Hot Yogurt and Spinach Soup

by Yasmin Khan, featured in Ripe Figs

Published by Bloomsbury

Introduction

This rich and creamy soup is inspired by the high mountain meadows in Northern Turkey where the country’s best dairy produce comes from. It’s incredibly simple, quick and comforting and, as such, is on steady rotation at my house. To make sure the yogurt doesn’t split while you are cooking it, add it in stages and warm it up gently. And, as always, make sure you cook this with the best-quality full-fat natural yogurt, as low-fat varieties simply won’t cut it, especially not in a soup like this where the yogurt is the star.

As featured in

Ripe Figs

Image of Yasmin Khan's Hot Yogurt and Spinach Soup — Photo by Matt Russell

Ingredients

Serves: 4

For the soup

85 grams short or medium-grain white rice (I use Turkish baldo rice, but pudding rice would also work)
1 litre hot chicken stock
500 grams full-fat natural yogurt
1 large egg yolk
1½ tablespoons cornflour
200 millilitres lukewarm water
1 teaspoon dried mint
200 grams spinach (roughly chopped)
salt
white pepper

For the topping

40 grams salted butter
1½ tablespoons dried mint
1½ teaspoons Aleppo pepper or other mild chilli flakes

Method

Hot Yogurt and Spinach Soup is a guest recipe by Yasmin Khan so we are not able to answer questions regarding this recipe

Rinse the rice under running cold water for a few minutes so the starch washes out, then place it in a large saucepan. Pour in the hot stock, cover and simmer for 12–15 minutes, until the rice is cooked.
In a bowl, whisk together the yogurt, egg yolk, cornflour and measured lukewarm water until smooth.
When the rice is cooked, take a ladleful of its cooking broth and add it to the cold yogurt mixture, whisking as you do so to warm it up. Then take the saucepan with the rice in it off the heat and very slowly, half a ladle at a time, spoon in the yogurt mixture, whisking all the time so it doesn’t split.
Return the soup to a medium-low heat and add the mint and ½ teaspoon each of salt and white pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes until the soup has thickened.
Add the spinach and cook for a further 5 minutes, then taste to adjust the seasoning to your preference. In a separate small saucepan, melt the butter for the topping with the dried mint and pul biber.
When you are ready to serve, ladle the soup into warmed bowls, drizzle a couple of teaspoons of the hot chilli-mint butter over each portion and serve immediately.