CHILLED YOGURT SOUP WITH SPINACH AND CHICKPEAS

Chilled Yogurt Soup With Spinach and Chickpeas image

I don't know if you can call a cold soup comforting, but that's the word that this soup brings to my mind.

Provided by Martha Rose Shulman

Categories easy, soups and stews, appetizer

Time 10m

Yield Serves four

Number Of Ingredients 11

Ingredients

1 bunch spinach, stemmed and washed, or 12 ounces baby spinach
1 to 2 large garlic cloves (to taste)
Salt to taste
3 cups plain yogurt
1 cup cold water
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, lightly toasted and coarsely ground
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Freshly ground pepper
Finely chopped dill or parsley for garnish
Optional: 1 to 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Steps:

Steam the spinach until just wilted, about two minutes. Rinse with cold water, squeeze out excess water and chop. Set aside.
In a mortar and pestle, combine the garlic and a generous pinch of salt; mash to a paste. Stir into the yogurt. Add the water, and stir together. Add the cumin seeds, and stir in the spinach and chickpeas. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill several hours. If desired, add the lemon juice. Garnish each serving with chopped fresh dill or parsley and an optional drizzle of olive oil.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 290, UnsaturatedFat 4 grams, Carbohydrate 38 grams, Fat 9 grams, Fiber 9 grams, Protein 17 grams, SaturatedFat 4 grams, Sodium 1036 milligrams, Sugar 13 grams