Tarhana Corbasi (Tarhana Soup)
Anatolia's original instant soup: fermented tarhana whisked into a tangy, tomato-red bowl that tastes like a Turkish grandmother's kitchen on a cold UK evening.
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Ingredients
1 cup (about 150g) tarhana
1.2 litres cold water or light chicken stock
2 tbsp (30g) butter
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp pepper paste (optional, for extra depth)
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp dried mint
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp salt, or to taste
1 pita bread, cubed and toasted, to serve
Instructions
- 1
Put the tarhana in a bowl with 250ml of the cold water, stir well and let it soak for 10 minutes so it dissolves without lumps.
- 2
Melt half the butter in a deep pot over medium heat, then cook the tomato paste, pepper paste and crushed garlic for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- 3
Pour in the remaining water (or stock) and bring to a gentle boil.
- 4
Whisk the soaked tarhana once more, then pour it into the pot in a thin stream, whisking constantly.
- 5
Simmer on low for 15-20 minutes, stirring often so it does not catch on the bottom; add salt and thin with hot water if it gets too thick.
- 6
Meanwhile toast the pita cubes in a dry pan until golden and crisp.
- 7
Melt the remaining butter in a small pan, stir in the dried mint and pepper flakes, and sizzle for 30 seconds.
- 8
Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle the mint butter over the top and scatter with pita croutons before serving hot.
Tarhana is one of the oldest convenience foods in the world. Every summer, Anatolian families knead yoghurt, flour, tomatoes, peppers and herbs into a dough, ferment it for days, then dry and crumble it. The result is a powder that keeps all winter and turns into a deeply savoury, gently sour soup in under half an hour. For many Turks in the UK, the smell of tarhana simmering is the smell of home.
The only technique that matters is soaking and whisking. Tarhana loves to clump, so always dissolve it in cold or lukewarm water first and keep stirring as it comes to the boil. If you skip this step you will chase lumps around the pot forever. A tablespoon of tomato paste deepens the colour, and a knob of butter foamed with dried mint and pepper flakes poured over the top is non-negotiable.
Consistency is personal: village style is thick enough to coat a spoon, city style is thinner. Start with the amounts below and loosen with hot water to taste. Serve with toasted pita croutons, a squeeze of lemon if you like extra tang, and expect everyone to ask for a second bowl.
You can find traditional Maras and homemade-style tarhana, along with all the pantry staples in this recipe, at Turkish Online Market, delivered anywhere in the UK.
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