Tarhana Soup

Tarhana is a dried food ingredient, based on a fermented mixture of grain and yoghurt or fermented milk, found in the cuisines of Southeast Europe and the Middle East. Dry tarhana has a texture of coarse, uneven crumbs, and it is usually made into a thick soup with water, stock, or milk. As it is both acidic and low in moisture, the milk proteins keep for long periods. Tarhana is very similar to some kinds of kishk. Tarhana is made by mixing flour, yoghurt or sour milk, and optionally cooked vegetables, salt, groats, and spices (notably tarhana herb), letting the mixture ferment, then drying, and usually grinding and sieving the result. The fermentation produces lactic acid and other compounds giving tarhana its characteristic sour taste and good keeping properties: the pH is lowered to 3.4-4.2, and the drying step reduces the moisture content to 6-10%, resulting in a medium inhospitable to pathogens and spoilage organisms, while preserving the milk proteins.

Preparation
INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons of powdered tarhana

5 cups of water

1 tablespoon tomato paste

50 grams of butter

Salt

Mint

Soak the tarhana in water for 1 hour. After gently mixing the oil, mint and tomato paste in the pan, add 4 cups of water and crushed tarhana. After adding the salt, stir constantly to avoid lumps. When it boils, stop mixing and boil for another 5 minutes. Bon Appetit!