Tarhana facts for kids
Two kinds of tarhana: tarhana with yoghurt (left) and wholemeal wheat tarhana from Crete (right)
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| Type | Soup |
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| Main ingredients | Grain, yoghurt or fermented milk |
Tarhana is a special dried food ingredient. It's made from a mix of grain and yoghurt or fermented milk that has been fermented. You can find Tarhana in many kitchens across Central Asia, Southeast Europe and the Middle East.
Dry tarhana looks like coarse, uneven crumbs. People usually use it to make a thick, warm soup. They mix it with water, broth, or milk. Because it's both sour and has very little moisture, the milk proteins stay good for a long time. Tarhana is quite similar to some types of kashk.
People in different places call Tarhana by slightly different names. For example, in Armenian it's tarkhana. In Greek it's trahanas. In Persian it's tarkhineh. Other names include tarxane in Kurdish, trahana in Albanian, and tarhana in Turkish.
In Armenia, tarkhana is made from matzoon (a sour milk product) and eggs. These are mixed with wheat flour and starch. Small pieces of this dough are dried. They are then stored and mostly used in soups. The dried pieces dissolve when added to hot liquids.
The Greek trahanas uses only cracked wheat or a couscous-like paste. It also includes fermented milk. The Turkish tarhana is made with cracked wheat (or flour), yoghurt, and vegetables. This mix is fermented and then dried. In Cyprus, tarhana is a national dish. It's often served with pieces of halloumi cheese. In Albania, it's prepared with wheat, yoghurt, and butter. It's served with hot olive oil and feta cheese.
What's in a Name?
The name tarhana might come from the Greek word trakton. This word was used for a thickener mentioned by an ancient writer named Apicius. Other experts think it might be linked to the Greek word traganos, which means crunchy.
However, some people believe the name comes from the Persian word tarkhwāneh. In Persian, tar means 'wet' or 'soaked'. Khwān means 'food' or 'dining place'. So, tarkhwāneh could mean 'soaked food'. This makes sense because tarhana needs to be soaked in water before it's cooked into a soup.
How is Tarhana Made?
Making Tarhana involves several steps. First, flour, yoghurt or sour milk are mixed together. Sometimes, cooked vegetables, salt, groats (crushed grains), and spices are added too. A special spice often used is called tarhana herb.
Next, the mixture is allowed to ferment. This means tiny living things like bacteria help change the mixture. During fermentation, lactic acid is produced. This acid gives tarhana its unique sour taste. It also helps keep the food fresh for a long time. The fermentation lowers the pH level, making it harder for bad germs to grow.
After fermenting, the mixture is dried. This drying step removes most of the water. The low moisture content, combined with the acidity, makes tarhana a very safe food. It helps preserve the milk proteins and stops spoilage.
Cooking with Tarhana
Tarhana is usually cooked into a thick soup. You simply add it to broth, water, or milk and let it simmer. Sometimes, people fry it first. Then, they cook it in just enough liquid for it to soak up.
In Albania, tarhana is made into small, pasta-like pieces using wheat flour and yoghurt. These pieces are dried and crushed into a powder. This powder is then used to cook a soup, which is often served with bread cubes. In Cyprus, it's common to add cubes of Halloumi cheese to the soup near the end of cooking.
See also
In Spanish: Tarhana para niños
