Kütahya's Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism lists Sıkıcık Çorbası among the province's traditional soups. Its official recipe explains that the name comes from squeezing and rolling the fine-bulgur mixture by hand, and it recounts a local story in which one thrifty soup is given a different playful name on successive days. This version keeps the documented tarhana dumplings, tomato broth and optional garlic-yogurt finish while using water rather than bouillon so the seasoning stays clear and the soup remains vegetarian.
Sıkıcık Çorbası — Recipe Card
Kütahya Bulgur and Tarhana Dumpling Soup
Makes 4 servings · Makes about 44 marble-sized dumplings and 4 generous bowls.US cup = 240 ml · tablespoon = 15 ml · teaspoon = 5 ml. Cup and weight conversions are approximate. Australian cooks: use a 15 ml measuring tablespoon.
Ingredient quantities and servings are scaled. Cooking times, pan sizes, frying oil depth, and temperatures stay the same; cook larger batches as needed.
Ingredients
How to make Sıkıcık Çorbası
Soak the bulgur
Put the fine bulgur in a wide bowl and pour over all 100 ml (7 tablespoons) boiling water. Stir once, cover and leave for 15 minutes. The bulgur should be swollen and warm with no water pooled at the bottom.
Knead the dumpling mixture
Add the tarhana, 8 g (1 tablespoon) flour, dried mint, black pepper and 3 g (1/2 teaspoon) of the salt. Knead firmly by hand for 4 to 5 minutes, until a pinched piece holds together. If it remains crumbly, work in cool water 1 teaspoon at a time; do not taste the raw flour mixture.
Shape the sıkıcık
Dust a tray with the remaining 8 g (1 tablespoon) flour. With lightly damp hands, roll the mixture into about 44 marble-sized balls, compressing each one well. Place them on the tray and shake it gently so the thinnest possible coat of flour surrounds each dumpling.
Build the tomato broth
Heat the vegetable oil in a wide pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, until soft and lightly golden. Stir in the tomato paste for 1 minute. Add the 1 litre (4 1/4 cups) water and the remaining 5 g (about 3/4 teaspoon) salt, then bring to a full boil.
Cook the dumplings
Drop the dumplings into the boiling broth one by one so they do not stick together. Do not stir for the first 3 minutes. Lower to a steady simmer, then stir gently and cook for 18 to 22 minutes. A cut dumpling should be tender and evenly hydrated through the centre, with no dry floury core.
Mix the garlic yogurt
While the soup simmers, stir the yogurt and grated garlic together until smooth. Keep it refrigerated until serving; do not boil the yogurt in the soup.
Serve
Taste the broth and adjust the salt if necessary. Ladle the hot soup and dumplings into bowls, then add a spoonful of cold garlic yogurt to each bowl. Serve immediately while the dumplings are tender and distinct.
Bring this recipe to your kitchen with a printable copy.
Print recipeRecipe from MyTurkishRecipes · https://myturkishrecipes.com/turkish-bulgur-dumpling-soup-sikicik-corbasi. Quantities reflect your selected serving scale. Cooking times are estimates; follow the doneness cues.
Make it work in your kitchen
Ingredient Substitutions
These swaps change flavor or texture as described. Keep the original ingredients for the closest version of the dish.
Fine bulgur
Look for fine bulgur labelled köftelik or #1. Coarse pilaf bulgur needs different hydration and cooking; do not replace it directly in this recipe.
A few helpful kitchen notes
Choosing tarhana
Tarhana recipes vary by region and brand. Use a dry Turkish soup tarhana made with grain and yogurt, not a ready-seasoned instant soup packet. Check its salt level before adding extra salt.
Dumpling consistency
Fine köftelik bulgur absorbs water more readily than coarse bulgur. The mixture should feel firm and slightly tacky, not wet. Add only enough extra water for a test ball to close without cracking.
Broth option
The Kütahya source notes that broth may be used. For deeper flavour while keeping the recipe vegetarian, replace up to 250 ml (1 cup) water with unsalted vegetable stock. Meat stock changes the dietary label.
Heat and allergens
Mild as written, with warmth from black pepper. Tarhana and flour contain wheat and gluten; traditional tarhana and the topping contain dairy. Check packaged tarhana carefully because recipes and allergen statements vary.
Food safety
Flour is a raw food, so do not taste the uncooked dumpling mixture. Wash hands and the work surface after shaping, simmer the dumplings until no dry centre remains and refrigerate soup and yogurt within 2 hours.
How to store and reheat Sıkıcık Çorbası
Refrigerate the soup and garlic yogurt in separate covered containers within 2 hours at 4°C (40°F) or below. Use within 3 days. Reheat only the soup to 74°C (165°F), stirring gently and adding a splash of water if thickened, then add cold yogurt to the bowl. Freeze the soup without yogurt for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Sıkıcık Çorbası: questions and answers
What is tarhana?
Tarhana is a dried fermented mixture commonly made from grain, yogurt and vegetables or herbs, with regional variations. In Sıkıcık Çorbası, the dry powder flavours and helps bind the bulgur dumplings rather than serving as the soup base by itself.
Why did my dumplings fall apart?
The bulgur may not have soaked fully, the mixture may need more kneading, or the broth may have been stirred too soon. Compress each small ball firmly, add it to a full boil and leave the pot unstirred for the first 3 minutes.
Can I shape the dumplings ahead?
Yes. Arrange them in one floured layer, cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours. Add them straight from the refrigerator to fully boiling broth and allow a few extra minutes for the centres to become tender.
