Persian Yogurt Soup (Ashe Mast)

This filling but light soup, also known as Ashe Mast, is full of subtle yogurt, garlic, mint, fennel, and legume flavors.

Course Soup

Cuisine Persian

Keyword Ashe Mast, Persian yogurt soup

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 15

Servings

Calories 388.7kcal

Author Susan Pridmore

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion grated on box grater (about 1 cup grated)
2 tablespoons grated fennel bulb using the same box grater
½ cup brown basmati rice well rinsed
½ cup yellow lentils well rinsed
4 ½ cups vegetable broth or 4 ½ cups of water plus 4 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Paste
1 large egg, whisked
4 cups FULL FAT plain yogurt
2 teaspoons kosher salt or 1 ½ teaspoons of sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
¾ cup chopped green onions
½ cup chopped parsley or cilantro
¼ cup chopped fennel fronds
14.5 ounce can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed or 1 ½ cups chickpeas cooked from dried
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 medium cloves garlic finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped mint

In a heavy bottomed pot, such as a Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium high heat and add the grated onion and fennel. Sauté until fragrant and softened, about ten minutes.
Add the rice and lentils and continue to cook for five minutes, occasionally stirring.
Lower the heat to medium-low heat and stir in the broth, yogurt, salt, and pepper.
Gradually add the whisked egg, stirring or whisking it into the liquid. The yogurt must lower the temperature of the soup liquid before adding the egg so that it doesn't scramble.
Stir in the rice, lentils, ½ cup of green onions (scallions), parsley, fennel fronds, and chickpeas.
Slowly bring the mixture to barely a simmer - this should take at least 15 minutes. As it warms, the liquid will thicken from the yogurt and egg.
Maintain a very low simmer with only a few bubbles in the middle of the soup until the rice and beans are cooked, about 30 minutes. Stir the soup often.
In a small skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the garlic, remaining green onions, and mint, and sauté until the garlic begins to toast a bit, about two minutes.
Stir the butter mixture into the soup.
Pro Tip: if the soup is thinner than you prefer, add 3 - 4 tablespoons of flour to the butter, green onions, garlic, and mint. Stir until the butter absorbs the flour, and cook for another few minutes. Ladle 1 cup of the soup into the skillet and whisk it into the butter and flour mixture. Add it all back into the soup.
Serve warm.