Yuvalama

What is yuvalama?

Yuvalama takes its name from its small, round dumplings. They are made by kneading rice flour with minced meat and rolling it by hand into chickpea-sized balls, which meet lamb and chickpeas in a hot yogurt broth.

In Gaziantep it is known as one of the traditional dishes of the Eid al-Fitr table; it is a dish that takes effort and patience.

How is yuvalama made?

The work of this dish is rolling the dumplings one by one by hand.

• Rice flour and minced meat are kneaded and rolled by hand into chickpea-sized dumplings.
• The lamb and chickpeas are cooked.
• The dumplings, meat and chickpeas cook together in a hot broth made with yogurt.
• At serving, mint butter is drizzled over the top.

Is yuvalama a soup or a main course?

Yuvalama looks like a yogurt soup eaten with a spoon, but with its meat, dumplings and chickpeas it is a filling meal on its own. On the Lezzet-i Şark Gusto menu it is listed among the soups, and there is a small portion for a lighter start.