Tarator is an authentic Bulgarian cold soup made with yoghurt, cucumber and walnuts, and spiced with garlic and fresh dill. It is a quick and easy dish that has hydrating, refreshing, nutritious properties and is full of probiotics. Tarator is served traditionally as a starter or as a side dish to casseroles, grilled vegetables and meat.

HISTORY AND SIGNIFICANCE OF YOGHURT IN THE BALKANS.

Yoghurt has a long history in the Balkans. There are claims that yoghurt was first discovered in the region and is an essential ingredient in all Balkan cuisines.

You’ll find yoghurt sauces in doner or souvlaki wraps. Yoghurt is the main ingredient in many local salads, drinks and even in this soup. Plain yoghurt is a favourite topping for dishes like moussaka.

Although some claim that the earliest form of yoghurt was first found on the territory of nowadays Bulgaria around 4000 years ago, scientists believe that yoghurt existed even earlier in Mesopotamia. Evidence shows that goats and sheep have been domesticated in the Middle East since 5000 BC and, therefore, is more likely that the yoghurt originated there.

Despite this argument, the fact remains that yoghurt existed in the Balkans long before it became known to many other parts of the world.

People in the mountain regions of the Rhodopi mountains in Bulgaria have been making and consuming yoghurt at home for thousands of years. Interesting scientific research from the last century links the longevity of the natives of this area to their high consumption of yoghurt.

MORE BALKAN Recipes with yoghurt:

• Ayran – a traditional yoghurt drink in Bulgaria and Turkey.
• Tzatziki – a traditional Greek yoghurt dip.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NATURAL AND GREEK YOGHURT?

Typically, today you can find two types of plain yoghurt on supermarket shelves – Natural and Greek yoghurt.

Both types of yoghurt are made with the same ingredients, but they differ in the method of producing the yoghurt. Greek yoghurt is strained and more concentrated. It is made by eliminating whey and other liquids from regular yoghurt.

While natural yoghurt tends to have fewer calories and more calcium, Greek yoghurt contains fewer carbs and has more protein and less sugar.

Both types of yoghurt are rich in probiotics and support digestion, weight loss and heart health.

WHO DISCOVERED THE BACTERIA RESPONSIBLE FOR PRODUCING YOGHURT?

A Bulgarian scientist first broke down the composition of yoghurt in 1905. Dr Stamen Grigorov identified the essential bacterium that causes the milk to ferment and turn into yoghurt. The microorganism became known as lactobacillus bulgaricus. Identifying the bacteria in yoghurt led to the mass production of yoghurt.

HISTORY OF TARATOR.

Originally, Tarator was a type of Middle Eastern tahini dip. This dip was likely introduced in the Balkans in Medieval times by the Ottomans. Even though the name Tarator stuck, the recipe for the dip was modified locally. In Turkey, it is made with ground walnuts and vinegar and, in Bulgaria, with yoghurt, cucumber and walnuts.

Eventually, someone decided to add some water to the dry tarator dip and that’s how this refreshing and hydrating yoghurt soup came to life. Today, both Dry Tarator and Tarator Soup are regarded as classic dishes in Bulgaria.

HOW TO PREPARE AUTHENTIC BULGARIAN YOGHURT SOUP (TARATOR)?

📋 INGREDIENTS IN MY MEATBALL SOUP

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Yoghurt – You can make this recipe with natural, light or even Greek yoghurt. The taste will remain the same, although you may need to add less water when using natural yoghurt as it is thinner.

Water – You can reduce or increase the amount of water to make the soup to your taste. Adding more water will make the soup thinner.

Garlic and Walnuts – You can make tarator soup without walnuts and garlic, but they bring beautiful flavours and crunchiness into the soup and I will recommend adding them.

Oil – You can make the soup with sunflower oil, yet a good quality Extra Virgin oil will add to the flavours.

📖 STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

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Bulgarian Tarator is a very easy and quick dish that anyone can make when following these steps:

Step 1: Dilute the yoghurt for the Tarator

Transfer the yoghurt into a large bowl and dilute it with water to your taste.

Use a whisk, a blender or a hand mixer to blend the yoghurt with the water until integrated and bubbles appear on the surface. I prefer to use a blender or a hand mixer than whisking the tarator by hand because it adds air to the soup and makes it very light and bubbly.

You can control the thickness of the soup with the amount of water added to the yoghurt, but the water should never be more than 40 per cent of the yoghurt.

Step 2: PREPARE the cucumber

Peel and wash the cucumber, then grate or dice the cucumber very finely.

I prefer dicing the cucumber because it gives a lovely crunchy texture to the soup. Grated cucumber is softer and gets a bit mushy.

Squeeze the grated/diced cucumber gently to remove excess liquid from it, or leave it inside a sieve lined with a muslin cloth to drain for 20 minutes. Place the grated cucumber in a bowl with the yoghurt.

Step 3: GETHER the rest of the ingredients

Peel and crush the garlic in a garlic press and add it to the bowl with diluted yoghurt.

Finely chop the washed dill and the walnuts and add them to the diluted yoghurt.

Season the soup with salt, cracked black pepper and olive oil and stir until the salt and the oil are incorporated.

🍲 SERVE THIS REFRESHING YOGHURT SOUP

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In Bulgaria, Tarator is served traditionally as a starter with a local aperitif Rakia, which is a type of brandy.

Tarator is a perfect accompaniment to dry casseroles, grilled vegetables or meats and makes them palatable and appetising.

You can pair this wonderful summer soup with many of my recipes, but I do recommend having it with Best Greek Moussaka or with Batter-fried Zucchini chips.

Enjoy!

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