Turkish Yoghurt Soup

Ingredients

• yoghurt
• 1/3 cup rice
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 egg yolk
• butter
• salt
• water
• dried mint

Method

Bring 1 litre of salted water to a rolling boil. Add 100g rice and maintain a steady simmer for 15 minutes until the grains are tender but not falling apart. The rice is your thickening agent and backbone here.

While the rice cooks, temper the yoghurt. Whisk together 250ml yoghurt, 1 egg yolk, and 15g plain flour with a pinch of salt in a bowl. This mixture will curdle instantly if it hits boiling liquid, so you must raise its temperature gradually. Ladle 100ml of the hot broth into the yoghurt mixture whilst whisking constantly, then repeat with another ladle. Only when the mixture feels warm to the touch — around 40°C — is it safe to add to the pot. Pour the tempered yoghurt into the simmering soup in a thin stream, stirring continuously to distribute it evenly and prevent lumps. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for a further 10 minutes. The soup will thicken slightly as the egg yolk sets and the starch from the rice swells; you're aiming for a creamy consistency, not a paste.

The herb-infusion matters. In a separate small pan, melt 25g butter over gentle heat until the milk solids separate and the liquid browns slightly — this takes 4–5 minutes and gives the butter a toasted, nutty depth. Add 2 teaspoons of dried mint and let it steep off the heat for 2 minutes. The heat should be low enough that the mint doesn't scorch black; it should turn a darker green and become fragrant. This isn't garnish — it's your finishing oil, and the butter carries the mint's volatile oils to your palate far better than a dry sprinkle would.

Taste the soup and adjust salt and acidity if needed (a squeeze of lemon won't hurt). Pour into bowls and drizzle the mint butter over each serving so the fat coats the surface. The contrast between the creamy, mild broth and the punchy, warm herb finish is what makes the dish work.