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HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE TURKISH TARHANA
Tarhana is the basic and very popular soup of the Anotolian Cuisine. Generally, Tarhana Dough is prepared at home. It is made in the summer time for the cold winter months. Its prepared process is a long process but worth it. Because, this fermentatio and dried soup mix can last up 2-3 years. Also, Tarhana is an really very easy soup. It is believed to be the first ever "instant Soup mix". In Anatolia, as traditionally, mothers or grandmothers make Tarhana and send to their children, grandchildren who live away from the home.
When we look at the history of Tarhana; it was invented by the Central Asian Turks. Maybe, Tarhana was one of the oldiest soups of Mediterranean Cuisine. It has consumed mainly in Anatolia, also in Cyprus and Balkans for nearly 500 years.
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| Tarhana Soup |
There is a popular story that where the name of "Tarhana" comes from; According to story; In Ottoman Empire's Era, one day in the Ramadan Month, Sultan Yavuz Selim decided to travel land and visited one of poor house at "iftar" time (iftar: Evening meal during Ramadan Month). He stopped at a poor peasant's house. Husband and wife villager were really so poor and they had not much to offer to Sultan in their "Darhane" (Darhane:Narrow house). Wife of house quickly prepared some hot soup from her stash of soup mix for the Sultan. Then, She had called it "Darhane" soup, and this story was told over and over. So, the words are close in pronunciation (Darhane-Tarhana), the soup's name turned "Darhane" to "Tarhana". It is also known that "Sultan's Soup".
After the gave all of these information, let's try to answer the question of "What is Tarhana?": Tarhana is a popular Mediterranean food obtained by drying, grinding and sieving after fermentation of dough that kneaded with flour (Wheat Flour), plain yogurt, salt and some vegetables such as onions, tomatoes, red peppers and flavoring plant material. After the inventory of Tarhana Soup, it spread to the neighbouring Balkans very fast. It is recognized as "Tarhana" in Turkey, "Trahanas" in Greece, "Talkuna" in Finland, "Tahonya" in Hungary. Also it is known as "Kuhuk" in Iraq, "Kishk" in Egypt.
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| Blender Process |
In Anatolia, therecare many variations to the Tarhana Soup because of ingredients vary by region to region. Today, we try to give a recipe of "Central Anatolian's Tarhanas".
I n g r e d i e n t s:
- 2 Cups Water (1/2 liter/500gr),
- 4 Tablespoons Salt (45-50gr),
- 5 Large Onions (500gr- Peel and Chop the Onions into 3 centimeter cubes),
- 4 Medium size Tomatoes (500gr-Chop the Tomatoes into 3 centimeter cubes),
- 5 Medium size Fresh Red Peppers (250gr-Chop the Red Peppers into 3 centimeter cubes),
- 8 Cups Flour (900-1000gr),
- 5 Cups Plain Yogurt (1000gr),
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| Egg Size Tarhana Dough |
P r e p e r a t i o n:
Put 2 Cups water and salt in a deep pan and let boil. Peel the onions and wash, Wash the tomateos and peppers, remove the stems of the peppers. Chop the tomateos and other vegetables into 3 centimeter cubes and add to the boiling water and cook for 40-45 minutes until they are tender. Let cool and then pass through a blender or sieve. Put the flour in a large plastik bowl, and mix, make a hole in the middle and place the yogurt and the mashed vegetables, mix well and knead gently for 7-8 minutes to make a dough. Then add flour and knead until you reach an elastic dough which doesn't stick to your hands. Cover and leave to fermentation for 10 days at room temperature. During this time add a handful of flour and knead it three times a day, everyday. Then, divide the dough into egg-sized pieces and place on a clean cloth. Dry them out in an airy shaded place keeping slidely humid. Then turn upside down the pieces in the next day. The other day, cut the pieces into little pieces and let them dry for 2-3 days more and changing their places. Then, rub each piece of dough between the palm of the hands to make small size grains and again leave to dry. Pass through a sieve and repeat the drying process. Spread Tarhana Dough on a towel and let dry for another 2-3 days. Then, keep in a glass jar.
E N J O Y
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