tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-320112472024-03-13T03:03:54.361-07:00Almost Turkish RecipesEasy-to-follow, mostly vegetarian, almost Turkish recipesBurcuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03291775178560434313noreply@blogger.comBlogger215125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32011247.post-65238710918619341702023-10-20T15:23:00.000-07:002023-10-20T17:57:49.445-07:00Izmir Style Meatballs in Tomato Sauce (İzmir Köfte)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYiU210iUl65czSiPgrSRbhIz5TPhaLpeHb5Swj1EH3Nr21q_1Yc2noFbhj_4cH7v0KBgKFNmARfX18OdzoICdwRf9sJCH101UISEZFbro41PP2ePkPTKpC1RFG-Pp_E38ZbxNJ5Va3vojuBZsL8-BxDpyGyplerDHhydPEJGXWJwkXJ5r8CUW/s4032/IMG_9284.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYiU210iUl65czSiPgrSRbhIz5TPhaLpeHb5Swj1EH3Nr21q_1Yc2noFbhj_4cH7v0KBgKFNmARfX18OdzoICdwRf9sJCH101UISEZFbro41PP2ePkPTKpC1RFG-Pp_E38ZbxNJ5Va3vojuBZsL8-BxDpyGyplerDHhydPEJGXWJwkXJ5r8CUW/w480-h640/IMG_9284.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br />There are so many meatball dishes in Turkish cuisine that we can easily make a multi-volume cookbook out of them. Among all the meatball recipes, Izmir koftesi, i.e. Izmir meatball, a specialty of Aegean city of Izmir, holds a special place in my heart. This dish of meatballs cooked with potatoes and peppers in tomato sauce is one of my all time beloved comfort foods. Since nowadays, we need comfort more than any other time I've been making Izmir meatballs almost weekly. Izmir kofte is usually a summer dish when tomatoes are in abundance served traditionally with rice and yogurt on the side, and accompanied by an icy glass of </span><i style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">rakı</i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">, obviously. </span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhZ2BgMq9ExHd_xqvQ2N6007FxRM4EJKuasSbjRoIxnYrn1MKMDvuQz-sbaLZjQKUsD2utpwG1D9qFLDyu_GBZbYxzGuDkwaB2Ni4IgU81xDRMWms6cKBoOBLA7y6l8yqgifCGBuT5t6uap3AB9COC8Y329VXmgoBLZWuCsMUtsn7DkjINEvJZ/s4032/IMG_9281.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhZ2BgMq9ExHd_xqvQ2N6007FxRM4EJKuasSbjRoIxnYrn1MKMDvuQz-sbaLZjQKUsD2utpwG1D9qFLDyu_GBZbYxzGuDkwaB2Ni4IgU81xDRMWms6cKBoOBLA7y6l8yqgifCGBuT5t6uap3AB9COC8Y329VXmgoBLZWuCsMUtsn7DkjINEvJZ/w480-h640/IMG_9281.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br />For the meatball</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: medium;">1/2 lb ground meat</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: medium;">2 slices of stale bread soaked in water and squeezed tight or 1/2 cup bread crumbs</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: medium;">1/2 tsp cumin</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: medium;">1 tsp black pepper</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: medium;">1/2 cup minced or finely chopped onion</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: medium;">1-2 cloves garlic, minced</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: medium;">1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: medium;">1 egg (Traditionally there’s always an egg in the meatballs both to keep the meatballs together and moist when baked; however, I don't like egg smell in meatballs and prefer not to use any)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: medium;">Salt</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: medium;">~10 peppers. (In Turkey green sweet chilies are staples in this dish.) If you like spicy peppers, you can use any kind of pepper: jalapeno, wax, banana, Anaheim, or poblano. I like using Shishito and sweet Italian peppers for this recipe. Seeded.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: medium;">2 medium size potatoes, peeled and cut in wedges</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: medium;">3 tbsp olive oil</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: medium;">3-4 medium size tomatoes, grated or chopped in food processor</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: medium;">1 tbsp tomato paste (optional) <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: medium;">-Mix all the ingredients for the meatballs. Knead well for 5-7 minutes. Wet your hands and form 3-4 inches long oval-ish finger shaped meatballs round in the middle and thinner at the ends. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: medium;">-Heat a pan. Add 3 tbsp olive oil. Add meatballs and cook until they change color. We're not trying to cook them, just sealing them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: medium;">-Take the meatballs aside but keep the oil in the pan. (Some people fry the potatoes as well and it is delicious, but much more greasy. So I choose not to fry the potatoes)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: medium;">-Place meatballs in a sun pattern in a wide bottom oven proof dish or a cast iron pot with 1/2-1 inch intervals. If you're using a square or rectangle dish, you can line them up. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: medium;">-Add tomato paste to the frying pan and cook for 2 minutes, if you're using any. Add grated tomatoes or canned diced tomatoes or tomato sauce as well. Salt to your taste. Cook tomatoes until the juice is gone. Add 1 and half cup boiling water. Bring to a boil and turn off. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: medium;">-Place potatoes in between meatballs and put peppers on top, all still in sun shape. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: large;">-Pour tomato sauce on top of meatballs and vegetables. The sauce should barely cover the meatballs and vegetables. If it doesn't, add a little bit more boiling water. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: large;">-Bake in the middle rack of the oven at 380 F for 40-45 minutes, enough time for potatoes to cook.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: large;">-Serve with rice or crusty bread and yogurt. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: medium;">Bon appétit! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: medium;"> </span><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://mostly almost turkish recipes/www.almostturkish.blogspot.com/atom.php</div>Burcuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03291775178560434313noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32011247.post-59135591579661993022023-09-18T17:34:00.007-07:002023-09-18T17:35:21.021-07:00Greens and Grains (Yeşil Yapraklılar ve Tahıllar) <div style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXGLnlUVrwM02YirLe1PTHsRNl5l4zPJ2BWUI9Tnq1TPAQ7S9CxbIM_s49vMaSHHAjLVziuzJRoCQ9VxsB_GeioxTFATnuvY5B6Z9Pb8WoebdtnbaUbuk52rg6xlUfPy6gKVqGdCvfRz39KkF9-j8zW3ET3a6haALVAXNeAa37JtBaw03Ct_MS/s4032/IMG_9176.jpeg" style="clear: left; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXGLnlUVrwM02YirLe1PTHsRNl5l4zPJ2BWUI9Tnq1TPAQ7S9CxbIM_s49vMaSHHAjLVziuzJRoCQ9VxsB_GeioxTFATnuvY5B6Z9Pb8WoebdtnbaUbuk52rg6xlUfPy6gKVqGdCvfRz39KkF9-j8zW3ET3a6haALVAXNeAa37JtBaw03Ct_MS/w480-h640/IMG_9176.jpeg" width="480" /><br /></a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span>We're transforming a Turkish classic: </span>In Turkey, a traditional winter favorite is <a href="https://www.almostturkishrecipes.com/2006/08/spinach-with-yogurt-yourtlu-ispanak.html" target="_blank">spinach</a> cooked with onions, peppers, or tomato paste, and served with rice alongside a dollop of creamy yogurt. However, since I moved to the United States, I've taken this beloved dish and given it a twist by incorporating a variety of greens and grains. I now experiment with spinach, chard, beet greens (of course I keep my beet greens), kale, and even collard greens, pairing them with bulgur, quinoa, wheat berries, buckwheat, and more. The result? A delightful medley of flavors and textures that can be enjoyed for lunch or dinner, and it is vegan. <br /><span> <br /></span><span>Sometimes, I venture to the local farmers' market to pick the freshest greens available, but on other occasions, the convenience of a 1.5 lb bag of power greens or baby spinach from Costco comes to the rescue, allowing me to whip up a delicious meal in just 30 minutes. The possibilities are endless—select your preferred combination of greens and grains and give it a try. Whether you opt for a plain or garlicky yogurt accompaniment, you're in for a green treat.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> <br /></span></span><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">(For the dish in the picture I used Costco power greens and coarse bulgur.)<br />1-1.5 lb greens of your choice<br />1/4 cup of grain of your choice<br />1 biggish onion, finely chopped<br />3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped<br />4 tbsp olive oil<br />1 tbsp tomato or hot pepper paste<br />salt/pepper/red pepper flakes<br />1/2 cup hot water<br /><i>optional<br /></i>1/4 to 1/3 cup chopped fresh pepper (I love using sweet Italian red peppers but just like anything else, you can choose yours) <br />And yogurt for serving<br /><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">-Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for 6-7 minutes until they become translucent and tender, but not browned.<br />-If you're using bell peppers, add them to the pot along with the minced garlic. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.<br />-Stir in the tomato or pepper paste and cook for an additional 1 minute to enhance the flavors.<br />-Begin adding the greens in small batches, allowing each batch to wilt before adding more. Stir continuously for about 10 minutes until the greens darken in color and become tender.<br />-Add your chosen grain to the pot and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes. (Avoid using brown rice due to its longer cooking time; if you must, use pre-cooked brown rice.)<br />-Pour in the hot water and season with salt and black pepper to your taste. If you like a bit of heat, don't hesitate to sprinkle in some red pepper flakes.<br />-Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let the mixture simmer for approximately 20-25 minutes, or until the grain is cooked and has absorbed most of the liquid.<br />-Serve your delicious greens and grains dish with a side of yogurt. While I personally love mixing the cooked greens with yogurt, some enjoy it plain.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> <br /></span> </span></p></div><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://mostly almost turkish recipes/www.almostturkish.blogspot.com/atom.php</div>Burcuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03291775178560434313noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32011247.post-72035132797481938602023-08-11T17:55:00.002-07:002023-08-11T18:05:36.994-07:00Crispy Okra (Çıtır Bamya Mezesi) <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwWM73QQRzZNdywGJyn4kV1MEqVpOKDEhrqHuDRmmg_Auw-yZnCyLoCvDSaReiCrlHvNC60hSG5gBtkQozqTyDR9-EWl0V67ms5etxyMMaCBl5tyGAgKUJb1m9axaIlsRfJgxkU6kd87Ty2kFyUzZst9VEWNcTRV8RDQ2WZVPqjIsZQaLpUy4E/s4032/IMG_8914.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwWM73QQRzZNdywGJyn4kV1MEqVpOKDEhrqHuDRmmg_Auw-yZnCyLoCvDSaReiCrlHvNC60hSG5gBtkQozqTyDR9-EWl0V67ms5etxyMMaCBl5tyGAgKUJb1m9axaIlsRfJgxkU6kd87Ty2kFyUzZst9VEWNcTRV8RDQ2WZVPqjIsZQaLpUy4E/w480-h640/IMG_8914.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>Years and years ago when we moved to the south for a couple of years, I decided to give fried okra a chance, despite it being my least favorite vegetable. To my surprise it turned out to be a rather enlightening moment. I discovered when prepared this way okra becomes quite palatable and even makes for an excellent meze. Through some experimentation, I found that crispy okra, especially when served on garlicy yogurt, is the best. <p></p><p>Nothing is set in stone here. Feel free to adjust any of the ingredients to your liking or based on your needs. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiipMRbYhvsJdv5Iu1rbMkD48ivNZcamefTOxQedFjKxz1h83RPvWlCnFMJipMMKFDETeSV3h2kNCZqvbM-YUE2ZrllQdhjjwzpz-myJ_NIhPXjyjaAUn2dPnFvMCKiDPwVn1xJwiVbSEyxn8y1lEwQy8bfgUYPVTn5uy4A8FJJu8kLAW7qnhtb/s4032/IMG_8907.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiipMRbYhvsJdv5Iu1rbMkD48ivNZcamefTOxQedFjKxz1h83RPvWlCnFMJipMMKFDETeSV3h2kNCZqvbM-YUE2ZrllQdhjjwzpz-myJ_NIhPXjyjaAUn2dPnFvMCKiDPwVn1xJwiVbSEyxn8y1lEwQy8bfgUYPVTn5uy4A8FJJu8kLAW7qnhtb/w480-h640/IMG_8907.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p>~1/2 lb or less fresh okra pods, sliced</p><p>1-2 tbsp olive oil</p><p>~3 tbsp cornmeal</p><p>1 cup yogurt</p><p>1 clove of garlic, minced</p><p>optional: 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped</p><p>1 tbsp olive oil + 1 tsp paprika or crushed hot pepper flakes</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOEiS-OdDqRsFeyOJlIGQZnmpu9CC7FXsdXfcc_XKJZ7TjMyFgp-sw-E8Nxpz5F5HusMRK89AHh3rwpRxg1Fz1s-pTHDraRfRPMbGuE0vWYddOJvYhsN-OEAyi_Z_avwfv8NtCJS2y2e1t2t5-sAQFpOMi93CQOalODXbg3h8XdAMqneIvDFAQ/s4032/IMG_8911.