Tarhana Soup

La storia di questo piatto

Tarhana is the memory of Anatolia pressed into powder — generations of nomadic women who captured summer's abundance in fermented dough, sealing the warmth of harvest inside something small enough to carry through winter migrations across endless steppe.

Ingredienti

• 200 g Tarhana (dried fermented yogurt)
• 1.5 liters Water
• 300 g Fresh diced tomatoes
• 1 medium Red onion
• 3 cloves Garlic
• 4 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
• 10 leaves Fresh mint
• 1 teaspoon Red chili pepper
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 0.5 teaspoon Black pepper
• 30 g Butter

Preparazione

1. Chop the onion and garlic extremely finely, almost to a powder. Pour the olive oil into a large pot and turn the heat to medium. Wait for the oil to become hot: tilt the pot and you'll see the oil flow quickly across the bottom. When you hold the back of your hand a few centimeters above the pot, you'll feel intense heat rising up (don't touch it, it's dangerous).
2. Pour the chopped onion and garlic into the hot oil. You'll immediately hear the sizzling sound and a fragrant aroma rising from the pot. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon for 3-4 minutes. They're ready when the color turns golden and you smell a sweet and inviting fragrance. Add the chili pepper and stir for 30 seconds: you'll see the color intensify and smell a spicy aroma rising from the pot.
3. Pour the chopped tomatoes into the pot and stir well to distribute them evenly. Increase the heat to medium-high. Stir occasionally during cooking. You'll see the tomatoes release their water and the sauce becomes increasingly darker and concentrated. When the sauce becomes thick (it's no longer liquid) and the bubbles rise slowly, it's ready.
4. Pour the water into the pot and stir well. You'll hear a hissing sound when the cold water touches the heat. Wait for it to come to a boil: you'll see large vigorous bubbles rising from the bottom and the surface moving quite a bit. As soon as you see those large bubbles, lower the heat to medium-low: the bubbles will become smaller and rise slowly.
5. Take a cup and pour in the lukewarm water (test it with your finger: it should be as hot as your finger but not scalding). Add the tarhana gradually, not all at once. Stir vigorously with a fork as you pour it in, so it distributes well. You'll see lumps form: crush them against the bottom of the cup with your spoon, pressing firmly. Continue until the mixture becomes smooth and creamy, without lumps. It should have the consistency of a sauce (neither liquid nor thick).
6. When the broth is simmering at medium-low heat, pour the tarhana slowly in a thin stream, taking at least 2-3 minutes to pour it all in. WHILE you're pouring, continuously stir the broth with the wooden spoon to catch the tarhana as it falls and dissolve it. Never stop stirring, not even for a second: this way you prevent hard lumps from forming that won't dissolve. After 10 minutes the broth will become thicker, change color becoming darker and creamier. When you lift it with the spoon, you'll see it descending slowly.
7. Lower the heat to the absolute minimum (a very small flame). Let the soup cook, stirring every 2-3 minutes to distribute the heat evenly. As time passes it will become increasingly thicker and creamier, almost like a cream. When you blow gently on the surface, you'll see the steam disperse more slowly than at the beginning. If you put the spoon in the broth, you'll notice it sinks more slowly and with difficulty.
8. Lower the heat even more or turn it off completely. Taste a spoonful of soup by pouring it onto a plate (not directly from the pot, so you don't burn yourself): when it's cool enough, add salt and pepper to your taste. Cut the butter into small pieces and add it to the pot. Stir quickly with circular motions: you'll see the butter melt and the soup become smooth and glossy, as if it has a brilliant sheen.
9. Pour the soup into bowls (if you want them to stay hot longer, fill them with hot water first and then empty them). Take the fresh mint and gently pull the leaves away from the stem. Tear them slightly between your hands: this way they release their intense aromatic fragrance. Scatter a few leaves on top of each bowl as colorful decoration. The freshly torn mint has a fresh and pungent fragrance that brings out all the flavors of the soup.