What is Tarhana?
It is a dry soup mix that is used to make Tarhana corbasi, one of the most famous Turkish soups.
The dry soup mix starts out as a mixture called “Tarhana Dough.” This dough is basically a blend of plain yogurt, vegetables, and flour. It undergoes fermentation, a process where it sits for about 5-6 days.
After fermenting, the dough becomes like a thick paste. Then it is divided into small patties and placed on big trays or on a large, clean cloth to dry. This drying process takes a few more days. Once the dough is dry enough, it’s ground into a powder using a food processor.
This final pulse is the “Tarhana Soup Powder.” This powder is like the instant soup mixes you see at stores.
This powder is then carefully stored in fabric bags or jars for a year or longer. In Turkey, it’s common to find it in every household’s pantry.
In certain regions, instead of grinding the Tarhana dough into powder, it’s cut into blocks and stored in this form.
Tarhana holds a special place among other Turkish dishes. It’s made by families coming together, usually during the summer when tomatoes and peppers are ripe and plentiful. The warm, dry weather of summer is perfect for making Tarhana.
This unique soup is quite popular in Turkish cuisine for its rich taste and health benefits. It’s packed with vitamins coming from the vegetables and yogurt it contains. It is also valued as a healthy baby food in Turkey. For babies, it’s made less spicy, providing a wholesome and easily digestible meal.