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOEiS-OdDqRsFeyOJlIGQZnmpu9CC7FXsdXfcc_XKJZ7TjMyFgp-sw-E8Nxpz5F5HusMRK89AHh3rwpRxg1Fz1s-pTHDraRfRPMbGuE0vWYddOJvYhsN-OEAyi_Z_avwfv8NtCJS2y2e1t2t5-sAQFpOMi93CQOalODXbg3h8XdAMqneIvDFAQ/w480-h640/IMG_8911.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>-Coat the sliced okras with olive oil in a bowl. Once they're coated, add cornmeal and coat them with cornmeal as well.<div>-Arrange the sliced okras in a single layer on a parchment lined baking tray and bake at 430F preheated oven for ~20 minutes or until crispy. </div><div>-Mix one cup of yogurt with one clove of minced garlic and a dash of salt. Cover the bottom of a plate with yogurt. Top it with crispy okras. </div><div>-In a small frying pan, heat 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add either paprika or, if you want spicy, crushed pepper flakes. Drizzle it on top of okras and yogurt.</div><div>_Sprinkle some fresh dill and serve. </div><div><br /></div><div>Bon appétit! </div><div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://mostly almost turkish recipes/www.almostturkish.blogspot.com/atom.php</div>Burcuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03291775178560434313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32011247.post-65087752034348993142023-08-06T13:16:00.002-07:002023-08-06T13:16:41.880-07:00Cretan Style Zucchini Ribbons with Rice (Girit Usulü Kabak Sıyırma) <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk_lAJAtET-lgucHxsxcUAw-pe0_RGYjxArbD5pDkDNZ8aiJ3MTaS-ImB_s8UZ234RbClxylQnsu_7r3xGG0DLxZWEYj2jyd3a4OG6FTGY8B8hJvnXk2uXPurFgQvN3b1i_sKPxkaeuNPVLFhQec9NReV36s_hZ4zYu87Qdq07LDwyIninb7Av/s4032/6A5EFE53-AFEE-40DA-979D-B833D58E9E02_1_201_a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk_lAJAtET-lgucHxsxcUAw-pe0_RGYjxArbD5pDkDNZ8aiJ3MTaS-ImB_s8UZ234RbClxylQnsu_7r3xGG0DLxZWEYj2jyd3a4OG6FTGY8B8hJvnXk2uXPurFgQvN3b1i_sKPxkaeuNPVLFhQec9NReV36s_hZ4zYu87Qdq07LDwyIninb7Av/w480-h640/6A5EFE53-AFEE-40DA-979D-B833D58E9E02_1_201_a.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>This Cretan style zucchini dish/meze is an absolute summer favorite. Cretans create magic with zucchinis and this one is no exception. <p></p><p>3 medium sized zucchinis, peeled and ribboned. Do not ribbon the soft, seedy inside, just the firm flesh. Save the seedy cores for <a href="https://www.almostturkishrecipes.com/2019/08/oven-baked-zucchini-fritters-frnda.html" target="_blank">mucver</a> (we don't want the skin since it might have a different cooking time compared to the flesh of the zucchini) </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQfGXn6kgYZ1Kzhvpf0mACCNap6B8au4QZAv0fII2GDRqs9kpsg4FrO79nbZXPJ_0ywFsTfLQSqSzJVQRHutQMkVThDwD02RTJBCnK2cSrNC-ZrlO39Y7phgodvUFArNo9wFRTG6LPKMzkvBbAjOWoBke02ryYTR5F-2Je9zsgEOSJ-4SNXuIs/s4032/A21A6963-A003-4F70-B95E-A7DC880F027F_1_201_a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQfGXn6kgYZ1Kzhvpf0mACCNap6B8au4QZAv0fII2GDRqs9kpsg4FrO79nbZXPJ_0ywFsTfLQSqSzJVQRHutQMkVThDwD02RTJBCnK2cSrNC-ZrlO39Y7phgodvUFArNo9wFRTG6LPKMzkvBbAjOWoBke02ryYTR5F-2Je9zsgEOSJ-4SNXuIs/w480-h640/A21A6963-A003-4F70-B95E-A7DC880F027F_1_201_a.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p>1/4 cup baldo, arborio, if not jasmine rice, soaked in hot water for at least 20 minutes</p><p>3-4 green onions, finely chopped</p><p>3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced</p><p>~1/4 cup fresh dill, finely chopped</p><p>~1/4 or less fresh mint, finely chopped</p><p>1/2 cup olive oil </p><p>juice of one lemon</p><p>salt</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqssvp9LJoSpyaZSL_WFjr7XZ8BspHW3MtoZLeYmW5tMDleb0B7xQt_gvVFMOky15w4mne1WFK_eEXUu9AlUeM2R6pcNWakzhWU5gT4BKk0vb8lzvYKvoZ1iwyuOQXAEhvrLLX7AX5nPQt-eHXK3SA86oNzGv-my8I_5Rz_EECqM08dOclIpph/s4032/5E1FBFD9-A794-405F-951B-420990329842_1_201_a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqssvp9LJoSpyaZSL_WFjr7XZ8BspHW3MtoZLeYmW5tMDleb0B7xQt_gvVFMOky15w4mne1WFK_eEXUu9AlUeM2R6pcNWakzhWU5gT4BKk0vb8lzvYKvoZ1iwyuOQXAEhvrLLX7AX5nPQt-eHXK3SA86oNzGv-my8I_5Rz_EECqM08dOclIpph/w480-h640/5E1FBFD9-A794-405F-951B-420990329842_1_201_a.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><p> -Put 1/4 cup of rice i hot water to soak.</p><p>-Peel and ribbon the zucchini. Sprinkle some salt on top and leave to rest. </p><p>-In a pot heat the half of the olive oil, ~1/4 cup, and add the green onions. Cook for 2-3 minutes.</p><p>-Rinse the rice after at least 20 minutes in hot water, and add to the pot. </p><p>It is important to soak the rice in hot water, DO NOT skip this step. We need to cut the cooking time for rice so the zucchini doesn't melt away while rice is cooking. </p><p>-Add garlic with the rice. </p><p>-Cook for 3 minutes stirring constantly. </p><p>-Add 1/2 cup of water and let cook covered on low to medium for ~10 minutes. Check every now and then for water. </p><p>-After 10 minutes, the rice should be half way cooked. Add zucchini ribbons, lemon juice and some salt. Stir and cook for another 10 minutes covered. No extra water needed since the zucchini will release some of its own.</p><p>-After ten minutes the both the rice and zucchini will be cooked. We don't want zucchini to be too soft. </p><p>-Turn it off, add half of dill and mint, stir and let it cool down to room temperature. </p><p>-Serve it on a wide round or oval dish. Pour the rest of the olive oil on top and sprinkle the rest of the fresh herbes. Salt to your taste. It is good at room temperature or cold. It is a great dish for hot summer days but also an excellent meze/side. You can enjoy it with a slice o f good bread or with cold yogurt. Bon appétit! </p><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://mostly almost turkish recipes/www.almostturkish.blogspot.com/atom.php</div>Burcuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03291775178560434313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32011247.post-84215292274129767502023-05-19T15:58:00.000-07:002023-05-19T18:28:44.548-07:00Chicken Kebab Marinade (Tavuk Şiş Sosu)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY5cGEWR63bEgGAlY-sD4KQVzqMJ2R4CjbPPlmaQ_mgqmZjhpnM3NUB11VmnK8THtn6CBp87dfYRj4W1_YglyNXnUQxuJYmvB_jubrjlDfcuxX4yiypc7v5reE63vc-lRc17rQ/s2048/5273B98F-CCF9-44AF-8380-F70B49905492_1_201_a.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY5cGEWR63bEgGAlY-sD4KQVzqMJ2R4CjbPPlmaQ_mgqmZjhpnM3NUB11VmnK8THtn6CBp87dfYRj4W1_YglyNXnUQxuJYmvB_jubrjlDfcuxX4yiypc7v5reE63vc-lRc17rQ/w480-h640/5273B98F-CCF9-44AF-8380-F70B49905492_1_201_a.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>This is a classic <i>tavukçu </i>marinade<i> </i>i.e. grilled chicken restaurant marinade and it is both adult and kid favorite in our house. <p></p><div>You can use any part of chicken, but I do love thighs for grilling. Cut the chicken thighs into 1-2 inch-ish cubes and marinade for at least two hours or preferably overnight, and then put them on skewers for grilling. However, if you're strained for time you can also pan-fry them. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPQXvV_e3Miq2zpgDbBNyLLOY9_jSGX7JMY8F0sFStyihPQp4k-u4o7k_rfvSUIQ1iLl2G6JY3pvtWBDAbQ9wTGtw4ojblLyiTuLyMRBCFHjWcG4znI_5RgIbTBX04E6nkDfMI/s2048/BB0EF41B-FDB9-4087-9282-18FC45BF10B9_1_201_a.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPQXvV_e3Miq2zpgDbBNyLLOY9_jSGX7JMY8F0sFStyihPQp4k-u4o7k_rfvSUIQ1iLl2G6JY3pvtWBDAbQ9wTGtw4ojblLyiTuLyMRBCFHjWcG4znI_5RgIbTBX04E6nkDfMI/w480-h640/BB0EF41B-FDB9-4087-9282-18FC45BF10B9_1_201_a.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><i>This marinade is for ~1lb chicken</i></div><div>1/2 cup plain yogurt</div><div>2-3 cloves of garlic, minced</div><div>2 tbsp olive oil</div><div>1 tbsp tomato paste</div><div>1 tsp salt</div><div>1 tsp sweet paprika</div><div>1/2 tsp black pepper</div><div>1/2 tsp dried oregano </div><div>1/2 tsp cumin</div><div>1/2 tsp turmeric</div><div>juice of half a lemon or lime</div><div><br /></div><div>optional for grilling: 2 onions, tomatoes, peppers chopped in ~1 inch pieces (as big as your chicken pieces)</div><div>-Chop chicken pieces and rub them well with lemon/lime juice.</div><div>-In a bowl mix all the ingredients and mix well.</div><div>-Add chicken pieces and coat them well with the sauce.</div><div>-Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours. </div><div>-Thread the chicken pieces on the skewers. Alternate chicken pieces with onion, tomato, and/or pepper pieces for extra deliciousness. </div><div>-Grill them for ~10 minutes by turning them around. Grilling time would vary based on different grills and the size of chicken pieces. Just don't overcook and dry them out. </div><div>If you don't have a grill, you can also bake these skewers in the oven at 400-420F or broil them. </div><div>-Eat with rice, on its own, or wrapped in warmed flat bread/tortilla or a sandwich bread. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://mostly almost turkish recipes/www.almostturkish.blogspot.com/atom.php</div>Burcuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03291775178560434313noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32011247.post-6734624868044927252022-06-20T16:43:00.002-07:002022-06-20T17:03:49.173-07:00Grilled Branzino (Mangalda Levrek)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpGOox2sPb5C0fgzfB-NSvf-y0lP5G_9DLReB26YdS4O2ZWrV1tVulDmaFc8bTRP5Y4G4jMgDvE4FpNyqgq1Y1U6eG7P3UguVEd62CYH2_ksTfsWqFJRQ9MDbY2LYx2Ypobm9vKC5nmfEdm0OvIrLhIYgRrIJ7OTe4wLvGBxAYyLwmpfhZ6w/s4032/2524AEF3-7DE2-40B5-B664-DBDC3E1AE922_1_201_a.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpGOox2sPb5C0fgzfB-NSvf-y0lP5G_9DLReB26YdS4O2ZWrV1tVulDmaFc8bTRP5Y4G4jMgDvE4FpNyqgq1Y1U6eG7P3UguVEd62CYH2_ksTfsWqFJRQ9MDbY2LYx2Ypobm9vKC5nmfEdm0OvIrLhIYgRrIJ7OTe4wLvGBxAYyLwmpfhZ6w/w480-h640/2524AEF3-7DE2-40B5-B664-DBDC3E1AE922_1_201_a.jpeg" width="480" /></a>Branzino or European sea bass is one of my favorite fish and until recently it was hard to come by in US. Nowadays, not only staple places for European seafood like Whole Foods, but also Trader Joe's sells branzino fillets. However, branzino has an amazing flavor when cooked on the bone. I get them as a whole from Costco. This is a simple and quite delicious way to grill branzino. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">However many branzinos you need head and tail on (the cheeks and tail, my favorite), scaled and gutted</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 small onion, thinly sliced</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 lemon, sliced</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 bay leaves per fish</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">salt & pepper</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">olive oil</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNconPdSB09laCxKA7G59i2MmAo2WuOxjZ11FEu74UKBGerDmwp1nz3YcU102u8p5pUcicbozice43V69SgM42-02E3I1_sVyScaOcBMPitDaDUrCmpyjLmWX-QS1YGM8_b-wFes2lQW4W6DlQVkKSJB2pxTuCOsIq2VlQS7VkQpdraWnQkg/s4032/F6C32E2D-52C3-472D-9161-2FD176B85240_1_201_a.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2229" data-original-width="4032" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNconPdSB09laCxKA7G59i2MmAo2WuOxjZ11FEu74UKBGerDmwp1nz3YcU102u8p5pUcicbozice43V69SgM42-02E3I1_sVyScaOcBMPitDaDUrCmpyjLmWX-QS1YGM8_b-wFes2lQW4W6DlQVkKSJB2pxTuCOsIq2VlQS7VkQpdraWnQkg/w400-h221/F6C32E2D-52C3-472D-9161-2FD176B85240_1_201_a.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">-First things first, start your grill. You will cook the branzino(s) on high.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">-Rub the fish cavity and the outside of the branzino with olive oil, a good one. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">-Generously season the cavity and the outside of the fish with salt and pepper.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">-Stuff the cavity with onion and lemon slices and bay leaves.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">-Place the stuffed branzino on the heated grill split side facing you. This way it'll be easier to flip it over without losing the stuffing. (If you feel uncomfortable about flipping a stuffed fish, the first time around you can tie it with an unbleached kitchen twine. You'll get a hang of it fast)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">-Cover and cook for at least 7 minutes. Don't peek, don't poke. Sip your beer. After 7 minutes try with the spatula to flip the fish, if it resists it is not ready. Let cook for another minutes. The fish will tell you when it's time, when it's not sticky anymore. Do NOT force it. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">-Once you flip it, cook for another 7-8 minutes, and that's it. The branzino, which must be smelling delicious by then, is ready. Serve right away with a green salad and maybe some crusty baguette. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">-Discard the stuffing and dig in. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHud7VYpvk3aAbC63MwZZf5BybLqISxTNZbu75bLto10d3PzWE6818YdSWzCQWrMhPEwxGTXDCkSUNtk5lBwJ7JpEXWs1m2pR3OcbbS5njj6tHWOG_IcX4Bz5YvkommpHsxpkeAQD6I7o4PLp4oJRKiJCEMrlZf_jxD0BndFdVjKzToB_g1g/s4032/CB309CE5-FDAE-49C7-B5EA-A27AEDC3AF07_1_201_a.