Spicy Cold Cucumber Soup with Yogurt

3 medium cucumbers, 1 1/2 pounds
2 jalapeno chile peppers, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped and crushed to a paste
2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, whole, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 cups yogurt, 1 tablespoon reserved
1 cup cold water, to 1 1/2 cups
chopped chives


1. Peel the cucumbers, slice them lengthwise, and remove the seeds with a spoon. Chop the cucumbers by hand or in a food processor using the pulse mechanism. They should be finely chopped, but don't overdo it and puree them.

2. Combine the chopped cucumbers, chiles, onion, and garlic in a mixing bowl. Sprinkle the cilantro leaves with the olive oil and chop them finely; you should end up with about 2 tablespoons. Add the chopped leaves to the soup along with the salt and yogurt. Stir the soup throughly. Thin the soup with the cold water until it has the desired consistency.

3. Chill the soup for at least an hour and serve it in cold bowls. Dollop the reserved yogurt on each serving. Sprinkle the yogurt with chives.

Note: I like to saute shrimp in some olive oil (1 to 2 tablespoons) and cumin (about 2 teaspoons) to add to the soup as a garnish. I usually do 3 or 4 shrimp for each serving.

Servings: 6

Source: Splendid Soups, James Peterson