Yayla çorbası is a traditional Turkish soup with a base of creamy yogurt, rice, and dried mint. It often also contains noodles and chickpeas. It is one of the most popular Turkish soups.
The origin of the soup is historically tied to the pastoral way of life, when Turkish tribes spent their summers at higher altitudes. In these conditions, fresh vegetables were scarce, but dairy products and grains were plentiful. Yogurt was a way to process milk, and in combination with long-lasting rice or wheat, it formed the basis of the diet.
Yayla çorbası is served hot, ideally in deeper bowls. You will often find a basket of fresh white bread on the table with it, which diners break off and dip. Thanks to the yogurt, the soup is filling but not heavy. In terms of taste, a pleasant milky acidity dominates, immediately followed by the distinct flavor of mint and butter. It is a meal that soothes the stomach. In Turkish eateries, it is a staple often eaten as a quick lunch with a piece of bread, because it can keep you full for long hours.
The closest relative is the Armenian soup Spas, which is also based on yogurt. In Greek cuisine, we find the famous Avgolemono soup, which, although based on chicken broth, uses the same principle of thickening with egg and lemon to achieve a creamy, sour taste.
I tasted Yayla çorbası in the town of Göreme in Turkish Cappadocia in an eatery run by a women’s cooperative. In the unexpected April cold, it warmed me up perfectly!
Bon appétit!
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