Yogurt Green Beans

Yogurt green beans (Antep Yoğurtlu Taze Fasulye) is a hot summer dish particular to Gaziantep, in which fresh green beans, chickpeas and diced meat come together with egg-tempered strained yogurt and are finished with safflower-infused hot oil drizzled over the top. Beyond the plain vegetable dish its name might suggest, it is a filling plate served piping hot, in which the yogurt lends the dish body and a gentle tang. In the region it is cooked in the summer months, in the season when fresh green beans are plentiful, and it usually comes to the table alongside bulgur or rice pilaf.

The identity of yogurt green beans springs from the harmony of a few essentials: tender fresh green beans gathered in summer, chickpeas pre-soaked and softened in the meat stock, the flavourful liquid given by diced meat, strained yogurt made smooth by egg tempering, and the safflower-infused hot oil drizzled on at the last moment. Behind these lies a tempering skill that rests on being able to cook the yogurt as it boils without letting it curdle. Yogurt green beans was registered as a geographical indication under the name "Gaziantep Yoğurtlu Taze Fasulye / Antep Yoğurtlu Taze Fasulye" by TÜRKPATENT in 2022.

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What Is Yogurt Green Beans and What Is in It?

Yogurt green beans is a dish in which fresh green beans, cooked together with meat and chickpeas, come together with strained yogurt tempered with egg and are gently brought to a boil, then served hot with safflower-infused oil drizzled over the top. The yogurt gives the dish both a full body and a distinctive gentle tang, while the meat and chickpeas lend the plate substance and depth. Although its name suggests a vegetable dish, in the region it is counted above all as a member of the family of hot dishes cooked with yogurt.

Core Components

• Fresh Green Beans: The body of the dish is built from tender fresh green beans, stringed and chopped; traditionally the meaty, soft "sugar bean" variety is preferred. Softened in the cooking liquid of the meat and chickpeas, the beans carry the freshness of the summer season to the plate.
• Strained Yogurt: The element that gives the dish its name and its character is strained yogurt. The yogurt is tempered separately before being added to the dish; once cooked it lends both a full body and a gentle tang.
• Egg (For Tempering): Adding egg to the strained yogurt is the key step that lets the yogurt cook to a smooth consistency in the heat without curdling. The egg binds the yogurt and keeps the dish's sauce stable.
• Chickpeas: Pre-soaked chickpeas are cooked together with the meat until soft. They add both substance and a gentle richness to the dish and strike a good balance with the yogurt sauce.
• Diced Meat: The traditional recipe uses diced meat; the meat is first boiled and the foam skimmed off. The meat's cooking liquid both softens the chickpeas and beans and is used to loosen the yogurt tempering.
• Safflower (Haspir): Toasted in heated oil before serving, safflower is drizzled over the dish together with the hot oil; it gives the plate both colour and an aroma particular to the region.
• Hot Oil and Black Pepper: Olive oil or butter is heated, and safflower and black pepper are added to it; this hot oil is poured over the dish as a final touch and crowns the yogurt-based plate with a rich aroma.

The Art of Tempering the Yogurt

The defining element of yogurt green beans is not so much its ingredients as the skill of being able to cook the yogurt. Egg is added to the strained yogurt, and the mixture is heated over very low heat, stirred constantly in the same direction; as it warms, the dish's hot liquid is added to it little by little. This patient tempering lets the yogurt turn into a smooth sauce as it boils without curdling; rushed, the yogurt takes on a grainy texture. Once the yogurt is added to the dish, the plate is brought to a boil for only a minute or two more. This tempering technique is the most defining feature that sets yogurt green beans apart from a plain vegetable dish.

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The History and Cultural Origins of Yogurt Green Beans

The history of yogurt green beans in Gaziantep cuisine dates to the 1950s. The dish took root in the region as a home dish tied to the summer months, when yogurt and fresh vegetables are plentiful, and in time came to be counted among Gaziantep's registered flavours. The seasonal abundance of fresh green beans, together with yogurt's deep-rooted place in the local kitchen, made this dish a natural part of summer tables.

The Tradition of Dishes Cooked with Yogurt

In Gaziantep cuisine, dishes cooked with yogurt form a deep-rooted family. The shared technical difficulty of hot yogurt-based soups and dishes is being able to cook the yogurt over the fire without it curdling; this calls for tempering with binders such as egg or flour. Yogurt green beans is the member of this tradition that places fresh green beans at its centre and belongs to the summer season, and it shares the same tempering logic with the region's other yogurt-based plates.

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The Yogurt Green Beans Tradition and Ritual in Gaziantep

In Gaziantep, yogurt green beans is part of the summer kitchen and of home tables. Cooked in the hot months when fresh green beans are plentiful, the dish is seen as a meal whose fresh yogurt tang balances the heaviness of summer; once its season passes, it gives way at the table to other dishes.

A Dish of the Summer Table

Yogurt green beans is traditionally eaten in the season of fresh green beans, in the summer months. The gentle tang and refreshing character of the yogurt answer the search for a dish that does not sit heavy on hot days; in this respect it is counted among the local kitchen's summer yogurt-based plates. Although it is served piping hot, the yogurt makes it lighter and more balanced than rich meat dishes.

Its Place at the Table

Yogurt green beans comes to the table piping hot, with safflower-infused oil drizzled over it; traditionally it is served alongside bulgur or rice pilaf. The body of the yogurt sauce, together with the pilaf, turns the plate into a filling main dish. Those curious about the plates cooked with yogurt in Gaziantep cuisine can follow the region's yogurt tradition in dishes such as yogurt potato, which shares the same tempering logic. Those who wish to see the wider range of the local kitchen can explore the city's richness, from its stews to its pastries, within Gaziantep gastronomy.

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Why You Should Try It

A single plate of yogurt green beans carries Gaziantep's summer kitchen and its tradition of dishes cooked with yogurt to the palate on one plate: the freshness of tender green beans, the substance of chickpeas and meat, the smooth tang of egg-tempered strained yogurt and the aroma of safflower-infused hot oil are balanced together. And the truest way to taste it is from a plate that comes to the table in the city where it was born, in the season of fresh green beans, with its hot oil just drizzled over the top.

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Frequently Asked Questions