Chilled Persian yoghurt and cucumber soup — a Ravinder Bhogal recipe

There will be a change of appetite and weather in the coming weeks, but I am intent on enjoying light, cold soups until the last beams of warm sunlight fade away. This recipe is my version of ab doogh khiar, a revitalising Iranian yoghurt and cucumber soup that is generously seasoned and packed full of nutritious nuggets of sweet dried fruit, nuts and mineral rich herbs. It’s like a breeze in a bowl. It became my go-to over the dog days of August because it’s just as easy to make for one as for a crowd.

Along with the more traditional herbs like parsley, mint and dill, I have added sorrel, which belongs to the rhubarb family and shares its mouth-puckering, exhilarating astringency. Buttermilk too, mixed in with the yoghurt, gives it a tang and a creamy, light texture. All in all, it’s a cocktail of good things that will make you feel like you are luxuriating in something nourishing and refreshing ahead of the carbfest of autumn and winter. I serve it alongside some good bread, a few crisp salad leaves or thickly sliced, salted avocado with a glug of extra virgin olive oil.

Much like gazpacho, another favourite cold soup, it mainly comes together in a blender. The dairy is whizzed with water until frothy, then cucumber, radishes and herbs are chopped and stirred in along with golden raisins and walnuts. If you want to chug it rather than eat it with a spoon, you can leave out the fruit and nuts and just blend the whole thing together.

Chilled Persian yoghurt and cucumber soup

Serves four

To serve

1. Chop half of the rose petals very finely.

2. In a blender, combine the buttermilk, yoghurt and 200ml of water until you have a thin, frothy mixture. Pour into a bowl and add the cucumbers, raisins, walnuts, chopped fresh herbs, dried mint, crushed rose petals and seasoning. Refrigerate for at least four hours or overnight.

3. Stir the soup well just before you serve it and add ice cubes. It should have a thin pouring consistency. Pour into bowls and garnish with sumac, dried mint, torn mint leaves and the remaining rose petals.

Ravinder Bhogal is chef-patron of Jikoni. Follow Ravinder on Instagram @cookinboots and Twitter @cookinboots

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