Turkish cuisine · Soups & Stews

Lebeniye Soup

Gaziantep yogurt soup with chickpeas and tiny lamb meatballs, bound with egg and seasoned with mint.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 250 g ground lamb
• 3 tbsp flour
• 200 g chickpeas
• 700 g yogurt
• 1 egg
• 1.2 l strong beef stock
• 60 g butter
• 1 tbsp mint
• 1 tsp pul biber (Aleppo pepper)
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Soak the chickpeas overnight, drain and cook in fresh water for 45 min. until soft; meanwhile knead the ground lamb vigorously with salt and pepper for 2 min.
2. Form hazelnut-sized balls from the mince, roll in 1 tbsp of the flour and chill on a plate so they don't fall apart while cooking.
3. Bring the beef stock to a boil, add the meatballs in batches and let simmer gently for 8 min. until they rise to the surface; remove with a slotted spoon.
4. Stir the yogurt, egg and remaining flour until smooth, temper with two ladles of hot stock and return to the pot while stirring.
5. Warm over low heat for 10 min., stirring constantly, until the soup thickens creamily and only gently bubbles at the edge; add the chickpeas and meatballs and season with salt.
6. Let the butter foam with mint and pul biber, drizzle over the soup and serve immediately.