations

• Served chilled in summer, thinned with more doogh and eaten like a cold soup.
• A version with small meatballs (kufteh rizeh) added for a heartier bowl.

History

Ardabil speciality in which the yoghurt drink is cooked slowly so it cannot split, then finished with mint butter.

Frequently asked questions

What is Ash-e doogh?

Ash-e doogh is a soup & stew from Iran: herb soup built on tangy doogh, thickened with chickpeas and rice. Ardabil speciality in which the yoghurt drink is cooked slowly so it cannot split, then finished with mint butter.

How long does Ash-e doogh take to make?

Ash-e doogh takes 25 min of preparation and 1 hr 15 min of cooking. The recipe makes 6 servings. It is rated medium to make.

What can I substitute in Ash-e doogh?

Yes, within limits. Kashk thinned with water in place of some of the doogh gives a sharper, more traditional Ardabil version. Barley instead of rice, for a chewier soup.

What is the most important thing to get right in Ash-e doogh?

Pour into a heavy pot and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring constantly in one direction with a wooden spoon. Do not stop stirring and do not let it boil hard. It will thicken slightly and turn glossy after about 10 minutes.