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Yayla çorbası
Yoghurt, rice and mint soup
Yayla çorbası: highland soup of yoghurt, rice and dried mint
Named for the high summer pastures of Anatolia, yayla çorbası is the soup that tradesmen's restaurants in Ankara and Kayseri ladle out from morning onwards: soft rice in a silky, gently sour yoghurt broth, finished with a slick of mint butter. It is light enough for breakfast yet filling with bread, and many families make it when someone is unwell. Common mistake: pouring cold yoghurt straight into the boiling pot, which splits it into grainy curds; temper it first with hot liquid and keep the soup below a boil afterwards. Chef's tip: whisk an egg yolk and a spoon of flour into the yoghurt; they stabilise it and give a velvety body.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 2 ⅞ oz short-grain ricerinsed
- 5 cups water or vegetable stock
- 1 tsp salt
- 14 oz plain whole-milk yoghurt
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tbsp plain flour
For the mint butter
- 1 oz butter
- 2 tsp dried mint
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Simmer 2 ⅞ oz short-grain rice in 5 cups water or vegetable stock with 1 tsp salt for 18–20 minutes, until very soft.
20 minStep 2: Meanwhile, whisk 14 oz plain whole-milk yoghurt, 1 egg yolk and 2 tbsp plain flour in a bowl until completely smooth.
Step 3: Whisk a ladle of the hot rice liquid into the yoghurt, then another, to warm it gently.
Step 4: Turn the heat to low and pour the yoghurt mixture into the pan in a thin stream, stirring all the time in one direction.
Step 5: Keep stirring for 6–8 minutes until the soup thickens and steams; let it barely bubble. Common mistake: letting it boil hard now, which curdles the yoghurt.
8 minStep 6: Melt 1 oz butter in a small pan until foaming, take off the heat, add 2 tsp dried mint and swirl for a few seconds. Pour over the soup and serve.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 210 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does yayla çorbası take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of short-grain rice?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of water or vegetable stock?
- Chicken stock, same amount (not vegetarian).
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