Tarhana is a traditional dry food with a history of more than 500 years which
contains yoghurt, cracked wheat and thyme.
Maraş tarhana is a cereal-based fermented, traditional and functional product with
high nutritional value. It differs itself from other tarhana varieties in other
regions with its unique features such as the production stages, taste, aroma,
consumption style and storage conditions in the final product.
Its production is very laborious and the product is stored at room temperature after
it is produced. Wheat and yoghurt are used as the main ingredients
in tarhana. Thyme, chili peppers and salt are commonly used to season the taste of
the tarhana.
The emergence of the tarhana dates back to the period of the Ottoman Sultan Yavuz
Selim Han at the beginning of the 16th century. During the Dulkadiroğlu
principality, Yavuz Sultan Selim started preparations for the needs of Ottoman’s
army before the expedition to Egypt started.
The Sina desert must be crossed to conquer Egypt. There was a need of special food
to meet the needs of the army for weeks. The characteristics of the food that will
meet the nutritional needs of the soldiers in harsh desert conditions are: It should
be light in load, have high nutritional value, fell full, suitable for practical and
fast consumption, and be durable enough to not spoil in hot temperature and cold
weather conditions.
Based on this need, Gülbahar Hatun from Kahramanmaraş, who is the mother of Yavuz
Sultan Selim, conducts long research to produce a food that has all these
qualities. As a result of her research, the unique formula was found.
Cracked wheat is boiled with plenty of yoghurt. It is flavoured with thyme and
salt. Boiled mixture is cooled down for long hours, then it is laid on a special
surface and finally dried in the sun. This dry food is tarhana.
The main ingredients are wheat and full-fat yogurt. Cracked wheat which is suitable
for Tarhana is sorted, grounded and washed in the mill.
The prepared cracked wheat is cooked and mixed continuously until it melts in boiled
water. The boiled mixture is left to cool down (3-6 hours). Afterwards, full fat
Yoghurt is added. Yoghurt and wheat are kneaded until a homogeneous mixture. Then it
is left for fermentation (12-18 hours).
The fermented mixture is laid on a special surface and dried in the sun. The product
is completely purifed from moisture by drying (48-72 hours). Dryed tarhana is
removed from the surface and it is packed. Ready for consumption.
Tarhana is consumed as a snack or soup throughout the year. Tarhana, which has a
unique taste and aroma, can be consumed plain or with various dip sauces.
Those who experience tarhana chips for the first time may find their taste different
compared to other fried chips that contain chemical additives. However, after these
people eat tarhana several times in different time periods, this protein and fiber
source is 100% additive-free and they become an addictive by getting used to the
taste of natural tarhana.
Chips tarhana can also be consumed as a soup. Click here for the recipe of Maraş
style tarhana soup.
Maraş Tarhana Soup Recipe (8 People )x
Ingredients:
450 grams of Haşiroğlu tarhana veya
6 litres of water
2 large cloves of garlic
2 teaspoons of salt
For the sauce: 2 dessert spoons of dried mint
2 tablespoons of butter in light
roasted whole pistachio kernels (on request)
Preparation: HPour Haşiroğlu Çerezlik Tarhana into the pot, add 6 litres of
water and cover the pot and wait for 1 hour for the tarhana to soften. Then take it
on the stove and cook on medium heat, stirring continuously for 1 hour. Blend the
cooked tarhana.
Add salt and 2 cloves of garlic into the boiling soup after crushing it. Lastly,
boil it for 5 more minutes. Take the meal from the stove.
Sauce recip: Melt the butter in a pan, add 2 teaspoons of dried mint and mix
until it is roasted, pour the roasted mint over the soup. (Optionally, pistachio
kernels can also be roasted in butter and poured over the soup.) Our soup is ready
for service. Bon Appetite.