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHud7VYpvk3aAbC63MwZZf5BybLqISxTNZbu75bLto10d3PzWE6818YdSWzCQWrMhPEwxGTXDCkSUNtk5lBwJ7JpEXWs1m2pR3OcbbS5njj6tHWOG_IcX4Bz5YvkommpHsxpkeAQD6I7o4PLp4oJRKiJCEMrlZf_jxD0BndFdVjKzToB_g1g/w480-h640/CB309CE5-FDAE-49C7-B5EA-A27AEDC3AF07_1_201_a.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://mostly almost turkish recipes/www.almostturkish.blogspot.com/atom.php</div>Burcuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03291775178560434313noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32011247.post-77314042592447977042022-06-12T07:35:00.000-07:002022-06-12T07:35:11.077-07:00Purple Basil-ade (Reyhan-ata/ Reyhan Şerbeti)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHzWMif4PD3ZWm9ySMPE8hbx3nvbB63dekr_-MQcPJ0sPjJxHJNb4LpwS4Ug9WLKTnuxOvM1qJQRW-mKeEUP1Lm-1Bzeuh5HpS37HlQq8CgeaSS6j0Jg9ToUJGv0ZI6qKkgbcM8OU4iGZl3haWdObbFK8wC2uW2VYV-XOOysWVpxNf2HlJgw/s4032/9EF76C40-187F-4461-9692-6005BC6150C2_1_201_a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHzWMif4PD3ZWm9ySMPE8hbx3nvbB63dekr_-MQcPJ0sPjJxHJNb4LpwS4Ug9WLKTnuxOvM1qJQRW-mKeEUP1Lm-1Bzeuh5HpS37HlQq8CgeaSS6j0Jg9ToUJGv0ZI6qKkgbcM8OU4iGZl3haWdObbFK8wC2uW2VYV-XOOysWVpxNf2HlJgw/w480-h640/9EF76C40-187F-4461-9692-6005BC6150C2_1_201_a.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>Purple basil-ade, or basil sherbet as they call it in Turkey, is a very old recipe that has become popular in the last couple of years. The way it is served is quite sweet for my taste so here's my recipe for a sugar-free purple basil-ade.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJAVt1CnDu8ZeUdQHAjEUxBKBB_o9jV4Qa1vHVJniphaudQgmpydADbiiUVha4K1Q3x9co3fNmVy8LDEkboLRos9zvPsWnpL3SWuhdi3F8xeZz91eSuhSvc7HgRs0ATLyfDft3Coglfqi1Zn1bKvIo1BNOma49RFnLCYFiyFzxhb69DRrrNQ/s4032/F241A68F-C6B5-4E0B-A6C0-686EDEBA1B42_1_201_a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJAVt1CnDu8ZeUdQHAjEUxBKBB_o9jV4Qa1vHVJniphaudQgmpydADbiiUVha4K1Q3x9co3fNmVy8LDEkboLRos9zvPsWnpL3SWuhdi3F8xeZz91eSuhSvc7HgRs0ATLyfDft3Coglfqi1Zn1bKvIo1BNOma49RFnLCYFiyFzxhb69DRrrNQ/w480-h640/F241A68F-C6B5-4E0B-A6C0-686EDEBA1B42_1_201_a.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>1 bunch purple basil</p><p>1/2 lemon </p><p>2 liters boiling water</p><p><i>optional</i></p><p>1-2 cinnamon sticks</p><p>4-6 cloves</p><p>1/2 cup sugar or any sugar substitute you want to use</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgazievVT8JT-Vrav23LATnQQgVQTbUT3q1_EPVAEdnbxvCrCgKMPUrtBJX_AyFjIlQ-6mwjMOpZcQgMUa9N9Z-WhzrF0r5jbVc40rNBGl7TaU7HYVVvlZvnQw0ckaI2bwgA5BlYHLI_1LSc5WNSvR0eJCMi8V3GueE6naVmCAosu1tzjpRzA/s4032/4BAE5B5D-38AA-41DA-A790-47A23662A0AB_1_201_a.heic" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgazievVT8JT-Vrav23LATnQQgVQTbUT3q1_EPVAEdnbxvCrCgKMPUrtBJX_AyFjIlQ-6mwjMOpZcQgMUa9N9Z-WhzrF0r5jbVc40rNBGl7TaU7HYVVvlZvnQw0ckaI2bwgA5BlYHLI_1LSc5WNSvR0eJCMi8V3GueE6naVmCAosu1tzjpRzA/w480-h640/4BAE5B5D-38AA-41DA-A790-47A23662A0AB_1_201_a.heic" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>-Wash the purple basil leaves and put in a jar or a pitcher</p><p>-Squeeze the lemon on top and crush/knead the leaves with lemon juice to extract the utmost color.</p><p>-Pour the boiling water on top and let it cool down overnight, uncovered. If you want a sweet sherbet, add the sugar with water and stir. If you want a sugar-free one, adding cinnamon sticks gives it a slight sweetness, which I prefer to sugar. </p><p>-That's it. Your basilade is ready. Serve it cold.</p><p>Note: If you make the basil drink more intense with less water, it becomes an excellent base for summer cocktails! </p><p><br /></p><p> </p><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://mostly almost turkish recipes/www.almostturkish.blogspot.com/atom.php</div>Burcuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03291775178560434313noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32011247.post-82683115281608280752022-06-09T22:10:00.005-07:002023-02-03T15:38:24.954-08:00Haydari Yogurt Dip/Side<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwbFWkU8gaKM8MShdIlr0CM5UdGSbKTP-S3gKeilsJPPN8MSWl8LnQzIROKWZVBFp5H3cwt4Aikf78Mse2IGPhu9WEpkxItUY7njojn4x2m4k2NVi0dLZd4xeZj8Jrfa6Bxo9C-0RNNWBqud5P5PnDz2SWpaHfIclkrZlhFjNfZzLXcfMTlw/s4032/IMG_3238.heic" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwbFWkU8gaKM8MShdIlr0CM5UdGSbKTP-S3gKeilsJPPN8MSWl8LnQzIROKWZVBFp5H3cwt4Aikf78Mse2IGPhu9WEpkxItUY7njojn4x2m4k2NVi0dLZd4xeZj8Jrfa6Bxo9C-0RNNWBqud5P5PnDz2SWpaHfIclkrZlhFjNfZzLXcfMTlw/w480-h640/IMG_3238.heic" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p>Haydari, a sine qua non for rakı tables, is a perfect summer side dish or dip. It is great with grilled meat or on toasted bread. Traditionally it's made by mixing strained/Greek yogurt and white cheese--although some try to skip the cheese, we all know that it ain't haydari if there's no cheese. </p><div style="text-align: left;">~2 cup strained or Greek yogurt (in Turkey it's always whole milk yogurt, but non-fat is also fine)</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/2 cup Turkish or Bulgarian white cheese. If you cannot find them, use feta. </div><div style="text-align: left;">1 clove of garlic, minced</div><div style="text-align: left;">2-3 tsp dry mint leaves </div><div style="text-align: left;">1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped</div><div style="text-align: left;">2 tbsp butter</div><div style="text-align: left;">2 tbsp olive oil</div><div style="text-align: left;">salt</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">-With a mortar and pestle mash the white cheese to a smooth texture. You can use the back of a fork as well but make sure there are absolutely no lumps left. </div><div style="text-align: left;">-Mix the cheese and yogurt, and half of the fresh dill, and salt in a bowl. The amount of salt depends on the saltiness of the cheese. Adjust to your taste. </div><div style="text-align: left;">-In a small pan heat 2 tbsp butter,1 tbsp olive oil, and garlic. </div><div style="text-align: left;">-When the butter starts bubbling. Turn the heat off and add the dry mint. Set aside to cool down to room temperature. </div><div style="text-align: left;">-Once the butter cools down, mix it into the yogurt. Mix it really well.</div><div style="text-align: left;">!!!Once you mix the butter into the yogurt, haydari should never go into the fridge, should stay out at room temperature.!!!</div><div style="text-align: left;">-Serving: Haydari is best served on an oval or rectangle serving plate. Lay it evenly on the plate and then make dents with the side edge of the scoop for olive oil that we'll use to decorate to stay on, as in the picture. </div><div style="text-align: left;">-Drizzle the remaining olive oil and sprinkle the rest of the fresh dill.</div><div style="text-align: left;">Bon appétit!</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://mostly almost turkish recipes/www.almostturkish.blogspot.com/atom.php</div>Burcuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03291775178560434313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32011247.post-3690569419236388062021-08-24T16:27:00.003-07:002021-08-24T16:27:52.339-07:00Sour Meatballs or Meatballs in Egg and Lemon Sauce (Ekşili Köfte)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxeKbVDI1SfyOYXF6IOkV3YBldnQDTH6p_N7qqV0HAiqQbyyVbtZ2FZYmUmEh_sSYolfVYDzRd5ezMlTmK5LJNI1B5BHxR3alJdQLD3aE9skhFrvKO_c-ugWeKiluKGOdw5YPB/s2048/4241EB37-83F6-469F-91C2-7BAD163631C5_1_201_a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxeKbVDI1SfyOYXF6IOkV3YBldnQDTH6p_N7qqV0HAiqQbyyVbtZ2FZYmUmEh_sSYolfVYDzRd5ezMlTmK5LJNI1B5BHxR3alJdQLD3aE9skhFrvKO_c-ugWeKiluKGOdw5YPB/w480-h640/4241EB37-83F6-469F-91C2-7BAD163631C5_1_201_a.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /> <i>Ekşili Köfte, </i>a very popular meatball dish cherished by kids and adults alike has differing variations in different parts of Turkey; in some parts tomato or pepper paste is used; in some small diced vegetables; and in some eggs are completely left out. This version is from the Northwestern / Western part of Turkey.<p></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN-K9mRgQUloq27l0qEMFI3uroh9m9uUusSfnla9u2lCXb5fY4C9I6EBkd1_oyWNQL9pyKPXbxF0TaB1xvf4UI4I6EZeXvrHgXiwVBvN229RSr9he06UTS-IXE5VaZaJXqOlKb/s2048/1052BD2F-B2C1-4084-8B03-0039031CED7E_1_201_a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN-K9mRgQUloq27l0qEMFI3uroh9m9uUusSfnla9u2lCXb5fY4C9I6EBkd1_oyWNQL9pyKPXbxF0TaB1xvf4UI4I6EZeXvrHgXiwVBvN229RSr9he06UTS-IXE5VaZaJXqOlKb/w480-h640/1052BD2F-B2C1-4084-8B03-0039031CED7E_1_201_a.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p>1 lb ground beef</p><p>1 small onion, grated</p><p>1/3 cup + 2 tbsp white rice</p><p>1/4 or 1/3 cup very finely chopped parsley</p><p>1/4 or 1/3 cup very finely chopped fresh dill</p><p>1 egg, white and yolk separated</p><p>1 tsp or more black pepper</p><p>salt </p><p>3 tbsp flour</p><p>4 tbsp olive oil</p><p>juice of 2 lemons</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgld96ItV_I6loxp-O7LvARPSct0yHW2_clV6jxB4TOw828bbeaGeFc_7mkKHpRwzdxE4HulyujCcVkT-q10kburL2w7e6q8QGnT4vfbVFhcRSF_-2YnDqv9wkYDsgWdQoBf5xm/s2048/EACF29AB-8103-4FAD-9AEE-CF7F76B9AED1_1_201_a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1549" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgld96ItV_I6loxp-O7LvARPSct0yHW2_clV6jxB4TOw828bbeaGeFc_7mkKHpRwzdxE4HulyujCcVkT-q10kburL2w7e6q8QGnT4vfbVFhcRSF_-2YnDqv9wkYDsgWdQoBf5xm/w484-h640/EACF29AB-8103-4FAD-9AEE-CF7F76B9AED1_1_201_a.jpeg" width="484" /></a></div><p>-Put ground meat, grated onion, parsley, fresh dill, 1/3 cup rice, white of the egg, black pepper, salt in a bowl and mix really well. </p><p>-Flour a tray.</p><p>-Make mini meatballs, quarter size, and place them on the tray.</p><p>-When all are on the tray, shake the tray back and forth or side to side to roll the meatballs to get covered in flour. This flour on them will make a nice crust and will make the "soup" part of the dish thick. </p><p>-Grab a wide bottom-ish pot and heat. Add the olive oil and once hot place the meatballs at the bottom. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM9JxQoLav_Sr-0MJG-LGzgIKjWaaI5-9WyV87nd9ELntlwEb49U0DavCqO_CNEm1uVDROvziA2PXMBb9contCs2Up7rw5xA_eoVWw_H9u7qhT8NeE0a6AGmRiTudhIwgQxcrI/s2048/C2E0C851-0565-4EF0-ACDD-B0737E5F22F2_1_201_a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM9JxQoLav_Sr-0MJG-LGzgIKjWaaI5-9WyV87nd9ELntlwEb49U0DavCqO_CNEm1uVDROvziA2PXMBb9contCs2Up7rw5xA_eoVWw_H9u7qhT8NeE0a6AGmRiTudhIwgQxcrI/w480-h640/C2E0C851-0565-4EF0-ACDD-B0737E5F22F2_1_201_a.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p>-Cook the meatballs until they have a nice crust on one side. </p><p>-Add half of the lemon juice, 4 cups of water, and 2 tbsp white rice, and a tad bit of salt, just to your taste.</p><p>-Simmer on low for 20 minutes. </p><p>-Mix egg yolk with the rest of the lemon juice in a bowl. Start taking little scoops of liquid or soup from the dish and mix with egg and lemon. We are trying to warm the egg slowly so that it won't curdle when we add it to the dish. Add 3-4 scoops of liquid, one at a time and mix the sauce after each time. </p><p>-Add the egg and lemon sauce to the dish, stir once and let simmer covered for another 15-20 minutes. </p><p>-Serve fresh dill or parsley, or with dry mint flakes on top, and crusty nice bread on the side. </p><p><br /></p><p>Tips: If you have picky kids or adults, you can skip the fresh herbes in the meatballs. If you want to add veggies, add diced carrots, potatoes, celery root and peas right after you add the water. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://mostly almost turkish recipes/www.almostturkish.blogspot.com/atom.php</div>Burcuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03291775178560434313noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32011247.post-73693189974604291472021-03-01T11:35:00.007-08:002023-05-22T08:55:05.059-07:00Savory Cornmeal Pancakes (Mısır Unlu Kaşık Dökmesi)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1d4AldBMPxgseWfGbiui2kpbiyp2ebLgyRs34FCTbItTiOwp-ymzk6a0sBdkSNrdQ2XHZqi50XpD_vLjmsDgFOF3iJOOycobT_HeluGRRsHQ_4J8IkPVH-ntPICtb2dhrt0zR/s2048/24EF3876-622A-43FE-A41E-7A49AB3BCE64_1_201_a.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1d4AldBMPxgseWfGbiui2kpbiyp2ebLgyRs34FCTbItTiOwp-ymzk6a0sBdkSNrdQ2XHZqi50XpD_vLjmsDgFOF3iJOOycobT_HeluGRRsHQ_4J8IkPVH-ntPICtb2dhrt0zR/w480-h640/24EF3876-622A-43FE-A41E-7A49AB3BCE64_1_201_a.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>I love corn in any form and these cornmeal savory pancakes are one of my favorite brunch or lunch specials.