These two condiments are the condiments of choice for many Turkish soups. They can be sprinkled just as they are or alternatively, mixed with a little heated oil or melted butter and then swirled through the soup.
This soup with the splendid name is one of the top favourites in Turkey: you can just imagine Anatolian herdsmen huddled round a fire with a bowl of this healthy, heart-warming broth! Now that the weather has well and truly changed, I thought it would be a good idea to describe this one.Years ago it was explained to me that this is the soup that the thrifty Turkish housewife makes when there is just that bit of yogurt left in the container and no-one wants to eat it. This way, there is no waste as it forms the basis of this simple but interesting soup. In this country, yogurt is eaten plain and it is thick and creamy, some makes more so than others.
When I first came here, oh how I missed my fruity ski yogurts. But time moves on and now I only eat plain. Our preference lies with Tikveşli as it comes with a delicious creamy skin and we always have it in the fridge. The variety of container sizes of yogurt in the supermarkets ranges from small to mind-boggling massive tubs, giving an idea of what a staple it is in Turkish households. Traditionally, it is always eaten as an accompaniment to a hot savoury dish, or as part of a meze like cacık or haydari. It is never a dessert.
§ Carefully take a ladle of the hot liquid and mix into the yogurt mixture. Stir until incorporated. Add one more. Then add all the mixture into the pan and simmer gently till thickened.
§ Serve hot.
1. I usually mix the egg and flour directly into the yogurt in its container as in the picture above.
3. I really like the addition of chickpeas in this soup. Not every variation includes them. You can add as many or as few as you like.
Dear Claudia, Leeks in Olive Oil were a huge success…thank you. Love the dishes from Portugal.
It's so cold here, we had first frost last night, beautiful sunny day now.
Hugs from Heike x
oh Heike, you are such a faithful follower! glad to hear the leeks went down well! did you use those huge ones? Here it is still relatively mild but it is wet!
I need to email you ….
Claudia xxx