Maraş Tarhana Soup
Maraş tarhana soup is an easy, instant soup with cracked wheat, yoghurt and white turnip.
About this Recipe
Maraş tarhana soup is one of the easiest instant soups which delights the palates with its fragrant scent. It gets its name from the city it originates from. It consists of cracked wheat, goat yoghurt, salt and oregano, and it is quite versatile. When it’s semi-dry, it is called ‘firik’, and you can serve it as a snack with a variety of nuts. When it’s dry, you can either eat it like a crisp or use it as a soup base.
SERVES 2
PREP TIME: 5 MINS
COOK TIME: 30 MINS
According to legend, Yavuz Sultan Selim, the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1512 to 1520, ordered his army to find a food which is resistant to cold and heat, before travelling to Egypt for a battle. Its nutritious components, as well as its lightness and resistance to a range of temperatures, makes Maraş tarhana a perfect food for the war. So it was recommend it to him, and from then on, it became the Ottoman army’s most important staple.
Maraş tarhana is prepared during July and August when the sun is high and then consumed throughout the whole year. It’s an essential staple in each home in Maraş. It used to be made only by families but nowadays, due to its popularity, it is mass-produced.
I am lucky, because, first of all, my brother in law is from Maraş. Whenever he goes to his hometown, he brings a lot of food from there, including tarhana. I always get my fair share, even though I live in the UK. Secondly, recently I have realised that our local Turkish shop in London sells Maraş tarhana, too. So when my stock finishes, I can top up my tarhana very easily. Yay!
While making Maraş tarhana soup, adding white turnip is optional. Some people add it, some don’t. Boiled turnip doesn’t have much flavour. But if you would like to make your soup a bit more filling, the option is there for you. You just need to chop it into small cubes and boil them for 10-15 minutes until they are soft. If you want to take it even further, you can also add chickpeas.
The recipe below is my take on the original one and has a creamier texture than the original. If you would like to stay loyal to the traditional Maraş tarhana soup, all you have to do is to omit yoghurt.
Enjoy the recipe!
Ingredients
- 50 g Maraş tarhana (see note)
- 1 medium-size white turnip, boiled and cut into small cubes
- 600 ml water
- 140 g yoghurt
- 1 clove of garlic, crushed
- Pinch of salt
Sauce:
- 1 knob of butter
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (see note)
- 1/4 tsp dried mint
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
Put the Maraş tarhana in a bowl and pour over just enough water to cover it. Soak for either a couple of hours before cooking or overnight.
Step 2
Drain the tarhana, put it in a saucepan and bring it to the boil in 600 ml of water. Leave it to simmer for 15 min and then blitz the tarhana pieces with a hand blender. Add crushed garlic into your tarhana mix and stir it well.
Step 3
In the meantime, whisk a small amount of the hot tarhana into the bowl of yoghurt. Keep adding and whisking small portions of the tarhana until the yoghurt is lukewarm. Then slowly and gradually pour it back into the remaining tarhana. While adding, stir continuously on medium heat until it boils to prevent from curdling.
Step 4
When it starts boiling, add the turnips and stop stirring. Turn down the heat and leave it to simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt.
Step 5
Sauce:
In a small pan, heat the butter on low heat. Add red pepper flakes along with dried mint and sauté them for about 30 seconds without burning. Pour this sauce over the soup and serve it with bread.
Notes
Maraş tarhana: It’s available in Turkish shops and online.
Red pepper flakes: These flakes have a moderate heat. You can find them in Turkish or Middle Eastern shops. Ground cayenne powder can be used as a substitute. Use half as much ground cayenne to achieve the same level of heat. You can find more information about this here.
Love This Recipe? Share It With Your Friends!
You May Also Like
Chicken Pilaf
Pan Fried Liver with Red Onion Salad
Kahramanmaraş ın Guinness rekorlar kitabına giren ismi Maraş Tarhanası olarak geçen Yöresel çorbası çok besleyici emeğine , ellerine sağlık,tarifler için teşekkürler
Çok teşekkürler. Biz de severek yiyoruz. Hem yapımı da çok kolay.