</p><p>2 cups of cornmeal / corn flour</p><p>2 eggs</p><p>1/2 cup yogurt</p><p>1 cup milk</p><p>2 tsp baking powder</p><p>1/4 cup olive oil</p><p>1 tsp salt</p><p>1/4 finely chopped herbs: parsley, dill, mint, or chives, pick one. </p><p>1/2 cup hard to melt cheese such as crumbled feta, small diced <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloumi" target="_blank">halloumi</a>, or <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulum_cheese" target="_blank">Turkish tulum goat cheese </a> (I use a mix of Syrian halloumi and Turkish tulum goat cheese) </p><p>1/2 pitted and chopped black olives </p><div style="text-align: left;">-Whisk eggs, milk, oil, and yogurt. <br />-Add cornmeal, baking powder, salt and mix.<br />-Add cheese, herbs, and olives and fold into the batter.<br />-Heat a nonstick pan over medium, slightly grease the pan and drop pancake batter with a spoon. These are similar to old-fashion pancakes, a bit thick. Cook for ~1-2 minutes, check bottom and flip. Cook for another minute. <br />-Serve with butter or some sort of spreadable cheese on top because there's no such thing as too much cheese. </div><p><br /></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://mostly almost turkish recipes/www.almostturkish.blogspot.com/atom.php</div>Burcuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03291775178560434313noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32011247.post-59730443819700797592021-02-16T15:00:00.000-08:002021-02-16T15:01:36.199-08:00Ground Meat Bread Rolls (Kıymalı Rulo)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWPS4orrU399o1ilz1NhZQwiri3k0N0L1f_u4sepuJiTCysqK_sIE43qK8COI-ExZBYIm_QKHcTY0bOPmZ7-GbpsxiGjeePl6NGmxl5jJIB-01Y-vpAxX-i3eeajzmVlqUbHJ_/s2048/CFCED774-669F-4C93-B3A9-F7CE1F892E90_1_201_a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWPS4orrU399o1ilz1NhZQwiri3k0N0L1f_u4sepuJiTCysqK_sIE43qK8COI-ExZBYIm_QKHcTY0bOPmZ7-GbpsxiGjeePl6NGmxl5jJIB-01Y-vpAxX-i3eeajzmVlqUbHJ_/w480-h640/CFCED774-669F-4C93-B3A9-F7CE1F892E90_1_201_a.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div></div><br /><br /><br /><br />A yeasty dough rolled with ground meat and walnuts and a dash of cinnamon is what we all need for afternoon tea. It takes a while to make regarding the yeast and the wait for the rise, but it is easy and delicious. You should definitely try this one!<br /><br />for the dough<br />1/2 cup lukewarm water<br />1 tsp yeast<br />1/2 tsp sugar<br />2-2 1/2 cup flour (or more)<br />1/2 cup milk<br />1/2 cup oil (olive oil, sun flower, whichever you feel comfortable with)<br />1 tsp salt<br />yolk of one egg (we'll use the to brush the dough, you can add the white into the dough)<br />black nigella seeds or sesame seeds<br /><br />the stuffing<br />3 tbsp oil<br />2 medium onions, finely chopped, ~1,5 cup<br />1/2 pound ground meat<br />1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped<br />1/2-1 tsp ground black pepper<br />1/4 tsp cinnamon<br />1/2 tsp cumin<br />1/2 tsp salt<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI4iHY127qjBEIbQ1CUFu5bQWAz4xKWX67pdNm2rU6ln9hAHCiBM7xwRC5zDLXJN_u9-iLKfhFctqrZXrRbKuyFAjx4YZxufy7Hy7hQGJTVw4fGm7n3Fu2L9gOIOozIL6aribZ/s2048/E3601159-1BFD-44BE-B036-12235245C22F_1_201_a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1603" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI4iHY127qjBEIbQ1CUFu5bQWAz4xKWX67pdNm2rU6ln9hAHCiBM7xwRC5zDLXJN_u9-iLKfhFctqrZXrRbKuyFAjx4YZxufy7Hy7hQGJTVw4fGm7n3Fu2L9gOIOozIL6aribZ/w500-h640/E3601159-1BFD-44BE-B036-12235245C22F_1_201_a.jpeg" width="500" /></a></div><br /><div>-Mix yeast, sugar, and water with a spoon in a bowl and let it dissolve for 15-20 minutes. Yeast will start to expand and bubble.<br />-In a pot on medium heat cook ground meat stirring constantly until it soaks its juice.<br />-Add 3 tbsp oil and onions to ground meat and stir until onion is cooked. Turn it off and add walnut, cumin, cinnamon, black pepper.<br />-Sift flour into the bowl of yeast. Add milk, oil, and salt. Add flour as necessary to make dough easy to handle. Dough should not stick to your hands.<br />-Let the dough sit in the bowl covered with a kitchen towel or whatever you use in a warmer place to rise twice its size, depending on the season and the warmth if your house this might take from 40 minutes to 2 hours.<br />-After it rises, divide the dough into two.<br />-With a little bit of oil and your hands make each piece into a 15 X 15 cm circle or a squarish circle. Don't worry it doesn't need to be a perfect shape.<br />-Place the half of the stuffing on your first circle-ish dough. Roll the dough like a cigarette without squeezing it too hard. Do the same for the second dough.<br />-Brush egg yolk on each roll and sprinkle black n'gella or sesame seeds or don't sprinkle anything.<br />-Bake at 375 F in a preheated oven for ~25 minutes or until golden brown like a loaf of bread.<br />-Let cool down for 10 minutes. MAke tea while waiting and dig in. Bon appetit!</div><div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://mostly almost turkish recipes/www.almostturkish.blogspot.com/atom.php</div>Burcuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03291775178560434313noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32011247.post-71853538750903355682021-02-11T08:13:00.000-08:002021-02-11T09:57:32.088-08:00Turkish Scrambled Eggs with Vegetables (Menemen)<br />
<span style="font-style: italic;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieUZJriIl9c9f7StHjyi2HCkhhhk6L_bNnmquRdMiPQmC3jXmnBx-_xQoykwQ6MJblGmRh98rIhP3TAAhefmizW57fjwBVdDvl2mASEyxHk6diGqiaFG4Mf3R2hwD6T41hGAdP/s2048/BAB9F8B9-9A8C-4F93-A290-B7B8C87C7149_1_201_a.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieUZJriIl9c9f7StHjyi2HCkhhhk6L_bNnmquRdMiPQmC3jXmnBx-_xQoykwQ6MJblGmRh98rIhP3TAAhefmizW57fjwBVdDvl2mASEyxHk6diGqiaFG4Mf3R2hwD6T41hGAdP/w480-h640/BAB9F8B9-9A8C-4F93-A290-B7B8C87C7149_1_201_a.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>Menemen, </span><span>Turkish style scrambled eggs,</span> is enjoyed both as breakfast or a wholesome meal. It is best in summer when sweet green chilis and juicy tomatoes are in abundance. Best part of <i>menemen</i> is whether you are a great cook or an aspiring one, you cannot go wrong with <span style="font-style: italic;">menemen</span>; the ingredients secure the taste. Must-have traditional ingredients for <span style="font-style: italic;">menemen</span> are eggs, tomato, peppers (preferably sweet green peppers), parsley, and the controversial "onion": People of Turkey are divided when it comes to having menemen with ot without onion. I am a lifelong member of the "no onion" camp. <div><br /></div><div>
Here's how I make <span style="font-style: italic;">menemen</span> for four:<br />
<br />
6 eggs, well-beaten<br />
4-5 juicy tomatoes, diced <br />4 fresh peppers, finely chopped (if you cannot find sweet green chilies, you sweet Italian peppers or shishitos, banana peppers or any pepper you like)</div><div>
1/2 bunch flat leaf parsley, finely chopped<br />
salt</div><div>1/3 cup feta/white cheese, diced fresh mozzarella, cottage cheese or any kind of cheese you want to try. <br />
1-2 tbsp oil or butter<br />
optional</div><div>2 tsp spicy pepper flakes<br />1 tsp black pepper</div><div><br /></div><div>If you must: 1 small onion, finely chopped </div><div><br />
Nothing is written in stone, so you can use more or less of anything above. <br />
<br />
-[If you would like to try menemen with onion, in a frying pan heat oil and add onion. Cook on medium until they're soft but not browned.] </div><div>-Add fresh peppers and cook 2-3 minutes.<br />
-Once they're cooked, add tomatoes and salt. Wait until tomatoes change color to a dark red and cook down a little. </div><div>-Stir in beaten eggs. Stir constantly.<br />
-Right before eggs are cooked, add your choice of cheese and chopped parsley.<br />
-Serve with bread.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://mostly almost turkish recipes/www.almostturkish.blogspot.com/atom.php</div>Burcuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03291775178560434313noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32011247.post-26575341758584642342021-02-08T20:28:00.004-08:002023-02-03T15:44:26.990-08:00Baked Chicken and Rice (Tavuklu Kapama)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWMLodr9f_PPFaeQv3OtLN8LINTC8YvRGrOAjdJczyJTlDwX8IITLkT9SB-4rQhU5AT12MAqnssJcjYwRG7M4-6s3fR_Bt-zDnEVRPRZUMvMgyMvU6ZHuiCaINPoQzi0FoHMi6/s2048/440B624D-431E-47B5-A5D5-AACDF5BFE813_1_201_a.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWMLodr9f_PPFaeQv3OtLN8LINTC8YvRGrOAjdJczyJTlDwX8IITLkT9SB-4rQhU5AT12MAqnssJcjYwRG7M4-6s3fR_Bt-zDnEVRPRZUMvMgyMvU6ZHuiCaINPoQzi0FoHMi6/w480-h640/440B624D-431E-47B5-A5D5-AACDF5BFE813_1_201_a.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /></div><p></p>For every eid/bayram one of my aunties used to make "the traditional" version of this dish, common among Balkan immigrants in Thrace, north western Turkey: lamb pieces cooked in white rice. In time lamb was replaced with chicken due to an increase in the number of picky children in the family, lamb does have a smell. I tried hard to avoid eating the dish with chicken, simply because it was blend and oh so uninteresting; white rice and slightly dry chicken. <div><br /></div><div>I started experimenting with it once the main cook of my favorite "esnaf lokantasi" (<a href="https://www.ft.com/content/59422788-5d3e-11ea-b0ab-339c2307bcd4?segmentid=acee4131-99c2-09d3-a635-873e61754ec6&fbclid=IwAR2hEwZdpVDQ9wcnlo16t4mFjmt3m5_0j2AZ38kyrUvLilm5iaPTCngx4i0" target="_blank">trademan's restaurant</a>) in Ankara shared his tips to keep the chicken moist and the dish interesting. I think I nailed it (even my picky 7 year old compliments me when I make this) and this version is absolutely delicious, but you can create your own switching rice with other grains or chicken with lamb. I like it also with bulgur or buckwheat, but this version is the kid favorite in our house. <br /><div><p><br /></p><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">6-8 chicken drumsticks (or any part you want) <br />1 bay leaf<br />3 cloves of garlic <br />1 tbsp peppercorns <br />some parsley<br />2 tbsp olive oil + 2 tbsp butter<br />1 onion, finely chopped ~1/2 cup <br />2 cups white rice <br />1 cup grated tomatoes <br />2 tomatoes, sliced in 4<br />~8 shishito peppers (or any kind you want)<br />1 tsp dried mint (optional)<br />salt & pepper<br />1 tbsp or more yogurt<br />1 tbsp tomato paste<br />1 tsp paprika </div><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihGIGbOi6oxEZ3ZYpimUfIaGoYD8GM2IviSNwz5jKpCr1zUlBLTl3cW5e6ektKQ2BCkEB114wOTHTYA0QMA0CWdk4ok6MXzbmd1GXSk3zZMoI5ADW4KIb7stIlCbXFAacpMYqa/s2048/DE0792ED-9C85-4705-8E56-EA53BC7C6706_1_201_a.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihGIGbOi6oxEZ3ZYpimUfIaGoYD8GM2IviSNwz5jKpCr1zUlBLTl3cW5e6ektKQ2BCkEB114wOTHTYA0QMA0CWdk4ok6MXzbmd1GXSk3zZMoI5ADW4KIb7stIlCbXFAacpMYqa/w480-h640/DE0792ED-9C85-4705-8E56-EA53BC7C6706_1_201_a.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>-Put chicken drumstick/pieces in a big pot cover with water 2 inches over. Add bay leaf, garlic cloves, peppercorn, parsley, and 1 tsp salt. Cook for 30-35 mins until chicken is cooked. Do not discard the water. Drain and save. </p><p>-In a wide bottom cast iron or steel pot (that can go in the oven) heat olive oil and butte<span style="font-family: inherit;">r. (the one in the picture is <span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">11.75" diameter, 2.13" deep)</span></span></p><p>-Add onions and cook until soft on medium, ~7-9 minutes.</p><p>-Add grated tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes.</p><p>-Add rice, stir for a couple of minutes, until it soaks the tomatoes. </p><p>-Add 4 cups of chicken stock that you saved. Add dried mint, salt and black pepper, and wait until it starts to boil.</p><p>-Once it starts bubbling, turn in off. Place drumsticks in any pattern you want.</p><p>-Place peppers and sliced tomatoes in between chicken pieces. </p><p>-Mix yogurt, tomato paste and paprika. Spread this mixture on drumsticks with a brush. This will help them have a nice color and keep them deliciously moist. </p><p>-Bake in a preheated oven at 380F for ~30 minutes, until rice absorbs all the water. </p><p>-Take out and let rest 5-10 minutes before serving. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> </p><p><br /></p></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://mostly almost turkish recipes/www.almostturkish.blogspot.com/atom.php</div>Burcuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03291775178560434313noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32011247.post-47657194417820577532021-02-05T13:40:00.001-08:002021-02-05T13:40:49.363-08:00Cheese and Olive Cake with Sesame Seeds (Susamlı, Peynirli ve Zeytinli Kek)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwYvWYqLfKRgpkLtHcHjJXrJyLJPRp1AfA1c2dzzyT5Ki3TY4gwzAzJADiBSUsTdm9E6xmz_cX0UaPbH3MTBvvCDG4z6cLmW_pgEF5156FAAsY_8GREieJzGcnaCbpgZasYZ_6/s2048/6743F3C1-B9B0-4980-87A3-06C6DEF903F2_1_201_a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwYvWYqLfKRgpkLtHcHjJXrJyLJPRp1AfA1c2dzzyT5Ki3TY4gwzAzJADiBSUsTdm9E6xmz_cX0UaPbH3MTBvvCDG4z6cLmW_pgEF5156FAAsY_8GREieJzGcnaCbpgZasYZ_6/w480-h640/6743F3C1-B9B0-4980-87A3-06C6DEF903F2_1_201_a.