FOOD OF THE MONTH OCTOBER‘2024

Spas is a traditional Armenian soup made with yogurt and soft wheat berries.This simple dish tastes great. In the cold season, it can be served as a warm and warming comfort soup.
This Armenian soup is very budget friendly and made with simple ingredients that most people have in their fridge.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup dry soft wheat kernels
• 1 egg
• 1 Tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 cups yogurt
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 cups water
• salt, to taste
• a handful of parsley, chopped

Directions

• To cook the soft wheat berries, rinse them under running water. Place the rinsed berries into a sauce pan and add enough water to cover the grains by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook for about 40 to 45 minutes until the grains are chewy. Drain and set aside.
• To make the soup, add the egg into a pot where you are going to cook the soup. Beat the egg slightly with a wooden spoon.
• Add the flour. To make sure there are no lumps, its best to sift the flour into the egg making sure to constantly mix.
• Mix the egg and flour until smooth, then add the yogurt and sour cream. Stir to combine. Then add two cups of water.
• You can add the wheat berries at this stage, if you like. This way, they will cook some more and become softer. If you are happy with the texture of your wheat berries, add them at the end of cooking.
• Place the pot on the stove and start warming it up making sure to stir often. Bring it to a simmer. Continue cooking for about ten minutes, until thickened slightly.
• Add the chopped parsley and, if you haven’t done so already, the wheat berries. Remove the soup from the heat and serve.
  

Article by July S. 

References:

https://thearmeniankitchen.com/spas-madzoon-yogurt-soup-with-grains/
www.allrecipes.com/recipe/8491621/manti-armenian-dumplings/
https://heghineh.com/spas/