Turkish Yoghurt and Rice Soup – Dani Valent

Simple ingredients used to full potential to create comforting flavour magic

When I first came up with this Thermomix version of the Turkish soup yayla corbasi, I refashioned it as a party canape, served in little cups and passed around at convivial gatherings. It’s also a lovely comforting large-bowl soup for cosy meals.

In its most simple form, this is a yoghurt soup that’s thickened with rice. In the traditional version, chickpeas are incorporated into the soup – I’ve turned them into a golden topping instead, brightened with kale and chilli. I get really excited about reworking simple ingredients for new pleasures. The components of this dish are humble and modest but each finds new potential in this recipe, and thus new opportunity for diner pleasure.

The recipe makes about six generous portions. You can luxe the dish up by serving it with crab, prawns or lobster – buttered, sweet shellfish works so beautifully with the yayla corbasi. It’s also great with grilled, crumbled chorizo – you can cook the chickpeas with chorizo and leave out the chilli flakes. The combination of flavours is SO good, with the deep spiciness of chorizo threading through the creamy subtle tones of the soup.

If you’ve been with me for a while, you’ll know that I’m just a little bit obsessed with chickpeas. Um, that must be why I have three hummus recipes on the site! Have you ever thought about how chickpeas grow? They are a legume that grows on bushy shrubs. They can be eaten fresh but, of course, the ones we see are dried.

This recipe was first published in Entertaining with Dani Valent

Makes: 4-6 hearty bowls
Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 garlic clove 
  • 120 grams (4 oz) onion, cut into halves
  • 1 tbsp Vegetable stock paste (see Tips)
  • 800 grams (28 oz) water 
  • 80 grams (3 oz) medium grain rice 
  • 300 grams (10.5 oz) Greek yoghurt 
  • 1 egg 
  • salt, to taste
  • freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • 30 grams (1 oz) butter 
  • 200 grams (7 oz) canned chickpeas (400 gram / 14 oz tin, rinsed and drained)
  • 1 tbsp dried chilli flakes 
  • 3 stalks kale, stalks removed, finely chopped

Method

1. Place garlic into mixing bowl and chop 2 sec/speed 9.

2. Add onion and chop 1 sec/speed 8.

3. Add stock and water. Place rice into steamer basket and set in place. Cook 15 min/100°C (212°F)/speed 4. Remove steamer basket with aid of spatula and set aside.

4. Add yoghurt, then mix 30 sec/speed 3, adding egg through hole in mixing bowl lid, until combined.

5. Cook 4 min/Varoma/speed 2, until slightly thickened.

6. Add salt, pepper and cooked rice and cook 3 min/100°C (212°F)/speed 3. Transfer into a thermal serving bowl or other large bowl and cover to keep warm.

7. Place a frying pan over medium-high heat and add butter. Once butter is foaming, add chickpeas, chilli flakes and kale and fry until chickpeas are a little crisp.

8. Transfer soup into cups or bowls and sprinkle with chickpea mixture. Serve warm.

Tips

  • Please refer to The Basic Cookbook or Everyday Cookbook for the Vegetable stock paste recipe.
  • The yoghurt soup can also be a sauce for grilled meats or vegetables.
  • Serve larger bowls for entrée.
  • Replace kale with silverbeet.

Variations

  • The yoghurt soup can also be a sauce for grilled meats or vegetables.
  • Replace kale with silverbeet.
  • Luxe the dish up by serving it with crab, prawns or lobster – grilled, buttered shellfish works so beautifully with the yayla corbasi.
  • It’s also great with grilled, crumbled chorizo – you can cook the chickpeas with chorizo and leave out the chilli flakes. The combination of flavours is SO good, with the deep spiciness of chorizo threading through the creamy subtle tones of the soup.

I have plenty more delicious soup and entree recipes right here.

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