Chalop | Uzbek Cold Yogurt Soup with Herbs

Remove the thick stems from the dill, cilantro, and basil. Gather the leaves and finely chop them with a sharp knife. A sharp knife matters: a dull one crushes the herbs instead of cutting them, causing them to release liquid and darken in the bowl. Thinly slice the green onions.

Peel the cucumber if its skin is thick, and scoop out the seedy center if it is watery. Cut both the cucumber and radish into small 0.5 cm cubes; grating them releases liquid, dilutes the soup, and removes their crunch.

Put the strained yogurt in a large bowl and whisk in the ice-cold water a little at a time; adding it all at once can make the yogurt lumpy. The consistency should be thin enough to run off a spoon, but slightly thicker than ayran. Stir in the chopped vegetables, herbs, salt, and black pepper, then serve immediately.