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Yuvalama
Rice dumplings in yoghurt soup
Yuvalama: Gaziantep's tiny rice-dough dumplings, lamb and chickpeas in hot yoghurt soup
TurkishFamilies in Gaziantep spend the day before Kurban Bayramı rolling thousands of chickpea-sized dumplings for yuvalama, the festive yoghurt soup served on the first morning of the holiday. Little balls of rice dough and tiny lamb meatballs simmer with chickpeas and chunks of lamb in a tangy yoghurt broth, finished with mint butter. It is rich, soothing and very much a feast dish, so make it with friends. The most common mistake is adding the yoghurt straight to a boiling pot: it curdles. Chef's tip: whisk an egg yolk and a spoon of flour into the yoghurt and stir it constantly as it comes up to a simmer.
- Total time
- 165 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the meat
- 14 oz boneless lamb shouldercut into 2 cm cubes
- 6 ¼ cups water
- 9 oz cooked chickpeasdrained
- 1 ½ tsp salt
For the dumplings
- 5 ½ oz rice flour
- 5 ½ oz lamb mince
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup warm water
- ½ oniongrated
For the yoghurt
- 1 ⅔ lb plain yoghurt
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tbsp plain flour
To finish
- 1 ⅜ oz butter
- 1 tbsp dried mint
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Put 14 oz boneless lamb shoulder in a large pot with 6 ¼ cups water, bring to the boil, skim, then cover and simmer for 1 hour, until tender.
60 minStep 2: Meanwhile, mix 5 ½ oz rice flour, ½ tsp salt and ½ cup warm water into a smooth, play-dough-soft dough.
Step 3: Pinch off pieces the size of a chickpea and roll them into balls between your palms. Spread on a floured tray.
30 minStep 4: Mix 5 ½ oz lamb mince with ½ onion and roll into equally tiny balls on a second tray.
20 minStep 5: Add 9 oz cooked chickpeas and 1 ½ tsp salt to the lamb pot, then drop in the rice balls and meatballs. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring gently now and then, until the rice balls are tender and the meatballs are cooked through (at least 160°F; cut one open, no pink).
15 minStep 6: Whisk 1 ⅔ lb plain yoghurt, 1 egg yolk and 1 tbsp plain flour until smooth, then whisk in 2 ladles of hot broth.
Step 7: Pour the yoghurt into the pot and stir constantly over a medium-low heat until it comes back to a gentle simmer and thickens slightly, about 8 minutes. Don't stop stirring or it may split.
8 minStep 8: Melt 1 ⅜ oz butter in a small pan until foaming, add 1 tbsp dried mint for 10 seconds and drizzle over each bowl.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 32 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
- Fat
- 26 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does yuvalama take?
- About 165 minutes in total: 75 minutes to prepare and 90 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of cooked chickpeas?
- Cannellini or butter beans, same amount.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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