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p>This is my new homesickness and feel-good cake!</p><p>1 cup yogurt</p><p>3/4 cup olive or sunflower oil</p><p>3 eggs</p><p>2 1/2 cups flour</p><p>1 tsp baking powder</p><p>1 tsp salt</p><p>1 cup feta/white cheese</p><p>1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese</p><p>1 cup pitted and chopped black olives </p><p>1/2 or more chopped parsley</p><p>2-3 tbsp sesame seeds</p><p>2-3 tbsp nigella seeds </p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivrMvQhZAD57GbJ_ijVx8WyMkjRPEDFlNrZVLSUq_c6GD_YWC_KBY_sCJzu9XwYwDyyatPMERlIlwbGhsYSZUBpO-r6kyCp0fd0q2Ttd7kSDRE7Y0IkPWzs_7nZmayhr9U9Y9o/s2048/15BF5222-0670-4F7D-AC3D-E5ECC271C564_1_201_a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivrMvQhZAD57GbJ_ijVx8WyMkjRPEDFlNrZVLSUq_c6GD_YWC_KBY_sCJzu9XwYwDyyatPMERlIlwbGhsYSZUBpO-r6kyCp0fd0q2Ttd7kSDRE7Y0IkPWzs_7nZmayhr9U9Y9o/w480-h640/15BF5222-0670-4F7D-AC3D-E5ECC271C564_1_201_a.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>-Whisk eggs, oil and yogurt together.</p><p>-Add in 2 or 3 parts flour along with salt and baking powder. Mix and make sure there are no lumps left.</p><p>-Fold in feta/white cheese, parsley, olives, and half of mozzarella cheese. </p><p>-Pour the batter in a greased or lined 9 inch cake pan or a square one. </p><p>-Sprinkle the rest of the mozzarella on top. Generously sprinkle sesame and/or nigella seeds. </p><p>-Bake in a preheated oven at 380-390F for 50-60 minutes or until a knife poked in the middle comes out clean. </p><p>-Rest for 15 minutes on a rack to cool down and then gobble up. </p><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://mostly almost turkish recipes/www.almostturkish.blogspot.com/atom.php</div>Burcuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03291775178560434313noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32011247.post-86834373645056708162021-01-19T17:12:00.004-08:002021-01-19T17:12:48.801-08:00Easy Moist Chocolate Cake (Kakaolu Islak Kek) <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU9Hg9z2v3WhhZl86ALxpWDhnqFbrQVznOU6Un7T1REyezLBfzFIYGThllStGi7Sl6JMXWakwqB7N_JIaRapC500Uu4o-EE49f96wDD4LEOIZR9dudElnhzNL_qA601ibMVmR4/s2048/F91FBFCA-917D-4799-B460-F2065A6B8AC0_1_201_a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU9Hg9z2v3WhhZl86ALxpWDhnqFbrQVznOU6Un7T1REyezLBfzFIYGThllStGi7Sl6JMXWakwqB7N_JIaRapC500Uu4o-EE49f96wDD4LEOIZR9dudElnhzNL_qA601ibMVmR4/w480-h640/F91FBFCA-917D-4799-B460-F2065A6B8AC0_1_201_a.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>This is my interpretation, or I'd love to say improvement, of an '80s classic, moist cocoa cake which was, beyond dispute, the indispensable part of '80s in Turkey; every mom made it and every kid loved it. I cannot even remember how many times I had this as a birthday cake, for mine and others. In the original recipe, you put a cup of the cake batter aside before adding flour and baking powder and pour that batter over the cake once baked to keep it moist. That one cup of batter never sufficed for my taste so I started experimenting to create my ultimate no-fuss extremely moist cake. <p></p><p>While this may not be the super chocolatey cake, it is definitely the easiest and one of the lightest ones to make. It is absolutely a kid and grown up favorite in our house. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu7imGmThK9TGsPoYdTWLeGfYbUE6o8z9U_zZxkli-uBh3KtYHlf6sjg_n_745XCQAkhWFd-2oa_OrzEJck9ndXk2QBHb9ie4JaTLBTiksea2LwyJJkX7-3J5TuiRy_IVBc4x_/s2048/6BE8654D-EC00-4900-8665-34CF343A484E_1_201_a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu7imGmThK9TGsPoYdTWLeGfYbUE6o8z9U_zZxkli-uBh3KtYHlf6sjg_n_745XCQAkhWFd-2oa_OrzEJck9ndXk2QBHb9ie4JaTLBTiksea2LwyJJkX7-3J5TuiRy_IVBc4x_/w480-h640/6BE8654D-EC00-4900-8665-34CF343A484E_1_201_a.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p><i>for the cake</i></p><div style="text-align: left;">3 eggs<br />1 cup sugar<br />1 cup flour<br />1 cup milk<br />1 cup oil, I use sunflower oil<br />1/3 cup cocoa powder</div><div style="text-align: left;">2 tsp baking powder</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>for the sauce</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">1 cup milk</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/4 cup butter</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/2 cup sugar</div><div style="text-align: left;">3/4 cup chocolate chips</div><div style="text-align: left;">2 tbsp coffee liqueur or brandy or granulated coffee (all optional)</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">crushed pistachios, hazelnuts or shredded coconut for decoration on top</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">-Beat eggs and sugar together, then add milk and oil. Mix until smooth. </div><div style="text-align: left;">-In a separate bowl sift flour, baking powder and cocoa powder. </div><div style="text-align: left;">-Mix dry and wet ingredients together until well combined.</div><div style="text-align: left;">-Pour in a greased 9 inch round baking pan and bake at 380F preheated oven for ~40-45 minutes until a tester poked into the center of the cake comes out clean. </div><div style="text-align: left;">-While the cake is baking, mix all the ingredients for the sauce in a small saucepan and bring to a boil until all melt down. Keep it warm. </div><div style="text-align: left;">-Once the cake is done, give it five minutes on a rack and then place it on a serving plate and slowly pour the sauce on top. You can poke little holes on the surface for the sauce to make its way, kind of wetting a rum cake. </div><div style="text-align: left;">-The kids like ours topped with crushed pistachios but I would prefer mine covered with shredded coconut. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /> </div><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://mostly almost turkish recipes/www.almostturkish.blogspot.com/atom.php</div>Burcuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03291775178560434313noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32011247.post-63800326780755741422021-01-11T11:38:00.001-08:002021-01-11T11:39:48.522-08:00Peppers with Cheese (Lorlu Biber)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIS0B2tHaXOIE4aVZXiquTFvtl8vitEscAHWf-I_onuFxj48ZfXgkvte80QtoeixefVrKFSnzVQbbHlljpDWkIXLfbfTM9O3K7-KixB6rjH9MiUM77kvCSdewB-lqZrN9vRack/s1600-h/DSCN2445.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI29U1hCt4Bhwszr6Ph36cI8VfggcuX8A2WWngYw1LXt1kl4P-s09T6LjgsD4Z_sYU3QmzaG8WzKFhAVLWPTKFHLo_L3dFRO4q5WVvWkmIRgXJh8eNp0sFxUvmHzzQ2ib8pjAB/s2048/057D003C-211C-4683-A37A-A1122399AAC0_1_201_a.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI29U1hCt4Bhwszr6Ph36cI8VfggcuX8A2WWngYw1LXt1kl4P-s09T6LjgsD4Z_sYU3QmzaG8WzKFhAVLWPTKFHLo_L3dFRO4q5WVvWkmIRgXJh8eNp0sFxUvmHzzQ2ib8pjAB/w480-h640/057D003C-211C-4683-A37A-A1122399AAC0_1_201_a.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br />A great Thracian specialty! Just like <a href="http://almostturkish.blogspot.com/2007/02/turkish-scrambled-eggs-with-vegetables.html"><span style="font-style: italic;">menemen</span></a>, peppers with cheese can also be served as a side dish, main dish, or a breakfast treat. Many people enjoy <span style="font-style: italic;">lorlu biber</span> for breakfast or lunch, but in my family we usually have it for dinner with fresh bread. it's really easy to make, and almost impossible to go wrong.<br /><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"></blockquote><br />
For this recipe you can use as many peppers and as much cheese as you want; as you can see in the first picture I love mine quite cheesy. Traditionally<span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span></span>lorlu biber</span> is made with long green peppers called çarliston, i.e. Charleston yet no idea why this name. However, there ares so many different kinds of delicious peppers out there shishitoes, sweet Italian, Hungarian, poblanos, banana peppers, just follow your taste buds. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjma0wcQlKZ4GdunepJVqEct4bWlWIdVZnmqTC9ud1-nZLBHiF415cSwWHgapGDIg1E-BP56azQa-yBbPKBXsKfyXvva1MIg1k7C7gz6XA4-k4P8Aer5N4_wqmQy3Q7m16R7k3b/s1600-h/DSCN2449.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="640" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5101996224019122242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjma0wcQlKZ4GdunepJVqEct4bWlWIdVZnmqTC9ud1-nZLBHiF415cSwWHgapGDIg1E-BP56azQa-yBbPKBXsKfyXvva1MIg1k7C7gz6XA4-k4P8Aer5N4_wqmQy3Q7m16R7k3b/s400/DSCN2449.JPG" style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt;" width="480" /></a>
1 lb green/red/orange/yellow peppers, chopped in rounds (seeds taken out)<br />
1/2 cup ricotta, cottage, or farmers cheese <span style="color: #666666;">(this can easily go up to 1 full cup)<br /><span style="color: black;">2-3 tbsp olive oil<br />salt if needed</span></span><br />
<br />
-Heat oil in a frying pan.<br />
-When it's really hot, add chopped peppers and saute until they get slightly brown<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span><br />
-Take the peppers out with a slotted spoon and place them on a paper towel to soak excessive oil.<div>-Add cheese.<div>
-Stir until cheese starts melting.<br />
-Serve hot. </div></div><br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://mostly almost turkish recipes/www.almostturkish.blogspot.com/atom.php</div>Burcuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03291775178560434313noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32011247.post-87054750171215804542021-01-05T14:24:00.000-08:002021-01-05T14:24:20.582-08:00Poached Eggs with Sautéed Spinach (Ispanaklı Poşe Yumurta) <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrzvIrUQ462EM1wxBX4WaHJOfblmTTtOg2D5ZKqahjIFrVrAUUb0RlAq00MlnSJbQuJ6Kggiwp1CMgYYz3L-RB8ZlNE4tbJSSCQ3u9w5ekvEqVxkmSeIwj0jwdKy58kUODVodB/s2048/2FC485AC-518A-4C07-A9D3-CA039A3DD895_1_201_a.jpeg" style="clear: left; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrzvIrUQ462EM1wxBX4WaHJOfblmTTtOg2D5ZKqahjIFrVrAUUb0RlAq00MlnSJbQuJ6Kggiwp1CMgYYz3L-RB8ZlNE4tbJSSCQ3u9w5ekvEqVxkmSeIwj0jwdKy58kUODVodB/w480-h640/2FC485AC-518A-4C07-A9D3-CA039A3DD895_1_201_a.jpeg" width="480" /></a> </p><p>This is my recipe for merging two of my favorite comfort foods: <a href="https://www.almostturkishrecipes.com/2009/04/spinach-with-eggs-yumurtal-ispanak.html" target="_blank">sautéed spinach with eggs</a>, for which spinach is sautéed with onions on a wide shallow pot or pan and eggs are cracked in little pockets in spinach to cook to perfection with runny yolks and <i><a href="https://www.almostturkishrecipes.com/2007/03/turkish-poached-eggs-with-yogurt-lbr.html" target="_blank">çılbır</a>, </i>which is poached eggs served with garlicy yogurt and topped with olive oil and paprika sauce. And I have to say it is a fine combination with exciting twists. You can use any kind of greens you want or have; spinach, beet greens (see recipes <a href="https://www.almostturkishrecipes.com/2018/10/beet-greens-with-rice-and-olive-oil.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="https://www.almostturkishrecipes.com/2020/12/sauteed-spicy-beet-greens.html" target="_blank">here</a>), power greens, etc. </p><div style="text-align: left;">1 bunch spinach, chopped or 3 cups of any greens</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 small onion, finely chopped</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 clove of garlic, minced or chopped</div><div style="text-align: left;">2-3 peppers sweet or spicy, chopped</div><div style="text-align: left;">2-3 tbsp olive oil</div><div style="text-align: left;">salt and pepper</div><div style="text-align: left;">red pepper flakes</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">1/2 cup yogurt</div><div style="text-align: left;">1-3 eggs</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 tbsp vinegar</div><div style="text-align: left;">2 tsp salt</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">-Fill a small saucepan or a pot with water, salt and vinegar and put on low to medium heat. This is for poaching eggs. For poaching eggs, the water should be hot but never boiling. If there's even a slight sign of movement on the surface, you need to turn down the heat and wait for a smooth surface. </div><div style="text-align: left;">-Meanwhile, heat a pan and add olive oil. </div><div style="text-align: left;">-Saute onions until soft and add peppers and garlic. </div><div style="text-align: left;">-Stir for 3-4 minutes and add green and cook on medium to high until wilted. </div><div style="text-align: left;">-Season with salt and black pepper, and if you wish, pepper flakes.</div><div style="text-align: left;">-For poaching: break eggs one at a time into a small bowl and slowly and gently slide it into the water to prevent whites scattering around. depending on the size of your pot cook no more than two eggs at a time. Approximately 2-3 minutes for soft runny yolks and 4-5 for cooked yolks. </div><div style="text-align: left;">-Place sauteed greens on a plate, top with yogurt and then with poached eggs. </div><div style="text-align: left;">-Season with salt, pepper and/or hot sauce. