Arabaşı Soup (Arabaşı çorbası)
Overview
Arabaşı is a fiery chicken soup from Central Anatolia, eaten in a playful way. The soup itself is a spicy chicken broth with tomato and pepper paste, thickened with flour and sharpened with lemon. Separately, flour and water are cooked into a stiff dough, poured into a tray and chilled until set. Diners cut a piece of cold dough and dunk it into the hot soup, swallowing it without chewing. It is a social winter dish, served at long evening gatherings with friends and neighbours.
Pictures
History
Arabaşı is closely associated with Yozgat and nearby provinces, where winter evening gatherings called arabaşı sohbetleri combine food, music and conversation. Its exact origins are unknown, but it is part of the region's tradition of making hearty food for long winters. The dish is now recognised as a symbol of Central Anatolian hospitality, and local festivals and restaurants keep the custom alive.
Main ingredients
Chicken, tomato paste, pepper paste, flour, lemon, set dough (hamur). The soup is built on chicken broth and is usually served hot. Diet: contains meat; not usually gluten-free.
Recipe outline serves 4 · ~120 min
Ingredients
- 1 kg chicken pieces
- 1 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tbsp pepper paste
- 3 tbsp flour
- juice of 1 lemon, chilli flakes
- for the dough: 250 g flour, 1 l water
Method
- Simmer the chicken in 2.5 l salted water for 45 minutes; shred the meat.
- For the dough, whisk flour into water and cook, stirring, until very thick; pour into a tray and chill until set.
- Fry the pastes in butter, add the strained broth and flour slurry, simmer for 15 minutes with chilli and lemon.
- Return the chicken and serve hot with squares of cold dough.
Sources
Description, history and recipe written by SoupWiki and checked against the sources above. Calories and times are rough estimates.