Yogurt Soup with Orzo and Chickpeas | Claudia Roden’s Mediterranean

Claudia Roden collected this yogurt soup with orzo and chickpeas at a dinner in Istanbul to celebrate the adoption by UNESCO of Gaziantep as a Creative City for its gastronomy. It was in Istanbul that I first tasted sumac and bought a jar from the spice market there. Since then, I use sumac like a secret weapon from the spice cabinet.

If you’ve tasted kebab, chances are you’ve tasted sumac’s wonderful tartness. It has the power to bring incredible acidity to your food — with a mild and subtle note. It’s not bitter like lemon zest or astringent like vinegar, but somewhat fruity and floral without being noticeably sweet. The small container of sumac in the picture is a gift from my daughter when she visited Ottolenghi’s restaurant in London. This is a perfect soup to sprinkle a lot of sumac onto.

Yogurt soup is not one I make often. Anytime you put dairy in a hot soup, you may encounter curdling as it cooks. It’s disheartening when creamy milk becomes lumpy and unappetizing. Here is Claudia Roden’s trick to prevent curdling. Beat cornstarch and egg yolk together with a fork until smooth. Then slowly add in the yogurt until combined. Off the heat, pour the yogurt mixture in the stock.

Now I have this technique in my arsenal to use as another secret weapon in the kitchen.

The yogurt soup has a marvelous balance of savory, acidity, creaminess and lightness all at once. There are layers of flavor and texture. It’s not a typical chicken soup that wraps you like a warm blanket. Serve slightly warm or cold, it’s good for brunch on a Sunday.

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Yogurt Soup with Orzo and Chickpeas | Claudia Roden's Mediterranean

By Claudia Roden – Serves: 4

Ingredients

• ¼ cup (50 g) orzo or long-grain rice (I use rice here)
• 3 cups (720ml) chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 cup (240 g) Greek yogurt
• 1 tbsp dried mint
• 1 good pinch saffron threads or ½ tsp ground turmeric
• Black pepper
• ¾ cup (120 g) canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• Salt
• Extra-virgin olive oil for serving
• Sumac for serving
• Aleppo pepper for serving

Instructions

1

Cook the orzo or rice in boiling salted water for about 10 minutes, until done (check the package instructions), and then drain. Meanwhile, bring the stock to a boil in a separate pan.

2

In a bowl, beat the cornstarch and egg yolk together with a fork until smooth, then beat in a spoonful of the yogurt until well blended. You can then add the remaining yogurt and beat until combined. Stir in the mint, saffron or turmeric, and some black pepper.

3

Take the stock off the heat and pour in the yogurt mixture, whisking vigorously. Stir over very low heat until the soup begins to simmer. Continue to stir for 3 to 5 minutes, until it thickens slightly, then add the chickpeas and heat through. Season with a little salt.

4

A few minutes before serving, mix the cooked orzo or rice into the soup.

5

Serve with extra-virgin olive oil, sumac, and Aleppo pepper for people to sprinkle on the soup if they want to.

Notes

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/yogurt-soup-with-orzo-and-chickpeas4