Tarhana

This soup is a popular bowl and while it doesn't contain long noodles in the traditional sense, my family has always loved this soup. The tarhana is made from soured dough that sits in a rich and creamy tomato broth. My family make their tarhana from scratch using flour, yeast, egg and water which is left to ferment and dry over several days.

• serves

  6

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  50 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

This recipe uses dried tarhana that is available from most continental delis and grocers to save you a little more time. You may also have come across tarhana in other countries such as Turkey and Greece. 

Ingredients

• 1-2 tbsp cooking oil
• ½ onion, chopped
• 2 small carrots, finely diced
• 1 red capsicum, finely diced
• 1 celery stick, fined diced
• 400 g lamb of beef mince
• 1 tsp paprika (smoked or original)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp Vegeta (see Note)
• pinch of pepper
• 400 g (1 x can) diced tomatoes
• 100 g tomato paste
• 2-3 litre (8-12 cups) water (see Note)
• ¾-1 cup tarhana noodles (see Note)
• handful parsley or basil, chopped (optional)
• sour cream, to serve
• bread, to serve

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat, add the onion and cook for 5 minutes or until softened. Add the diced vegetables and cook for 5 minutes until slightly browned. Add the beef mince and cook for 5-6 minutes or until browned.

Stir in the salt, pepper and Vegeta until combined. Then add the drained tomatoes, paste and stir well. Add the water and bring to the boil. Once bubbling add your noodles and stir well, ensuring nothing sticks to the sides or bottom of the saucepan. reduce heat to a simmer for 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes to avoid the noodles sticking to the saucepan.

The tarhana will expand and thicken your soup, if you prefer a more liquid soup then add more water to reach your desired consistency. Ensure the soup is seasoned to your tastes. 

Once cooked, this is where you can add the chopped herbs and leave to sit for a couple of minutes.

Serve with a dollop (or two) of sour cream in the centre, a little cracked pepper, crusty bread to dip (optional) and more parsley, if preferred. 

Note

• Vegeta is a condiment that is like a vegetable stock powder and is made up of salt, spice and flavours. It is available from most supermarkets and delis. You can substitute more salt and or any powdered vegetable concentrate if you prefer.

• For a thicker stew-like consistency use 2 litres of water here, for a little more liquid up it to 3L if you would prefer.

• Dried tarhana is used in soups and stews and you can buy this from most Mediterranean and Middle Eastern delis and grocers. 

Photography by Sharyn Cairns. Styling by Lee Blaylock. Food preparation by Tiffany Page.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

This recipe uses dried tarhana that is available from most continental delis and grocers to save you a little more time. You may also have come across tarhana in other countries such as Turkey and Greece.