Bosnian 'bey's soup' with chicken and okra (Begova čorba)

1. Put the chicken breast in a pot, cover with about 2.5 litres of cold water, bring to the boil, skim, season with salt and simmer for 30 minutes; lift out the meat, dice or shred it and set the broth aside.

2. Trim the okra stems and soak the pods in lemon water for 15 minutes (so they're less slimy), then drain and slice into rounds.

3. In another pot, soften the finely chopped onion in the butter, add the diced carrots, parsley root and celeriac, cook for 5 minutes, then sprinkle with the flour and stir for 1 minute.

4. Gradually pour in the chicken broth, stirring until smooth, add the okra and meat, season with pepper and simmer for 25 minutes until the vegetables are tender.

5. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks smooth with the soured cream and the rest of the lemon juice, trickle in a ladleful of hot soup, then take the pot off the heat and stir in the mixture.

6. Serve hot, sprinkled with chopped parsley.

Tip: Begova čorba was the soup of the Bosnian beys' tables in Ottoman times; it's still the opening course of festive lunches and weddings. You can use frozen okra instead of fresh – don't soak it, just add it towards the end of cooking.