Tombul Additive-Free Homemade Tarhana – 500 g

On a cold evening, a bowl of tarhana is what many Turkish mothers reach for first. Tombul's homemade tarhana brings that comfort to your own kitchen in a 500g pack, made in the traditional home style and free from additives, so all you need is a pan, some water and about fifteen minutes.

What Is Tarhana?

Tarhana is one of the oldest convenience foods in Anatolian cooking. Long before stock cubes existed, families would mix flour with yoghurt, tomatoes, peppers and onions, leave the dough to ferment for several days, then dry it in the late summer sun and rub it into crumbs. Stored in cloth bags, it kept for months and could be turned into a nourishing meal in no time, which made it a winter staple in villages across the country.

That slow fermentation is what gives a good tarhana soup its character. The flavour is gently sour, slightly tomatoey and deeply savoury, a little like a cross between a cream of tomato and a sourdough loaf. It is the kind of taste that is hard to describe until you try it, and then hard to forget.

Why Choose Tarhana Without Additives?

Many supermarket soup mixes rely on flavour enhancers, thickeners and powdered stock to imitate that depth. An additive-free tarhana skips all of that and lets the natural fermentation do the work. The result tastes closer to the tarhana people remember from their grandmother's kitchen, and you stay in control of how much salt and fat goes into the bowl. As always, check the label for the full ingredient list and allergens, as tarhana normally contains wheat and milk.

How to Cook Homemade Tarhana

This is the classic method, and it serves four.

1. Whisk four heaped tablespoons of tarhana into a cup of cold water and leave it to soften for ten minutes.
2. Melt a knob of butter in a saucepan, add a spoonful of tomato or pepper paste and stir for a minute.
3. Pour in about a litre of water or stock and bring it to the boil.
4. Add the soaked tarhana, stirring constantly so no lumps form, then simmer gently for ten to fifteen minutes until thick and silky.
5. Season with salt, then finish with a swirl of butter fried with dried mint and pul biber.

Ideas for Variation

Some cooks add a handful of cooked chickpeas or a little minced garlic. Others crumble feta or lor cheese on top, or serve it with toasted bread cubes. For a heartier dinner, stir through some diced sucuk fried until crisp.

A Store Cupboard Essential

Like any good Turkish soup mix, dried tarhana keeps well when stored in a cool, dry place in an airtight container. That makes it ideal to have on hand for busy weeknights, for Ramadan iftar menus, or for anyone feeling under the weather who wants something warming and easy to digest.

Robin Food stocks a wide range of Turkish pantry staples, and this homemade tarhana sits happily alongside our village tarhana, bulgur and lentils. Place your order online for delivery across the UK, with same-day delivery available in many London areas.