Mushroom Soup with Yogurt -- Mantar Çorbası

Here's another good cold-weather soup that's easy to make fresh at home and very delicious. Though the recipe doesn't call for it, I like to add fresh lemon juice--usually just a dash per bowl when serving it up hot.



Ingredients:

• 8-12 large mushrooms (150 g)
• 3 2/3 cups water or broth (900 g)
• 1 1/3 cups yogurt (330 g)
• ½ cup whole-grain flour (55 g)
• 2 teaspoons sea salt (12 g)
• 2 cloves garlic (6 g)
• 3 tablespoons butter (40 g)
• ½ teaspoon red pepper (1 g)

Directions:

Cut mushrooms into quarters. Place water or broth in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Add mushrooms into boiling water. Reduce heat. Simmer for 30-35 minutes or until mushrooms are tender.

In a bowl, combine yogurt and flour, blending well. Stir this mixture into mushrooms gradually and stir constantly. Reduce heat.

Season with salt. Simmer gently for 10 minutes. Add crushed garlic; mix.

Melt butter in a skillet. Stir in red pepper; mix. Dribble red pepper/butter mixture over soup. Serve hot.

6 servings.

Regional Characteristics:

The original recipe comes from Bolu province. Usually, a small type of mushroom, called "Mihtepesi," is used in soup making. This dish is also prepared in the Aegean Region.

This recipe is adapted from Samples from Turkish Cuisine.