Yogurt or Buttermilk Soup With Wheat Berries

Name: Yogurt or Buttermilk Soup With Wheat Berries
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups finely diced cucumber (2 Persian cucumbers); Salt to taste; 1 quart plain low-fat yogurt (free of gums and stabilizers) or buttermilk, or a mixture of the two; 1 cup finely diced celery; 1 garlic clove, finely minced or puréed with a little salt in a mortar and pestle; 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice; 2 tablespoons chopped chives (optional); 1 cup cooked spelt, kamut or farro; 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered; Freshly ground pepper to taste (optional); 1/2 teaspoon sumac; 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro or mint, plus additional leaves for garnish; Dukkah for sprinkling (optional)

By Martha Rose Shulman

Total Time: 20 minutes, plus 1 hour's cooling
Rating: 4(15)
Comments: Read comments

This is the kind of meal I could eat every day for lunch and never tire of. Cold summer soups welcome the addition of chewy whole grains. On a hot day in early summer, a soup like this one is both refreshing and substantial.

Featured in: New Ways to Use Ancient Grains

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings

1½cups finely diced cucumber (2 Persian cucumbers)
Salt to taste
1quart plain low-fat yogurt (free of gums and stabilizers) or buttermilk, or a mixture of the two
1cup finely diced celery
1garlic clove, finely minced or puréed with a little salt in a mortar and pestle
2tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2tablespoons chopped chives (optional)
1cup cooked spelt, kamut or farro
1cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
Freshly ground pepper to taste (optional)
½teaspoon sumac
2tablespoons chopped cilantro or mint, plus additional leaves for garnish
Dukkah for sprinkling (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Place the cucumber in a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Toss and place in a strainer set over the bowl. Allow to drain for 15 minutes. Rinse if desired and drain on paper towels.
Step 2
Combine all of the ingredients. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill for one hour or longer. Serve, garnishing each bowl with cilantro or mint leaves.

Tip