Turkish cuisine is one of the most significant cuisines in the world in terms of culinary diversity and flavor. There are many varieties specific to the culture of our country. One of them is tarhana. Tarhana, one of the foods with the highest nutritional value, contains minerals such as minerals, calcium, iron, and magnesium.
The history of Tarhana Soup dates back to Central Asia, even earlier than the Republic of Turkey, the Ottoman Empire or the Seljuk Empire. Central Asia, the homeland of the Turks, was suitable for animal husbandry but not for agriculture due to its nature and climatic conditions. In order for people to kept fed, it was essential to find and keep foods that were suitable for climatic conditions.
Especially in the winter months and in times of famine, meat products were dried and stored and then consumed. Meat products could be dried, but how to store the milk from all the cattle and sheep? The milk was made into yogurt and dried and mixed with peppers, tomatoes, onions, and mint to make soup. They had a delicious powder to be turned into a soup whenever they needed!
Tarhana re-emerged in the Turkish cuisine at the beginning of the 16th century during the reign of Sultan Selim the Resolute before the Egyptian expedition. At that time, a long journey would be taken for the conquest of Egypt and simple foods were needed for transportation in order to meet the needs of the massive Ottoman army. Upon this, massive amounts of tarhana was prepared from wheat and yogurt, which is both durable and light. Since then, tarhana has been one of the most important flavors of traditional Turkish cuisine.
Tarhana is very beneficial for health in terms of vitamins and minerals it contains. It helps to heal diseases such as colds, especially in winter. Tarhana requires a cool environment for storage. For this reason, it is easier to store tarhana in winter. In summer, it is essential to keep it in cool places in order not to spoil the tarhana.
Although tarhana soup seems very easy to make, it is a dish that requires attention. Because when eating tarhana, it is both disturbing and leaves a bad taste on the palate. To make a smooth and delicious tarhana soup, you should roast the tarhana, add the cake and water, and then stir constantly over low heat. You can then whisk well with the help of a mixer.
How to Make Tarhana Soup?
- We add oil, mint, tomato paste, spices and tarhana into our pot and roast them by stirring a little. You can also use butter if you wish.
- Add the water slowly and cook while stirring continuously. You can mix it with a wire whisk to avoid lumps.
- After boiling, wait 5 more minutes and remove the soup from the stove.
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Turkish cuisine is one of the best cuisines in the world! Tarhana is one of the delicacies waiting for you in Turkey. Contact me to learn more on Turkish cuisine and let’s organize your gastronomical journey in Turkey together! Hire a professional, licensed tour guide in Turkey. See you soon, Hasan Gülday.
