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Turkmenistan · Main dish
Turkmen Yarma
Local name: Ýarma
A hearty Turkmen main dish of crushed wheat slowly cooked in lamb broth.
- Servings4
- Prep1 h 15 min
- Cooking2 h 20 min
- Total time3 h 35 min
- DifficultyEasy
Contains glutenContains dairy
About this dish
Yarma is a thick, filling dish made by cooking crushed wheat together with meat. Wheat is a staple of everyday Turkmen cooking, and yarma is especially welcome in the cold months and on tables set for guests.
The Turkmen way keeps it simple: bone-in lamb, onion and black pepper make the broth, the wheat cooks in it, and the dish is finished with fried onion and melted butter. The flavor comes from the wheat and the meat themselves.
Ingredients
Tick the ingredients off like a shopping list.
Meat and broth
Wheat
To finish
Method
Rinse the crushed wheat and soak it in plenty of cold water for 1 hour.
Cut the lamb into large pieces and rinse.
Put the meat in a pot with 1.5 liters of cold water; after it boils, skim the foam for 10 minutes.
Add the two whole onions, the black pepper and salt, and simmer gently with the lid ajar for 60 minutes.
Remove the meat and onions and strain the broth; keep about 1 liter in the pot.
Drain the wheat and stir it into the hot broth.
Cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes until the wheat has absorbed the liquid and is very soft; add a little hot water if needed.
Pull the meat off the bones and shred it; discard the boiled onions.
Heat the oil in a pan and fry the sliced onion for 10 minutes until golden.
Stir the meat into the wheat, adjust the salt, cover and let it steam on the lowest heat for 15 minutes.
Serve hot, topped with fried onion, melted butter and fresh herbs.
💡 Tips
- Always soak the wheat; it cooks more evenly and faster.
- Skim the foam carefully at the start for a clean-tasting broth.
- Stir now and then and keep the heat low so the bottom does not catch.
- The texture should be thick; add hot water if too dry, or cook uncovered a few minutes if too wet.
🛒 Can't find it abroad?
- Crushed wheat — Coarse bulgur works; skip soaking and cook about 25 minutes.
- Lamb — Bone-in beef works; simmer it 30 minutes longer.
This recipe was prepared with the help of AI, following the traditional home-style method; quantities, times and steps were checked automatically for consistency. Ovens and stoves differ, so check doneness by eye.
