Ash-e Doogh

Ingredients

• 1 litre full-fat plain yoghurt
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 100g short-grain rice
• 150g cooked chickpeas
• 250g minced lamb
• 2 onions
• 60g fresh coriander, chopped
• 40g fresh tarragon leaves, chopped
• 40g fresh mint leaves, chopped
• 60g fresh dill, chopped
• 100g spinach leaves, shredded
• 2 tsp fine salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 3 tbsp dried mint
• 50g butter
• 3 tbsp sunflower oil
• 800ml water

Before you cook

• Peel and grate one onion, then squeeze out the liquid.
• Mix the grated onion into the minced lamb with the turmeric, half a teaspoon of salt and the black pepper, then roll the mixture into hazelnut-sized meatballs.
• Peel and finely chop the second onion.
• Whisk the yoghurt with the egg and flour in a large bowl until completely smooth, which is what stops it splitting later.
• Rinse the rice under cold water.

Steps

1. Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat.
2. Fry the chopped onion for 10 minutes until golden.
3. Add the meatballs and roll them around for 5 minutes until browned on all sides.
4. Pour in the water, add the rice, and bring the pot to a boil.
5. Lower the heat and simmer covered for 25 minutes, until the rice is soft and swollen.
6. Stir in the chickpeas, coriander, tarragon, fresh mint, dill and spinach.
7. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes so the herbs soften into the broth.
8. Turn the heat to its lowest setting and pour the whisked yoghurt into the pot in a slow stream, stirring constantly in one direction.
9. Keep stirring for 10 minutes as the soup comes back to a bare tremble, never letting it boil.
10. Season with the remaining salt and check that the soup is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
11. Melt the butter in a small pan over low heat and stir in the dried mint for 20 seconds, until it smells strong and turns dark.
12. Ladle the soup into bowls and trail the mint butter over each one.