Persian

Ash-e Doogh

Name: Ash-e Doogh
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 1 serving
Cuisine: Persian
Ingredients: 180 g full-fat yogurt; 120 ml water; 20 g white rice; 40 g cooked chickpeas; 50 g minced lamb; 0.5 onion; 1 tsp plain flour; 15 g flat-leaf parsley; 10 g coriander; 5 g fresh tarragon; 1 spring onion; 1 tsp dried mint; 1 tsp butter; 1 tsp vegetable oil; 0.25 tsp ground turmeric; salt; black pepper

A tangy Persian yogurt soup from Ardabil, thickened with rice and chickpeas, studded with tiny lamb meatballs and a big handful of soft herbs, finished with sizzled dried mint butter. Served warm in winter, cool in summer.

Lunch & dinner 25g+ protein 8g+ fibre

60 min20 prep · 40 cookMedium614 kcalper serving

Method

Grate 0.5 small onion and squeeze the juice out of it with your hand. Knead the dry pulp into 50 g minced lamb along with 0.25 tsp ground turmeric, a good pinch of salt and plenty of black pepper, working the mix for a minute until it is sticky and holds together.
With wet palms, roll the meat into balls the size of a hazelnut. Heat 1 tsp vegetable oil in a small frying pan over medium heat and brown the meatballs all over, 3-4 minutes, shaking the pan so they keep their shape. Lift out and set aside; they will finish cooking in the soup.
Put 20 g rinsed white rice and 40 g cooked chickpeas in a small saucepan with 120 ml water and a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil, then simmer covered over low heat for 20 minutes, until the rice is very soft and starting to break down and the chickpeas are creamy.