Chilled cucumber yogurt soup (Tarator)

Tarator is a traditional Bulgarian soup that is frequently enjoyed in the summer as a first course for either lunch or dinner. It is refreshing and tastes great paired with fresh bread!

Ingredients:

• 2 medium cucumbers, peeled, finely chopped

• 1/2 tsp. salt

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 2-3 tablespoons of dill, finely chopped

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 2 cups of full-fat, plain yogurt

• 1 cup of cold water

• 2-3 ice cubes

• 1 tablespoon of walnuts, chopped finely

Steps:

1. Mix cucumbers, salt, dill, olive oil, and garlic in a medium bowl. Mix well and then add yogurt. At this point is should have a thick consistency, similar to tzatziki.

2. Add chilled water to the mixture and mix again. You may add additional water if you prefer a thinner consistency.

3. Add a couple of ice cubes to ensure that the soup is cold.

4. Serve chilled and garnish each bowl of soup with ground walnuts.

   Note: If you want to prepare it in advance, avoid adding garlic to the soup until right before you want to serve it. The garlic flavor increases with time and can be too powerful when made more than an hour in advance.