ancient dish - Yayla Corbasi
Turkey
Ancient dish: Yayla çorbası
Description: Yayla çorbası is a traditional Turkish soup made with yogurt, rice, and dried mint, celebrated for its creamy texture and comforting flavor. The name “yayla” means “highland” in Turkish, referring to the mountainous summer pastures where dairy-rich foods like this originated among nomadic herders. The soup combines tangy yogurt with soft-cooked rice and is gently thickened with a mixture of flour and egg yolk, giving it a smooth, velvety consistency. Dried mint—sometimes sizzled in butter—is added for a refreshing herbal note that balances the richness of the yogurt
Place of origin: Turkey
Location: Turkey is located at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, straddling both continents with the majority of its landmass in Asia and a smaller portion in southeastern Europe. It is bordered by eight countries, including Greece and Bulgaria to the northwest, and shares coastlines with the Aegean Sea, Mediterranean Sea, and Black Sea. This unique position has made Turkey a cultural and historical bridge between East and West for thousands of years.
Typical ingredients: Rice, yogurt, egg, flour, ghee, mint, and salt
Associated cuisine: Turkish
Course: Anytime
Yayla Çorbası ancient history: The word yayla means “highland” or “mountain pasture” in Turkish and refers to the seasonal summer settlements where Turkic nomadic herders would take their animals for grazing. As Turkic peoples migrated westward from Central Asia and settled in Anatolia beginning in the 11th century CE, they brought with them a dairy-rich culinary culture. These nomadic groups frequently consumed yogurt-based soups—often made with dried mint, rice or bulgur, and sometimes egg yolk—for sustenance during their travels. The practice of fermenting milk into yogurt and combining it with herbs and grains found a natural home in the mountainous landscapes of Anatolia, where Yayla Çorbası evolved into a regional staple.
During the Ottoman Empire (1299–1922), Yayla Çorbası became more formalized within the imperial and regional cuisines of the empire. Yogurt soups were served both in peasant homes and Ottoman palaces, often enhanced with ingredients like mint, butter, and flour, and sometimes thickened with egg yolk to add richness and body. Ottoman kitchen records from the Topkapı Palace indicate widespread use of yogurt, herbs, and grains in soups, marking Yayla Çorbası as a dish that straddled both humble and elite tables. It remained a symbol of nourishment, often given to the sick or served during the breaking of fasts in Ramadan, thanks to its restorative and gentle nature.
Yayla Çorbası is not just a dish—it’s a link to the pastoral identity of Turkish culture. It symbolizes harmony with nature, seasonal movement, and the enduring role of yogurt in Anatolian life. Despite its simplicity, the dish embodies a long legacy of adaptation, from ancient village hearths to imperial kitchens to modern-day homes. Its essential ingredients—yogurt, rice, mint, and butter—remain largely unchanged, reflecting the strength of tradition and the enduring tastes of a culture deeply rooted in both earth and mountain.
