Shepherd's Yogurt Soup

(Çoban Aşı aka Sraysır - Mediterranean Region)

1/4 cup Turkish bulgur, small or medium or large grain
1 cup plain yogurt
1-2 fresh mint leaves, sliced
Salt

Garnish:
Cumin
Green part of spring onions, chopped
Extra virgin olive oil

Wash and drain the bulgur, soak into the boiling water in the bowl. When the bulgur grains are expanded, drain. Let it cool down. Then mix it with yogurt, mint and salt. Keep it in the fridge.

If you like, add a couple of ice cubes or a little bit of water into it before serving. Drizzle the olive oil and sprinkle some cumin and the green part of the spring onions on the top.

Serve with onion and Tandoori bread on the side. It is a great traditional Turkish cold yogurt dish (or soup) for hot Summer days.

*This rustic meal is popular for shepherds or farm workers of the Mediterranean region. They throw a handful bulgur into yogurt in the thinned copper bucket and close it just before their leave their home. They wrap the lavash bread or yufka and bulb of onion in their bundle. The bulgur absorbs water from yogurt and gets softer until lunch time. They crush the onion with their fist. Now they can have their healthy lunch to collect some energy to finish the day:)