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> <br /> </div><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://mostly almost turkish recipes/www.almostturkish.blogspot.com/atom.php</div>Burcuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03291775178560434313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32011247.post-10568270208500023692021-01-01T13:43:00.000-08:002021-01-01T13:43:07.926-08:00Mushroom and Green Olive Salad (Yeşil Zeytinli Mantar Salatası) <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVhjBxkpnEtTzm53EVB1fAHYnBJxRf73Cot887edsxt6vkD8E8RMscPaZCPN9gK7gWgZ8CMXy5lQ6O9XcSUC7pM3EfENSRdf0idj5YTeOIrCLMr9qfwGT6u_cq8Xj2hHTDOtYX/s2048/E184CE7B-51A0-4088-9654-EB824E1B70C6_1_201_a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1535" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVhjBxkpnEtTzm53EVB1fAHYnBJxRf73Cot887edsxt6vkD8E8RMscPaZCPN9gK7gWgZ8CMXy5lQ6O9XcSUC7pM3EfENSRdf0idj5YTeOIrCLMr9qfwGT6u_cq8Xj2hHTDOtYX/w480-h640/E184CE7B-51A0-4088-9654-EB824E1B70C6_1_201_a.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>Back in the day when I used to live in Ankara, on my way home I used to stop by a well-known supermarket right by my house for its extensive salad bar; and the mushroom and olive salad was my favorite. I had it as a side for dinner or on its own for lunch. With all the fresh herbes and acidity coming from green olives and pickles, it clicked all the right boxes for my sour loving taste buds. I learned some tips on how to make it from the supermarket chef and since then it's been a staple for me. <p></p><p>Nothing is set here; you can use more or less of any ingredient.</p><p><i>for 4 as a side/ for 2 as a main dish</i></p><div style="text-align: left;">2 cups of sliced mushroom<br />1 cup of sliced pitted green olives, not the canned olives</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/2 cup corn</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/2 cup finely chopped pickles</div><div style="text-align: left;">1-2 red sweet pepper, finely chopped</div><div style="text-align: left;">4 green onions, finely chopped</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/3 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/4 cup fresh dill, finely chopped</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/8 cup fresh mint, finely chopped</div><div style="text-align: left;">juice of 1 lemon</div><div style="text-align: left;">3-4 tbsp olive oil</div><div style="text-align: left;">2 tbsp balsamic vinegar</div><div style="text-align: left;">salt </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">-Mix 3 cups of water and juice of half lemon in a saucepan and boil the chopped mushrooms for 5 minutes. (lemon juice will prevent the mushroom from darkening, so you need to put the mushrooms in the lemony water as you chop) Drain well and let cool down.</div><div style="text-align: left;">-Mix everything in a bowl.</div><div style="text-align: left;">-Salt to your taste and add other half of the lemon juice and olive oil. </div><div style="text-align: left;">-Drizzle the balsamic vinegar on top and serve. </div><div style="text-align: left;">It goes well as a side for grilled meat or veggies or as a lunch on its own. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> </p><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://mostly almost turkish recipes/www.almostturkish.blogspot.com/atom.php</div>Burcuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03291775178560434313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32011247.post-40557243776332298692020-12-10T15:09:00.004-08:002020-12-10T16:41:59.419-08:00Sautéed Spicy Beet Greens <p><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilLYi_qnV2dzVz-BMXJsOZ03HJGILWM2EpPVUMnvAUDX0VAX39QxdPxc5xUBrt14aMjEQf8tvSZdQ5P92wIC_PSVW9gTC5tkbZByYlbUeUxalDW9n_m_vezSieUnUVAufQ8Osg/s2048/DE939EDC-DE2D-4027-B004-EBC16CEA6047_1_201_a.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilLYi_qnV2dzVz-BMXJsOZ03HJGILWM2EpPVUMnvAUDX0VAX39QxdPxc5xUBrt14aMjEQf8tvSZdQ5P92wIC_PSVW9gTC5tkbZByYlbUeUxalDW9n_m_vezSieUnUVAufQ8Osg/w480-h640/DE939EDC-DE2D-4027-B004-EBC16CEA6047_1_201_a.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">Beet greens, stems and leaves, although usually discarded, are in fact quite healthy, sweet, and delicious when cooked in simple ways. There are a couple of different ways of cooking beet greens in Turkish cuisine. The following recipe is a simple one rice and olive oil.</span><p></p><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">We get beets, red or golden, from the csa farm box almost every week and absolutely love to use them to </span></span><a href="http://almostturkish.blogspot.com/2012/10/pickled-beets-pancar-tursusu.html" style="color: #666666; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">pickle</a><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> or for </span></span><a href="http://almostturkish.blogspot.com/2010/02/beet-salad-with-yogurt-yogurtlu-pancar.html" style="color: #666666; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">salads</a><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> and </span></span><a href="http://almostturkish.blogspot.com/2007/11/bulgur-risotto-with-beet-and-beer-bira.html" style="color: #666666; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">risottos</a><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">. I save the greens for my lunch. I love </span>sauteing<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> them a couple of different ways like this <a href="https://www.almostturkishrecipes.com/2018/10/beet-greens-with-rice-and-olive-oil.html" target="_blank">recipe</a>, but this spicy one with </span>jalapenos<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> is my favorite. </span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #333333; font-size: 17.6px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 17.6px;" /></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">beet greens of 1 bunch red or golden beet, stems and leaves chopped<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">1 small onion, finely chopped<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">2 cloves of garlic, minced<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">1 or more </span>jalapenos<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> or any hot pepper of your liking, finely chopped<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">2-3 tbsp olive oil<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Salt and pepper<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Red pepper flakes </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY1aHirEJOQn4doQ_opgX6to-6_oYuSvY6WU_IMxSobm-_mcv2Y6rVSJy4YK9ZzSqczWRrxrXpwk3lH0b7CrrI0xt5HFxONgBwRHI5VIlXo34I5LlJW_GvPOARAEsfseFJLn1w/s2048/8A540D12-6A93-4F2B-9272-2C668BC729B4_1_201_a.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY1aHirEJOQn4doQ_opgX6to-6_oYuSvY6WU_IMxSobm-_mcv2Y6rVSJy4YK9ZzSqczWRrxrXpwk3lH0b7CrrI0xt5HFxONgBwRHI5VIlXo34I5LlJW_GvPOARAEsfseFJLn1w/w480-h640/8A540D12-6A93-4F2B-9272-2C668BC729B4_1_201_a.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">-Heat olive oil in a pot.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">-Add onion and cook on medium 3-4 minutes until soft.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">-Add beet stems, jalapeno, and garlic. Sauté another 3 minutes.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">-Add chopped leaves, salt and pepper and keep sauteing on low to medium for ~10 minutes. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">-Salt and pepper to taste. Add hot pepper flakes if you wish.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">-Serve at room temperature or cold</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12pt;">, preferably with yogurt on top, and baguette on the side. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes and Tabasco sauce for more fun!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://mostly almost turkish recipes/www.almostturkish.blogspot.com/atom.php</div>Burcuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03291775178560434313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32011247.post-86876664501697912572020-09-28T13:47:00.001-07:002020-09-28T13:47:29.985-07:00Green Lentil Salad (Yeşil Mercimek Salatası) <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ2VuXMTbA0gHz2hEQx-9pkmDHXvVjZ7VupEA-ReOzHgQ6ZTgBXrzvzGPxYU8m3AX-SQ7SP3nakOSR3mAvIzq4utsdh-wD6rzjz5FFkmkEi4PF4UPdDpTrdcxBzlfiTio3Hx4p/s2048/1D34A404-E163-4115-B614-949FC30F0B8C_1_201_a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ2VuXMTbA0gHz2hEQx-9pkmDHXvVjZ7VupEA-ReOzHgQ6ZTgBXrzvzGPxYU8m3AX-SQ7SP3nakOSR3mAvIzq4utsdh-wD6rzjz5FFkmkEi4PF4UPdDpTrdcxBzlfiTio3Hx4p/w480-h640/1D34A404-E163-4115-B614-949FC30F0B8C_1_201_a.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>If you are a lentil lover, this could be one the most delicious and nutritious salads. While studying for my qualifying exams at the library all day as a graduate student, green lentil salad was my lunch for at least three days a week. <p></p><p>There's nothing written in stone: You can use more or less of anything down below. In Turkey this salad is usually dressed with pomegranate molasses, however I don't enjoy the slight sweetness that comes with it, so I prefer crisp tartness of lemons. </p><div style="text-align: left;"><i>For 4 people<br /></i>1 cup green lentils</div><div style="text-align: left;">4-5 scallions, finely chopped</div><div style="text-align: left;">2-3 red sweet Italian peppers, finely chopped</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/2 cup roasted red peppers, chopped</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/2 cup dill or cucumber pickles, or cornichon pickles finely chopped</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/2 cup or a bit more canned corn </div><div style="text-align: left;">1/3 cup fresh dill, finely chopped</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/3 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/4 cup fresh mint, finely chopped</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">salt</div><div style="text-align: left;">juice of 1 lemon</div><div style="text-align: left;">a generous 1/4 cup of olive oil</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>optional</i></div><div style="text-align: left;">2-3 tbsp pomegranate molasses (It's widely available at international or middle eastern stores)</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/4 cup pickled jalapenos, finely chopped (I absolutely love having pickled jalapenos in this salad, sour and spicy is a perfect combination)</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/4 cup pickled peppers, finely chopped</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/3 - 1/2 cup crumbled feta</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">-Put 1 cup green lentils in a pot with 4-5 cups of water and cook for ~15 minutes. Check to see if they're cooked after 1o minutes. Lentils should be cooked but not mushy. Immediately rinse in a colander or sieve; we don't want the lentil to cook more in the hot water. 1 cup will make a lot of lentils, perfect for company or lunch for everyday.</div><div style="text-align: left;">-Chop everythıng finely as if you're trying to match them with lentils. </div><div style="text-align: left;">-Salt to your taste. </div><div style="text-align: left;">-Add juice of one lemon. One lemon is usually good for this many lentils but you can use less as well. I usually add a bit more. (If you would like to add pomegranate molasses balance it with lemon juice) </div><div style="text-align: left;">-Add olive oil and toss. </div><div style="text-align: left;">Enjoy!</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><p><br /></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://mostly almost turkish recipes/www.almostturkish.blogspot.com/atom.php</div>Burcuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03291775178560434313noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32011247.post-348021598877461262020-09-22T11:34:00.003-07:002020-09-22T12:55:36.073-07:00Chickpea Rice with Chicken (Tavuklu Nohut Pilav)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Ed66VAqpfLONEQSowYuqLd0aIWoZu7vkXZKlpXJTPGyRrMlui8aXR6vMSRqAcooKRQ2crphWf3BIHhwME7F0rJ7uLYN1opFH_IbXsp2KxHsEHeFZj8sZTXoQaLQ-bJSXvkpB/s2048/77E1DD48-78C6-47BD-963E-7E744486932F_1_201_a.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Ed66VAqpfLONEQSowYuqLd0aIWoZu7vkXZKlpXJTPGyRrMlui8aXR6vMSRqAcooKRQ2crphWf3BIHhwME7F0rJ7uLYN1opFH_IbXsp2KxHsEHeFZj8sZTXoQaLQ-bJSXvkpB/w480-h640/77E1DD48-78C6-47BD-963E-7E744486932F_1_201_a.