Begova Čorba (Bosnian Beg's Soup)

About This Recipe

Begova čorba — 'the beg's soup' — was historically served to high-ranking Ottoman nobles in Bosnia. It is a velvety chicken soup, the broth thickened with a butter-flour roux and finished with egg yolks and lemon juice for richness and brightness. Pieces of poached chicken, parsnip, carrot, celery root, and the signature ingredient — okra (bamija) — float in a clouded ivory broth. The okra adds a soft, slightly viscous body without dominating; the egg-yolk liaison gives a silky finish. Sarajevo households still consider it special-occasion food, served at Ramadan iftar dinners and weddings. The key is patience: never let it boil after the egg yolks go in, or the soup curdles.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 1.4 kgwhole chicken (or 4 thighs + 2 wings)
• 2 Lcold water
• 1 mediumyellow onion, peeled and halved
• 2 mediumcarrots, in 1 cm dice
• 1 smallparsnip, in 1 cm dice
• 150 gceleriac, in 1 cm dice
• 150 gfresh or frozen okra, trimmed (or 100 g dried bamija, soaked)
• 2bay leaves
• 10black peppercorns
• 60 gbutter
• 40 gall-purpose flour
• 3 largeegg yolks
• 120 mldouble cream or sour cream
• 1lemon, juice only
• 1 small bunchfresh parsley, finely chopped
• salt and white pepper to taste

Instructions

1. 1

   Start the broth

   Place chicken in a tall pot with cold water, onion halves, bay leaves, peppercorns, and 2 tsp salt. Bring slowly to a simmer. Skim the foam diligently in the first 10 minutes — clear broth is the foundation of begova čorba.

2. 2

   Cook the chicken

   Simmer gently 45 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked. Lift the chicken from the pot and let cool. Strain the broth and return to a clean pot.

3. 3

   Shred the meat

   Pull the chicken from the bones in bite-size pieces, discarding skin. Set aside.

4. 4

   Cook the vegetables

   Add carrots, parsnip, and celeriac to the strained broth. Simmer 12 minutes until just tender. Add okra and simmer 6 minutes more — okra should soften but still hold shape.

5. 5

   Make the roux

   In a small pan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook 2 minutes until pale golden and smelling like biscuits. Don't darken.

6. 6

   Thicken the soup

   Ladle 2 cups of hot broth into the roux pan, whisking constantly to dissolve smoothly. Pour this mixture back into the main pot and stir to combine. Simmer 5 minutes — the soup should now be silky and lightly bound.

7. 7

   Egg yolk liaison

   In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks with cream and lemon juice. Slowly ladle 1 cup of hot soup into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly to temper. Then pour the tempered mixture into the pot, stirring continuously over very low heat — do not let it boil.

8. 8

   Return chicken and serve

   Add the shredded chicken back to the pot and warm through for 2 minutes. Taste; adjust salt, white pepper, and a final squeeze of lemon. Ladle into bowls and crown with chopped parsley.

Variations

• •

  Sarajevo-style adds a small handful of fine vermicelli noodles toasted in butter.

• •

  Use lamb instead of chicken for a richer iftar-table version.

• •

  Skip the okra and add 100 g rice for a related Bosnian dish called begova juha s rižom.

Storage

Refrigerate 2 days; reheat very gently on the lowest heat. The egg-yolk liaison will not survive boiling, so reheat slow and stir often.

Frequently Asked Questions