Erzurum Kara Fatma Soup

Erzurum Kara Fatma Soup is a soup registered as a geographical indication by the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office on 08.12.2022 under registration number 1275. The application was submitted on 29.12.2021 by the Erzurum Chamber of Commerce. The soup originates from the years of the War of Independence and derives its name from Fatma Seher (Kara Fatma), who developed this recipe under limited conditions for soldiers. ^【1】 The product holds a place in the culinary culture of Erzurum and is linked to its geographical boundaries.

Erzurum Kara Fatma Soup is a soup whose main ingredients are chickpeas, aşurelik wheat, bulgur, and green lentils. In its preparation, flour, butter, purslane, dried onion, garlic, salt, water, and spices such as basil, mint, and oregano are also used. In the Erzurum region, aşurelik wheat is also known as “den” or “gendime”.

The preparation of Erzurum Kara Fatma Soup consists of the following steps:

• Chickpeas are soaked overnight and boiled.
• Den (aşurelik wheat), bulgur, and green lentils are each left to soak in water for 10 minutes in separate containers. Bulgur is additionally washed and boiled for 5 minutes. Purslane is washed.
• Flour is sautéed with part of the butter (100 g) for 5 minutes. When it turns pink, water is added and the mixture is cooked for another 10 minutes.
• Boiled chickpeas, green lentils, den, boiled bulgur, purslane, garlic, and salt are added to the homogeneous mixture and cooked over low heat for approximately 15 minutes.
• Diced onions are sautéed separately with the remaining butter (100 g) for about 5 minutes until they turn pink. This process is called “sohariç” in the geographical region.
• Mint, basil, and oregano are added to the “sohariç”, stirred, and then served hot over the soup.

The geographical boundary for Erzurum Kara Fatma Soup is the province of Erzurum. Due to its history and its established place in the culinary culture of Erzurum, the product is intrinsically linked to this geographical boundary. All stages of production must be carried out within this geographical limit.

Inspections are conducted under the coordination of the Erzurum Chamber of Commerce. The inspection body consists of three experts, one each from the Erzurum Chamber of Commerce, Atatürk University Faculty of Tourism, and the Erzurum Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry. Inspections are carried out annually on a regular basis, and additionally whenever deemed necessary or upon complaint. During inspections, the suitability of ingredients used in production, compliance with the preparation method, and the proper use of the designation “Erzurum Kara Fatma Soup” and its geographical indication emblem are verified.