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>In Orhan Pamuk's 2014 novel <i>A Strangeness in My Mind</i>, we read Istanbul and Mevlut's story, a street vendor who comes to Istanbul at an early age from a village in mid-Anatolian city Konya. Drawing inspiration both from bildungsromans and picaresque novels, <i>The Strangeness in My Mind </i>documents the transformation of Mevlut into a grown happy man alongside the transformation of the city. Mevlut sells yogurt, and mainly <i>boza</i>, but at one point in his life he sells chickpea rice with chicken on the streets of Istanbul. How Mevlut and his beloved wife Rahiya prepares and sells this popular street food is described in such detail in the chapter titled "Rice With Chickpeas: Food Tastes Better When It's Got Some Dirt In It" that everytime I read that chapter I make chickpea rice with chicken. I cannot help it. </p><p>Pilaf/rice has always been an important part of Turkish cuisine and particularly chickpea rice has a long history: y<a href="https://www.almostturkishrecipes.com/2009/03/garbazo-bean-pilaf-nohutlu-pilav.html" target="_blank">ou can read the recipe and the story here</a>. Chickpea rice with chicken has been for decades a favorite street food that used to be sold only in street carts but thanks to its popularity, available in many restaurants now. You can find this simple nutritious dish at any time of the day yet it's become a favorite as a late night, post-bar hour food; after drinking, before heading home for a good sleep. Must-haves of this street food is pickled hot peppers and ground black pepper. Although some vendors have yogurt on the side, pickled pepper is the way to go. Some vendors prepare the chicken, just like Rayiha in the novel, with spices like oregano and paprika, and garlic, but the most common way is just plain chicken: most people refrain from having spiced up chicken thinking spices are used to cover up the smell or appearance of old/leftover chicken from previous day. </p><p>I've had my fair share of chickpea rice with chicken in different locals and from different vendors that I got to perfect my homemade version of this beloved street food and plus this is a kid favorite in my house. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw19d8t-ukxd5WFXrfwxOTE1yEFgxwqZv8-YMWF08amf3cDvzI1dmB37MDCJLI2Vzf0p4J25Pki5awYB52RuI1_fzrzA8TN1b6AL6M2s-ZTSdTJcEYsCOu1r9AcvS6LW9bFnos/s2048/85FF97CD-F4F1-4822-9A47-7F4AC77D4BFF_1_201_a.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw19d8t-ukxd5WFXrfwxOTE1yEFgxwqZv8-YMWF08amf3cDvzI1dmB37MDCJLI2Vzf0p4J25Pki5awYB52RuI1_fzrzA8TN1b6AL6M2s-ZTSdTJcEYsCOu1r9AcvS6LW9bFnos/w480-h640/85FF97CD-F4F1-4822-9A47-7F4AC77D4BFF_1_201_a.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>for 4-6 people</p><div style="text-align: left;">2 cups short grain rice (In Turkey most commonly used and favored one is a type of arborio called baldo)<br />1/2 cup chickpeas, soaked overnight or 1 can of chickpeas<br />2 chicken breast, preferably with skin on<br />1 small onion, peeled and halved<br />1 bay leaf<br />1 tsp peppercorns<br />3 tbsp butter<br />2 tbsp olive oil<br />salt</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">-Soak chickpeas overnight. The next day cook them for 15-20 minutes until cooked but not mushy soft. 1/2 cup makes ~1 1/2 cups of cooked chickpeas. OR use a can of chickpeas</div><div style="text-align: left;">-Place rice in a bowl and cover with enough water to go 1 inch or more above the rice. We're going to soak the rice and loosen the starch while chicken is cooking.</div><div style="text-align: left;">-Place chicken breasts in a pot with onion halves, bay leaf and peppercorns. Cover with enough water, add 1 tbsp salt and cook ~35-40 minutes, until thoroughly cooked, first on high then simmer. While simmering the chicken will form some foamy stuff on top. Discard them. </div><div style="text-align: left;">-Once it's cooked, take the chicken with a slotted spoon and let cool. We need that broth. Set a strainer or a skimmer over a large bowl and strain broth by pouring it to the strainer. Discard the onion, bay leaf and peppercorns. Save the broth. </div><div style="text-align: left;">-25-30 minutes into chicken boiling, drain the rice and rinse under cold water. </div><div style="text-align: left;">-Heat a wide bottom pot, because we never want to crowd the rice. Add butter and olive oil, it might seem like a lot of butter and oil for 2 cups of rice, but it ain't street food if it's not greasy. </div><div style="text-align: left;">-Add rice into the pot, with gentle movements, we don't want to break the rice, stir the rice for 4-5 minutes until almost translucent. </div><div style="text-align: left;">-Add chickpeas. Stir, again gently, for another 2 minutes.</div><div style="text-align: left;">-Add 3 cups of chicken stock that we sere saving-if you gave less than 3 cups, top it with water. Add 1 tsp salt (since we had already salted the broth, don't go heavy on the salt here) </div><div style="text-align: left;">-First bring to a boil and then cook on low covered for 15-20 minutes until all the water is absorbed. Don't stir the rice while cooking, we don't want to break it. When the water is absorbed, check the bottom of the pot with a spoon to see if the water is all gone, cover the top of the pot with a clean kitchen towel or a paper towel and place the lid tightly on top. We want to get all the moisture from the rice so it won't be sticky or mushy, a big NO for rice in Turkey. It should be "tane tane," each grain separate. Let sit for 10 minutes, we call this process "brewing." </div><div style="text-align: left;">-While the rice is "brewing," make the pulled chicken, small thin pieces are better than bigger ones. </div><div style="text-align: left;">-If your chicken gets cold, move the rice to one side of the pot and put the chicken to the other, close the lid. They'll warm each other up. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Serving: Chickpea with rice is usually served with the upside down bowl trick. Place a scoop of rice in a smallish bowl, fill to the brim and press down. Turn the bowl upside down on a plate as if you're making sand castles. You have a rice dome now. Place pulled chicken pieces on top generously. Sprinkle ground black pepper and add spicy or not spicy pickles to the plate and you have the perfect street food.<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Bon Appétit! </span></span></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> </p><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://mostly almost turkish recipes/www.almostturkish.blogspot.com/atom.php</div>Burcuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03291775178560434313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32011247.post-4433630252278007602020-09-19T15:13:00.004-07:002020-09-23T17:19:48.803-07:00Antalya Bean Salad (Antalya Usulü Piyaz)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3HiorjRYYEZgFu1jI3E2RDbqrPKODmBsPZ3irmlkcilP4txXUWQP82n0WSuUrZUQuTJzRY54QOPt6uGnkYgocP2yoGv10_I2XojESKuWE64RHndk69KwV4wCODk6yJuICV-iJ/s2048/1CA41547-5ADF-4C68-B1E9-8CA10B7C3FAC_1_201_a.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3HiorjRYYEZgFu1jI3E2RDbqrPKODmBsPZ3irmlkcilP4txXUWQP82n0WSuUrZUQuTJzRY54QOPt6uGnkYgocP2yoGv10_I2XojESKuWE64RHndk69KwV4wCODk6yJuICV-iJ/w480-h640/1CA41547-5ADF-4C68-B1E9-8CA10B7C3FAC_1_201_a.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-style: italic;">Piyaz</span> is what we call bean salads in Turkey, but the term is actually Persian and means "onion." <span style="font-style: italic;">Piyaz </span>is usually prepared with cannellini beans and kneaded onion; dressed with olive oil and vinegar; spiced up with pepper flakes; and decorated with tomatoes, parsley, and hard-boiled eggs. Depending on the region, <span style="font-style: italic;">piyaz</span> might have green onions or sumac. However, in Antalya, a beautiful city with magnificent beaches and rich history on the Mediterranean coast, <span style="font-style: italic;">piyaz</span> is made differently than the rest of Turkey. The difference is tahini and garlic, which had put me off at my first try because it was so different and incredibly rich than <a href="https://www.almostturkishrecipes.com/2020/01/bean-salad-piyaz.html" target="_blank">the piyazs I was used to</a>. In Tekirdag, my hometown, and in Antalya <span style="font-style: italic;">piyaz</span> is usually served with grilled meatballs. <div><br /></div><div>I've had different versions of Antalya bean salad in years. Sometimes the difference is how it's served; with or without onions, sometimes it's the beans; sometimes the beans are served warm and sometimes at room temperature; and sometimes it's the sauce; some add smashed or pureed beans to the sauce, some add a little bit of sugar to level the tahini, and some add cumin, which I liked a lot. This is how I make my Antalya bean salad at home to go with <a href="https://www.almostturkishrecipes.com/2008/01/inegl-meatballs-inegl-kftesi.html" target="_blank">grilled meatballs</a>. </div><div><br />
2 cups of cooked cannellini beans (save the cooking water)<br />
1 small onion, cut finely in julienne or half-moons (in Antalya, they serve the onion diced, but I prefer julienne)<br />
1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped<br />
1 or two hard boiled eggs, sliced or grated (I don't like eating cold eggs, so I skip this one)<br />
1 tomato, peeled if you feel like it and diced</div><div><br />
<br /><i>the sauce</i></div><div>
1/2 cup tahini<br />
4 tbsp vinegar, red wine or apple<br />
Juice of half a lemon <br />
2 cloves of garlic, minced<br />
1/4 - 1/3 cup olive oil</div><div>1tsp salt</div><div>1/2 tsp ground cumin, if you want to try it with cumin <br /><br /><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAVBH7tIIfz8C80e0_MODxjErszjyaNGKylSXILHoJ9HhCjw0lrQQX_kLzSBKIU34ZAaTz0Rugi6kcw6XE4Ebhfh1c41kRV4FzKhlDNm9KfDBRpIzpFifX3b3p-xsHsal3Rmdj/w480-h640/CC9BA80C-7191-4664-B176-537507DF975E_1_201_a.jpeg" width="480" /><br />
<br />-Soak the beans overnight. Bring them to a boil and then on medium heat cook them until soft but never mushy, they should be holding themselves fine. Save the cooking water. OR, ofcourse, use canned beans.</div><div>
-In a bowl mix first tahini and vinegar to a smooth consistency. It will get clumpy; it's fine, it will loosen up. Just keep stirring. </div><div>-Add minced garlic, salt, and garlic. If the sauce is thick, this is where we will add the cooking water from beans, a couple of tablespoons at a time, slowly. Use a whisk to get rid of clumps. Add water until you have a smooth tahini sauce, but not very runny. The tahini sauce shouldn't be too runny or thick. Since different tahini brands have different density, I cannot tell you exactly how many tablespoons of water you need. Finally add lemon juice and half of the olive oil and whisk again. <br />
-First place the beans on a plate (I like the warm bean version so I keep the beans in the pot until I serve them to keep them warm). In Turkey <i>piyaz</i> is usually served on oval, slightly deep serving platters so you have enough sauce to dip your crusty bread in.</div><div>-Slice the onion thinly julienne style and knead with 1 tsp salt in a bowl. Rinse and squeeze the excess water and place on the bean. </div><div>-Add diced tomatoes on top.</div><div>-This is where that boiled egg will come. You can add the egg chopped or grated on top. </div><div>-Pour the tahini dressing over everything on the plate evenly.</div><div>-Sprinkle finely chopped parsley on top of everything.<br />
-Finally, dress with the rest of the olive oil and serve with a lemon slice or half a lemon on the side, because there's no such thing as <i>piyaz</i> being "too sour." <i>Piyaz</i> is usually tossed at the table and you have to, have to soak that juice with bread! <br />
