Recipe
Yayla Soup is prepared, optionally, using sheep’s yogurt, strained (“torba”) yogurt, or homemade cow’s milk yogurt. The yogurt is thoroughly whisked in a saucepan until a smooth consistency is achieved, then diluted with a small amount of water. Egg yolk is added and the mixture is whisked again. The saucepan is placed over heat and the mixture is stirred continuously. As it approaches boiling, a small quantity of rice is added. Stirring is maintained until the rice swells, both to prevent the soup from curdling and to avoid the rice sticking to the bottom of the pot. For the topping, butter is melted in a pan and dried mint is added, then poured over the soup. When cracked wheat (bulgur) is preferred instead of rice, chickpeas may also be added