Trahanas soup

Σούπα τραχανάς με κομματάκια χαλούμι. <br/> Πηγή: Στάλω Λαζάρου.

Σούπα τραχανάς με κομματάκια χαλούμι. Πηγή: Στάλω Λαζάρου.

Σούπα τραχανάς με κομματάκια χαλούμι. <br/> Πηγή: Στάλω Λαζάρου.

Traditional soup with frumenty.

Name - Recipe
Cypriot name of dish
Σούπα τραχανάς. Soúpa trahanás.
Greek name - description

Σούπα με τραχανά.

Ingredients

Version A
Trahanas
Water
Chicken stock (optional)
Halloumi

Version B
1½ cups of trahanas (coarsely pounded)
6 cups of chicken broth (from previously boiled chicken)
1 halloumi diced

Method

Version A 
In a pot, put trahanas to soak in water overnight or for several hours before cooking. Cook trahanas in medium heat stirring continuously until the trahanas has melted. Add a chicken stock (optional) and keep stirring until trahanas is cooked. Add diced halloumi and serve hot. (Maria Papaneophytou, Kyperounda)

Version B 
Put the trahanas in a pot and cover with water. Leave to soak in water overnight or for several hours before cooking. Add the broth and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. When it comes to a boil, lower the heat until trahanas is cooked. Towards the end, add the halloumi and leave for 2-3 minutes. Serve the soup together with boiled chicken. (MANRE 2006, 12)

Cooking method

Soaking in water. 
Boiling in a pot.

Comments

In the past, they would not use chicken stock as in Version A. Instead they would boil chicken and use the stock to make the soup, as described in Version B (note Stalo Lazarou).

According to the testimony of Maroula Economidou, in the village of Pedoulas, they would fry pieces of bread in olive oil, which would be added to the soup at will, when served (Maroula Economidou, 86 years old, from Pedoulas).

According to the oral testimony of Mr Andreas, in Farmakas village they used to add very ripe tomatoes to the soup, which would be cooked with the soup. It should be noted that Farmakas is considered one of the villages with a large production of very tasty tomatoes.

Time period
19th-20th c.
Supplementary information

See article on trahanas in the FOOD section.

Βibliography

Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment, Department of Agriculture (2006). Cyprus Traditional Preparations, Press and Information Office, Nicosia.

Oral testimonies: Maroula Economidou, 86 years old, Pedoulas village. Recording: Stalo Lazarou, October 2010.

Maria Papaneofytou, 36 years old, Kyperounda village (see Kourri, P and Lazarou, S (eds.) (2007). Traditional recipes of the village of Kyperounda, Unpublished data).

Mr. Andreas, 66 years old, Pharmakas village. Stalo Lazarou, February 2011.

Researcher / Recorder

Stalo Lazarou, Varvara Yangou