Top 4 Southeastern Anatolian Soups

Beyran çorbası is a traditional soup originating from Gaziantep, where it's served for breakfast. It consists of rendered lamb fat that's topped with rice and shredded lamb meat. The combination is then cooked with the addition of garlic, pepper paste, and lamb broth. This soup is notorious for its spiciness, making it a pretty unusual way to start the day. If desired, the soup can be served with lemon wedges and fresh Turkish bread on the side.Expand

Arguably the most laborious Turkish soup and one of Gaziantep's favorites, yuvarlama çorbası is made with spiced meatballs, chickpeas, yogurt broth, olive oil, and other optional ingredients. The soup is traditionally prepared for the three-day celebration of the fast-breaking Ramazan Bayramı, and it is served in virtually every Anatolian home. The preparation of this festive soup is a time-consuming process, and everyone is involved, as often both family members and neighbors get together to share the work and joy of rolling hundreds of tiny yuvarlama köfte. These spiced meatballs are typically made with lean beef mince, and either rice or bulgur flour, but they can also be made without meat. Köfte are then steamed and, together with pre-cooked chickpeas, added to the warm süzme or strained yogurt broth drizzled with minty olive oil. Yuvarlama soup can even include stewed chunks of beef, lamb, or chicken, and it is most often accompanied by rice pilaf, which altogether makes not only for quite a nutritious meal but also an amazing combination of different flavors and textures.Expand

A great example of Turkish regional cuisine, Ezogelin çorbası is a hearty, mint-flavored soup made with red lentils, bulgur, pepper paste, and various Turkish spices. The origins of this classic Turkish winter dish are attributed to an unhappily married woman named Ezo who lived in the village of Dokuzyol near Gaziantep in the early 20th century. It is believed that Ezo used to make this soul-warming soup in a desperate effort to win over her mother-in-law's cold heart. Ezo's story was often depicted in films and lamented in folksongs, and her name still lives on in this flavorful dish. Today, apart from being served as a warm starter or even as a breakfast meal, Ezogelin çorbası is traditionally prepared as soul food for the young brides-to-be in order to sustain them for the marital journey that lies ahead.Expand

Şiveydiz is a traditional soup originating from Gaziantep. The soup is usually made with a combination of fresh green garlic, scallions, lamb, yogurt, chickpeas, butter, mint, chili flakes, salt, and pepper. The lamb and chickpeas are cooked in water, then mixed with the yogurt, onions, garlic, chili flakes, and seasonings. Once cooked, the soup is mixed with butter-sautéed mint and served. The soup is often prepared in April and May, and it's believed that it helps cure the common cold.Expand