Turkish cuisine · Soups & Stews

Alaca Soup

Central Anatolian wedding soup with chickpeas, beans and cracked wheat, bound with yogurt and topped with mint butter.

Ingredients · for 6 servings

• 400 g bone-in lamb
• 150 g chickpeas
• 150 g white beans
• 100 g wheat berries
• 400 g yogurt
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 egg
• 60 g butter
• 1 tbsp dried mint
• 1 tsp paprika powder
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Soak the chickpeas, white beans and wheat berries separately overnight in plenty of cold water; drain and rinse the next day.
2. Put the lamb on with 2.5 l water, bring to a boil, skim off the gray foam and simmer gently for 45 min., then remove the meat, take it off the bone and shred it into small pieces.
3. Add the chickpeas, beans and wheat berries to the broth and cook for 40–45 min. until the legumes yield to pressure but are still whole.
4. Whisk the yogurt with flour, egg and a ladle of the hot broth until smooth so the binding doesn't curdle.
5. Pour the yogurt mixture into the pot while stirring constantly, return the meat and let the soup simmer gently for 8–10 min. until velvety – keep stirring and don't let it boil again; season with salt and pepper.
6. Melt the butter in a small pan, let the mint and paprika sizzle in it for 20 sec. until the butter glows red, and serve the soup drizzled with it.