CRACKED CORN

This is called “mısır yarması” in Turkish and is made by breaking up the corn kernel into a special kind of mill. Like cornmeal, this is a bit of a regional specialty, but once you get a taste of it, you’ll want to get more. While this type of corn is often used in collard rolls, I’d like to share with you a soup you can make out of it, perfect for chillier weather.

BLACK SEA STYLE CORN SOUP

When it comes to specialty dishes like this, it’s normal for you to encounter many versions. Some prefer to add more ingredients to this, but I’ll try to stick to the basics to make it more accessible to more people. This soup is also more on the thicker side, but that can always be rectified by adding more water if you so desire.

INGREDIENTS

1-2 onions 500 grams mısır yarması (cracked corn)

200 grams cannellini beans

100 milliters vegetable oil salt, pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Let the corn and the beans rest in water the night before so that they soften and are easier to cook. Wash them the next day and boil them in a pressure cooker with about 2.5 liters of water for about 45 minutes. If you do not have a pressure cooker or are scared to use them (rightfully so), you’ll need to cook them for about 1-1.5 hours. Once boiling, add the salt, pepper, finely chopped onions and the vegetable oil and add more water if it has become too thick. Let it cook for another 10-15 minutes and check to see if the corn and beans have softened by then. If that isn’t the case, continue cooking until it softens. Otherwise, turn it off and serve.