Erzincan Soup

(Erzincan Çorbası - East Anatolia Region)

Meatball ingredients:
150 g extra lean ground veal
1 tsp water
Salt
Pepper
1/3 cup flour

Soup ingredients:
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 cube, beef bouillon*
3 cups warm water
1/4 cup Turkish noodles

Garlic Yogurt Sauce:
1-2 garlic cloves, mashed with salt
3/4 cup yogurt, plain

Mint Sauce:
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp mint

Knead all the meatball ingredients except flour, make chickpea-size balls. Then, flour them and put aside.

Saute the onion with olive oil until the onion is softened in a medium-size pot at medium heat. Add the tomato paste and beef bouillon, stir. Then add the water and bring to boil. Throw the meatballs and Turkish noodles into the pot, stir.

Meanwhile, prepare the Garlic Yogurt Sauce in a bowl. After the koftes and noodles are cooked, turn the heat down to low. Take a few spoons of liquid from the pot and add into the bowl, stir. Then slowly pour the mixture into the pot while stirring very slowly. Simmer for 4-5 more minutes at low heat.

Heat up the butter in a small pan, stir in the mint and pour all over the soup. Serve immediately.

Makes 2 servings.

*If you don't want to use beef bouillon, you can use 1 cup of beef stock + 2 cups of water.