Begova Corba (Begova čorba) — Bosnian Chicken and Okra Soup

• 900 gbone-in skinless chicken thighs
• 2.2 lwater
• 40 gdried okra (traditional dried Bosnian bamija, stems trimmed if needed)
• 30 mllemon juice
• 1large onion (peeled and left whole)
• 140 gcarrot (cut into 6 mm dice)
• 120 gcelery root (cut into 6 mm dice)
• 80 gparsley root (cut into 6 mm dice)
• 2 leafbay leaves
• 1 tspblack peppercorns
• 12 gfine sea salt
• 30 gunsalted butter
• 25 gall-purpose flour
• 2egg yolks
• 120 gsour cream (full-fat, at room temperature)
• 6 sprigflat-leaf parsley (finely chopped)
• 0.5 tspground black pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Place the dried okra in a small bowl with 30 ml lemon juice and 250 ml of the measured water. Soak it for 20 minutes while you prepare the chicken and vegetables, because the acid helps the okra keep its shape and reduces excessive slipperiness.

2. 2

   Put the chicken thighs, remaining water, whole onion, bay leaves, peppercorns, and 8 g of the salt into a heavy soup pot. Bring the liquid slowly to a gentle simmer over medium heat, skimming foam from the surface for the first 10 minutes so the broth for begova čorba stays clear.

3. 3

   Reduce the heat to low and simmer the chicken for 45 minutes, keeping the pot only gently bubbling. Remove the chicken to a plate, then strain the broth through a fine sieve and discard the onion, bay leaves, and peppercorns.

4. 4

   When the chicken is cool enough to handle, pull the meat from the bones and tear it into neat bite-size pieces. Return 1.6 l of strained broth to the pot, adding 100 ml water if needed to reach that volume.

5. 5

   Add the diced carrot, celery root, parsley root, soaked okra with its soaking liquid, and the remaining 4 g salt to the simmering broth. Cook for 18 to 22 minutes, until the vegetables are tender but not collapsing and the bamija is soft.

6. 6

   Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat and whisk in the flour. Cook this pale roux for 2 minutes without browning it, because begova čorba should be creamy and golden rather than dark or toasted.

7. 7

   Whisk 250 ml of hot broth into the roux gradually until smooth, then pour the mixture back into the soup pot while stirring. Simmer for 8 minutes so the flour cooks fully and the soup becomes lightly velvety.

8. 8

   Return the shredded chicken to the pot and simmer for 5 minutes to warm it through. Lower the heat to the smallest setting before adding the dairy liaison, because boiling after the egg and sour cream are added can make the soup split.

9. 9

   In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sour cream until completely smooth. Temper the mixture by whisking in 250 ml hot soup a few spoonfuls at a time, then stir it back into the pot and heat for 2 minutes without allowing the soup to boil.

10. 10

    Finish the soup with 20 ml lemon juice, chopped parsley, and ground black pepper. Rest it off the heat for 5 minutes, then serve hot with somun so the bread can soak up the creamy broth.