Beyran

About This Recipe

Beyran is one of the most extraordinary soups in Turkey — a fiery, deeply flavoured broth unique to the city of Gaziantep, eaten exclusively for breakfast at beyran restaurants that open before dawn and close when they run out. The soup is built on a rich lamb stock, into which thin slices of slow-cooked lamb and cooked rice are placed. The broth is ladled in hot, seasoned with garlic and salt, and finished with a drizzle of sizzling red chilli oil. The result is simultaneously light and intensely flavoured — a breakfast that wakes you up more effectively than coffee. Gaziантep's beyran culture is so serious that specific restaurants are known to have queues forming before they open at 7am.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 800 glamb leg or shoulder, bone-in
• 150 glong-grain rice(cooked separately)
• 6 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1 largeonion
• 1 tspblack peppercorns
• 2bay leaves
• 3 tbspbutter
• 1 tbspred pepper flakes (isot or regular pul biber)
• 1 tbspAleppo pepper or sweet paprika
• Salt(to taste)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the lamb stock

   Place lamb, onion, peppercorns, bay leaves, and 2 litres water in a large pot. Bring to a boil, skim foam, then simmer gently for 2–2.5 hours until lamb is very tender. Remove lamb, shred thinly. Strain stock and season with salt and minced garlic.

2. 2

   Cook the rice

   Cook rice separately in salted water until tender. Drain.

3. 3

   Make chilli butter

   Melt butter in a small pan until foaming. Add red pepper flakes and Aleppo pepper. Swirl and remove from heat immediately.

4. 4

   Assemble and serve

   Place a spoonful of cooked rice in each bowl. Add sliced lamb on top. Ladle very hot seasoned stock over. Drizzle the sizzling chilli butter dramatically over the surface. Serve immediately.

   The soup must be extremely hot — beyran restaurants keep their stock at a rolling boil at all times.

Variations

• •

  Add chickpeas to the broth for a heartier version.

• •

  Use lamb neck for an even richer stock.

• •

  Squeeze lemon into the bowl at the table for brightness.

Storage

Stock keeps refrigerated 4 days. Assemble each bowl fresh to order.

Frequently Asked Questions