Corba

The Most Well-Known Soup Of Turkish Cuisine: Lentil Soup, Mercimek Çorbası

Did you know that lentil soup, indispensable for Turkish dinner tables, is also the oldest soup of Turkish cuisine? This unique flavor, eaten by the Turks in nomadic times and has taken its place in Turkish cuisine since Central Asia, is traditionally prepared with onion, garlic, and broth.

If you want to make lentil soup at home, we have a recipe for you.

Lentil Soup Recipe’s materials;

• 3 tablespoons of sunflower oil

• 1 onion (chopped coarsely)

• 1 tablespoon of flour

• 1 carrot (chopped coarsely)

• 1 potato (large, coarsely chopped)

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon of black pepper

• 1.5 cups red or yellow lentils

• 6 glasses of hot water (prepared with 1 meat water tablet)

How To Make Lentil Soup?

Add 3 tablespoons of oil to a pan. Fry 1 large chopped onion with vegetable oil. Add 1 tablespoon of flour to the roasted onions and continue the roasting process until the smell comes out and turns color. Transfer one carrot and one potato, which you cut into large pieces, into the pot and continue mixing. After washing with salt, pepper, and plenty of water. Add 1.5 cups of drained lentils and mix well for the last time. Add 6 cups of hot water to the saucepan.

Then close the lid and cook for 40 minutes, occasionally stirring, until the potatoes and carrots are soft. For the soup to get a smooth consistency after cooking, get it through a hand blender. After cooking for another 5 minutes, remove from the stove. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil and 2 tablespoons of butter in a fryer. Add 1 teaspoon of ground red pepper on it and after heating the oil for 2 minutes, remove it from the stove. Take the soup in a bowl, pour the oil you have heated on it, and serve. Enjoy your meal! 

Nutrient Depot Ezogelin Soup, Ezogelin Çorbası

According to a rumor, this rich and nutritious soup came out of the skillful hands of “Ezo bride,” who mixed all the ingredients in the house to feed her unannounced guest. “Ezo” is an old female name, and “bride” is “gelin” in Turkish, hence the name “ezogelin.” Ezogelin soup is made of red lentils, rice, bulgur with tomato paste, onions, garlic, and spices with meat broth.

For those who want to try this çorba, the recipe is below.

Ezogelin Soup's Materials

• 2 teaspoons of red lentils

• 3 tablespoons of rice

• 2 tablespoons of bulgur

• 1 onion

• 1 teaspoon tomato paste

• 1 tablespoon of butter

• 6 cups of hot water

• 1 teaspoon mint

• 1 teaspoon salt

How to make Ezogelin Soup?

Boil some hot water in a big pan. Take 2 tea glasses of red lentils, which you have washed and drained, to the fryer. Get 3 tablespoons of rice, 2 tablespoons of bulgur, and 1 teaspoon of salt into the fryer. Cook for about 35 minutes and see if the red lentils are fragile. In a different pan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Add 1 membraned onion to it and start the frying process. Add 1 teaspoon of tomato paste to the pan. Add 1 teaspoon of mint and carry on frying for 2 more minutes. Take your roasted sauce off the heat. Add the onion paste mixture to the fryer where you boiled the legumes. Then cook the soup you mixed quickly for another 10 minutes. Serve hot with the addition of lemon juice and cayenne pepper. Enjoy your meal!

A Taste in World Literature: Tarhana Soup, Tarhana Çorbası

Tarhana soup, one of the most essential products added to the world cuisine culture by the Turks, is the apple of the eye of pastry soups. The way it is stored has introduced a new technique to international cuisines. Although tarhana, which is very nutritious, differs according to the region, all varieties manage to bring the flavor of the sun to the winter tables. We should also note that it is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage.

Tarhana Soup’s Materials

• 4 tablespoons of powdered tarhana

• 1 tablespoon of dried mint

• 7 glasses of water

• 1 tablespoon of sunflower oil

• 1 tablespoon of butter

• 1 tablespoon of tomato paste

• 1 teaspoon of salt

• 1 clove of garlic (crushed)

How to make Ezogelin çorba?

Take the powdered tarhana in a large mixing bowl. Add mint powder and 2 glasses of room-temperature water on it and mix it with a whisk. Let the tarhana soften at room temperature for about 15 minutes until it softens. Meanwhile, add the oil and butter to a large saucepan and melt it over medium heat. Add the crushed garlic and tomato paste and start frying. Add the softened tarhana mixture and mix. Add the remaining 5 cups of water to the pot. Cook, occasionally stirring, until thickened. Serve the boiling soup hot without waiting. Since it is a soup that reduces as it cooks, we recommend adding water if you’ll consume it later. Bon appetit!

Where to eat traditional Turkish Soups in Istanbul?

Şayan, Beşiktaş 

Şayan, one of the famous soup stops in Istanbul, is a place where celebrities and football players stop when they want to have a delicious soup.

Historical (Tarihi) Haliç İşkembecisi, Fatih

Historical Halic Iskembecisi is a place on the Haliç that will take you back to ancient times. This traditional soup stop, which gives peace to the guests with its original structure, has been in service since 1938.

Hünkar, Nişantaşı

How would you like to spare some time for a drink of soup amidst the bustle of Nişantaşı? While you were thinking about which one to eat among dozens of daily meals, you realized that your table was equipped.

Kanaat Lokantası, Üsküdar

Kanaat, which starts serving soup at 6 o’clock every morning, is for those who want to say hello to the day with a warm and satisfying taste.

Karaköy Çorba Evi, Beyoğlu

Karaköy Soup House is a little different from the places you are used to. In this soup house, an average of 15 kinds of soup are prepared during the day. Traditional delicacies, local soups, meat, and vegetable soups will cheer your stomach at any time of the day