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Saved the Armenian soup

Spas (Armenian Yogurt Soup)

A tender, pleasantly tangy Armenian national soup—spas! Every country has its traditional national dish. In Armenia, one of the most beloved is spas. Anyone who's tried it made the original way speaks of it warmly. It's simple and quick to make, and turns out delicious. It's also great for hot weather, served cold as an alternative to okroshka when you've tired of it. Spas is considered a light, healthy dish.

Snezhana

Recipe author

Composition / ingredients

Servings:

Matsoni (or kefir—then use 1/2 cup water)

Water

Egg

Wheat groats (or bulgur or couscous)

Onion

100

Wheat flour

Butter

Salt

Fresh cilantro

Parsley

Mint

Translation table of volumetric measures

Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe

By weight of the composition:

Proteins 20 % 4 g

Fats 25 % 5 g

Carbohydrates 55 % 11 g

94 kcal

GI: 27 / 0 / 73

Cooking method

Cooking time: 40 min

Step 1:

Prepare the ingredients. Real spas turns out only if you stick to the traditional ingredients. But matsoni (Armenian cultured yogurt) isn't always easy to find in stores, so you can use full-fat kefir instead—in that case, halve the amount of water. You can also swap the wheat for bulgur or couscous if you like.
Step 2:

Rinse the wheat well and soak it overnight so it swells nicely—this shortens the cooking time and makes the soup richer and tastier.
Step 3:

Drain the water, rinse the wheat, and cook it in salted water for about 25 minutes.
Step 4:

In a separate bowl, beat the egg with salt using a fork.
Step 5:

Add a tablespoon of sifted flour. Mix thoroughly so there are no lumps.
Step 6:

Add the matsoni and water to the egg mixture.
Step 7:

Mix well until smooth. The mixture should be about as thick as sour cream.
Step 8:

Pour the mixture into the pot with the cooked wheat and set it over the heat. Bring it to a boil, stirring with a wooden spatula.
Step 9:

Peel the onion and finely chop it.
Step 10:

Meanwhile, melt a pat of butter in a skillet and sauté the onion until golden.
Step 11:

Lower the heat to medium and cook the soup, stirring constantly so the mixture doesn't curdle.
Step 12:

Finely chop the cilantro and parsley and add them to the pot.
Step 13:

Add the sautéed onion with its butter and stir. Cook for about 10 more minutes, then turn off the heat.
Step 14:

Let the soup rest, covered, for about 15 minutes. Serve it hot or cold, with fresh herbs and bread. Toss in a couple of mint leaves—served that way, spas is especially refreshing. Enjoy!