Tutmaç is one of the old Anatolian recipes in which noodles go into the soup. Because the noodles release their starch into the liquid as they cook, the soup is already thickened before the yoghurt goes in, which cuts the risk of splitting. Using ready-cooked chickpeas halves the total time.
Ingredients
For the soup
For the egg-lemon thickening
For the top
Method
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Fry the onion
Soften the onion in butter for 4 minutes.
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Add water and chickpeas
Pour in the water, add the cooked chickpeas and bring to the boil.
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Cook the noodles
Add the noodles to the boiling liquid and cook for 12 minutes, stirring now and then. Do not let them catch on the bottom.
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Make the tempering mixture
Whisk the yoghurt, flour and egg until smooth. Warm it by slowly whisking in ladles of hot liquid from the pan.
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Combine
Pour the mixture into the pan, stirring, add the salt and bring to the point of boiling, stirring all the while.
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Garlic butter
Melt the butter, cook the garlic for 30 seconds, take it off the heat, add the mint and drizzle over the soup.
Tips
- If you are using shop-bought noodles, cook them 2 minutes less than the packet says; they carry on cooking in the soup.
- If you start with dried chickpeas, soak them overnight and boil for 45 minutes, and add the cooking water to the soup as well.
- Do not let the garlic burn in the butter or it turns bitter. Take it off the heat before it colours.
- Stir the bottom of the pan often once the noodles are in; the starch tends to catch.
Nutrition
Values are per serving and approximate.