Kefir Okroshka (Cold Yoghurt Soup)

Kefir Okroshka (Cold Yoghurt Soup)

A kind of Georgian gazpacho that's utterly refreshing on hot days. This cold soup showcases milk kefir in its most delicious form - tangy, cooling, and surprisingly filling without any heaviness. Think of it as a nod to the traditional rye kvass version, but with that creamy Danish summer dessert quality, or a Greek or Lebanese Tarator. I also like to crush walnuts and toast them slightly to scatter on top. 

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 3 cups milk kefir
• 3 cups whey (or substitute with water plus juice of 1 lemon or 2 tablespoons white vinegar)
• 2 medium red potatoes, boiled and cubed
• 4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
• 2 cucumbers, seeded and diced
• 1 bunch radishes, thinly sliced
• 1 cup chopped spring onions
• ¼ cup each fresh dill, coriander, and parsley
• 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Sea salt to taste
• Georgian Salt for garnish (recipe below)

Method

1. Dissolve horseradish and mustard in a few tablespoons of kefir and let steep while you prepare the vegetables.
2. In a mortar and pestle, pound the spring onions, dill, coriander, and parsley with a few generous pinches of salt until aromatic and bruised (not a paste - just a few good bashes).
3. In a large bowl, combine the cubed potatoes with the herb mixture, mixing roughly to work the herbs through.
4. Stir in the kefir-horseradish-mustard mixture.
5. Gently fold in the eggs, cucumber, and radish. Season with salt to taste.
6. Chill for at least 1 hour to let flavours meld.
7. Pile the vegetable mixture into shallow bowls. Serve alongside a jug of the kefir-whey mixture for guests to pour over themselves, plus small dishes of Georgian Salt, extra dill, cornichons, and any other condiments you fancy.

Variation: For a simpler approach, combine everything together in one pot before chilling, then serve as a traditional soup.

Georgian Salt

This aromatic salt blend is good for making a Sauerkraut (!!) or sprinkling on eggs, avocado toast, tomatoes, stirring into our Traditional (unflavoured) Sauerkraut, or mixed into oil for labneh.

Makes about ½ cup

• 6½ tablespoons good sea salt
• 2 tablespoons dried coriander
• 1 tablespoon each: dried dill, fenugreek powder, red pepper flakes, marigold petals (if available)
• ½ tablespoon dried cumin

Mix all ingredients together and store in an airtight jar. Keeps for months.