<br /></div><br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://mostly almost turkish recipes/www.almostturkish.blogspot.com/atom.php</div>Burcuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03291775178560434313noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32011247.post-56089445918005570582020-09-15T09:36:00.001-07:002020-09-15T09:36:00.819-07:00Vegetarian and Minty Cannellini Beans (Zeytinyağlı Naneli Kuru Fasulye) <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwyOswa2CcqdLHIsjPestcOfQia5gx-btyDKQC6HJKmf9bp51PRnWLri4VZjtrq0h1cRXH-DswtiDyiE_l3hZG0sUG0gjYx3SYJueUqUx9F1_QEGlN_Y3DSBA8zfLivbrF8gfX/s2048/BA8D9F41-3471-458E-9478-578D9AA33A7A_1_201_a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwyOswa2CcqdLHIsjPestcOfQia5gx-btyDKQC6HJKmf9bp51PRnWLri4VZjtrq0h1cRXH-DswtiDyiE_l3hZG0sUG0gjYx3SYJueUqUx9F1_QEGlN_Y3DSBA8zfLivbrF8gfX/w480-h640/BA8D9F41-3471-458E-9478-578D9AA33A7A_1_201_a.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Cardo; font-size: 17.6px;">Cannellini beans, referred to as dry beans or simply as 'the dry,' along with </span><a href="http://almostturkish.blogspot.com/2006/08/rice-alaturka-with-vermicelli-tel.html" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Cardo; font-size: 17.6px; text-decoration-line: none;">rice</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Cardo; font-size: 17.6px;"> is THE traditional Turkish dish. If there's pickled vegetables on the side, especially cabbage, voila, jackpot! There are variations of this recipe based on what kind of meat you want to use, or although rare, a vegetarian version. You can cook dry cannellinis with stew beef or lamb, with ground meat-my least favorite, </span><a href="http://almostturkish.blogspot.com/2006/09/white-beans-with-pastrami-pastrmal-kuru.html" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Cardo; font-size: 17.6px; text-decoration-line: none;">pastrami (<span style="font-style: italic;">pastirma</span>)</a>-yumm<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Cardo; font-size: 17.6px;">, and/or soujuk (</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Cardo; font-size: 17.6px; font-style: italic;">sucuk</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Cardo; font-size: 17.6px;">, Middle Eastern/Turkish sausage). </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cardo;"><span style="font-size: 17.6px;">Although traditionally the dish has meat in it, growing up in my house we loved the 'olive oil! i.e. the vegetarian version the best, especially during summers. Mom's vegetarian summer version has no meat but sweet green chilies, fresh mint leaves, and sun dried tomatoes. Delicious! </span></span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Cardo; font-size: 17.6px;" /></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cardo;"><span style="font-size: 17.6px;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cardo;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cardo;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxrrutHxm1Xdje7Ksup9KeXQFbj6knugOZpV-rb5Aekw8H0qxjWNATPpyAn_RzcOvpwBk4Y_AzI2VwqIZkHIUMhCYjQDw7djgpGfr9m2k9o-DPcQ_cq7aVyh1bOiaelyHD3nH8/s2048/A36E881F-DC31-4A20-A673-B64508DFE2D6_1_201_a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxrrutHxm1Xdje7Ksup9KeXQFbj6knugOZpV-rb5Aekw8H0qxjWNATPpyAn_RzcOvpwBk4Y_AzI2VwqIZkHIUMhCYjQDw7djgpGfr9m2k9o-DPcQ_cq7aVyh1bOiaelyHD3nH8/w480-h640/A36E881F-DC31-4A20-A673-B64508DFE2D6_1_201_a.jpeg" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cardo;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cardo;"><span style="font-size: 17.6px;">For 4 people<br /></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cardo;"><span style="font-size: 17.6px;">2 cups soaked cannellini beans (1 cup soaked overnight makes ~2 cups) or 2 cans of cannellini beans [Although the taste will be different, you can use northern or navy beans as well]<br /></span></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cardo;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.6px;">1 medium onion, finely chopped<br /></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cardo;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.6px;">2 cloves of garlic, chopped finely</span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cardo;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.6px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cardo;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.6px;">2-3 sweet green chilies or any peppers you like or can fine, chopped </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cardo;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.6px;">1/3 cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped or 1-1 1/2 tbsp dry mint leaves</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cardo;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.6px;">1/3 cup or more sun dried tomatoes, chopped</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cardo;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.6px;">1 tbsp tomato paste</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cardo;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.6px;">1 tomato, grated or canned petite diced tomato</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cardo;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.6px;">salt </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cardo;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.6px;">3-4 tbsp olive oil</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cardo;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.6px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cardo;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.6px;">-Put olive oil in a cast iron pot and heat [You can use any kind of pot, but beans are cooked best in cast irons or clay pots]</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cardo;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.6px;">-Add onion and cook ~5 minutes until soft but not brown.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cardo;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.6px;">-Add green peppers and cook 2-3 minutes.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cardo;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.6px;">-Add garlic and tomato paste. Cook for 2 minutes. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cardo;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.6px;">-Add beans, sun dried tomatoes, fresh or dry mint leaves, and grated tomato. Cook for 2 minutes.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cardo;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.6px;">-Add water to go almost an inch over the beans. Salt to your taste.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cardo;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.6px;">-Bring to a boil and then simmer covered on low to medium for 30-40 minutes. If you're using canned beans 30 minutes will be enough. If you soaked the beans overnight, check the beans after 40 minutes; they may need a good hour or bit more. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cardo;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.6px;">-Enjoy with rice or any kind of grain on the side or crusty bread to soak that delicious tomato juice. Yogurt and pickled veggies on the side are most beloved sides for dry beans. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cardo;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.6px;"> </span></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cardo;"><span style="font-size: 17.6px;"><br /></span></span></span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://mostly almost turkish recipes/www.almostturkish.blogspot.com/atom.php</div>Burcuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03291775178560434313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32011247.post-297520382119864912020-09-12T22:37:00.000-07:002020-09-12T22:37:22.372-07:00Oven-Baked Vegetarian Stuffed Red Bell Peppers (Fırında Zeytinyağlı Kırmızı Biber Dolması) <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfbJ4PjkD_XybHRdPkmiPFl2RgmpESsIOuQlZU6TK4cwgaZyH7TTX9uGBU-fJMLW8xB3yy6RU9qd4pT5MDTuZBTT2rCMJ9fU9xxdAMccf4YNbgDzplBnxivJxdtfWdVvIDcdpf/s2048/8AB76252-A24C-4C77-B429-02B2BBF5C7AA_1_201_a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfbJ4PjkD_XybHRdPkmiPFl2RgmpESsIOuQlZU6TK4cwgaZyH7TTX9uGBU-fJMLW8xB3yy6RU9qd4pT5MDTuZBTT2rCMJ9fU9xxdAMccf4YNbgDzplBnxivJxdtfWdVvIDcdpf/w480-h640/8AB76252-A24C-4C77-B429-02B2BBF5C7AA_1_201_a.jpeg" width="480" style="max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; height: auto; width: auto;"></a></div><br><p><br></p><p>Dolmas, stuffed bell peppers, in Turkey are almost exclusively green; however, the green bell peppers there are tiny and beautifully thin, that's perfect for stuffing. I never even attempt to stuff green bell peppers in US. Now and again I come across at farmers' markets and at grocery stores smaller bell peppers, usually red or purple, and I immediately jump over them with joy. I especially like the red ones, because the sweetness from the red bell pepper comes out beeautıfully when baked. These peppers are approximately as big as my fist. </p><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Cardo; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">This recipe is for 8 bell peppers</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Cardo; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">8 bell peppers<br></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 big onion, ~1 1/2 cups finely chopped (you can use a food processor)</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Cardo; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 1/2 cups white rice<br></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 big or two medium tomatoes, grated<br></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 tomato (this one is for covering the tops of bell peppers after stuffing)<br></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">1/4 - 1/3 cup pine nuts (I love them so I go for 1/3) <br></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">1/4 cup currants (most people who are not fond of sweet in their food skip this ingredient) </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Cardo; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 tbsp allspice<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Cardo; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 tsp ground black pepper<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Cardo; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 tbsp mint flakes or ¼ cup fresh mint, chopped finely<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Cardo; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 tsp white sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Cardo; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">salt</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Cardo; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">juice of 1/2 lemon</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Cardo; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 cups boiling water</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Cardo; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Cardo; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH8w06wArCk2QczQnMDWvgCUF7c-zYtzSmEbc5iUb_pHkCoLPGr05htK3ee61TNd7n_WzSpQwwz0YU32cW1JVZADHHqs7AMmrjzuEy-dTPlr9JcrDmuCqhoipGQdPjtwjcV6ZL/s2048/E2015EA8-BE95-4A7D-86EE-6BBDDC60114E_1_201_a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH8w06wArCk2QczQnMDWvgCUF7c-zYtzSmEbc5iUb_pHkCoLPGr05htK3ee61TNd7n_WzSpQwwz0YU32cW1JVZADHHqs7AMmrjzuEy-dTPlr9JcrDmuCqhoipGQdPjtwjcV6ZL/w480-h640/E2015EA8-BE95-4A7D-86EE-6BBDDC60114E_1_201_a.jpeg" width="480" style="max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; height: auto; width: auto;"></a></div><br>-Wash all the bell peppers. Take out the top part and the seeds. With a tip of a sharp knife pierce them at the bottom once or twice. (Save the tops if you want to cover your dolmas as the one in the picture. If you prefer to have tomato covers as in the first picture, discard the tops. Tomato covers keep the dolmas more juicy and the pepper tops look very cute) </div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Cardo; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">-Mix all the ingredients except for peppers, one tomato that we will use as a cover, and water. </div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Cardo; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">-Stuff the peppers with the stuffing rice. Don’t go all the way up to the top, leave almost 3/4 inch to an inch, because the rice will cook and rise. </div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Cardo; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">-Cut big enough rounds from the tomato the cover the tops. Press the tomato slice down a bit to ensure that it'll stay there. (If you opt to use the tops, do the same)</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Cardo; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">-Place the dolmas in a stove and oven safe dish or pot as high as them. </div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Cardo; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">-Pour 2 cups of boiling hot water. </div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Cardo; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">-First bring to a boil on the stove and cook for 5 minutes and then bake in the oven uncovered at 390-400 F for 35-40 minutes, until rice is cooked. (If you're not sure, check the rice with a fork). I really like my oven-baked dolmas to be charred on top just a bit so I make sure they do. They're delicious that way. </div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Cardo; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">-Take them out and let them cool down to room temperature. Oven-baked vegetarian dolmas, just like all other Turkish olive oil dishes, are best when eaten at room temperature and the day after they're made. </div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Cardo; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Enjoy with yogurt on the side! </div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Cardo; font-size: 17.6px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://mostly almost turkish recipes/www.almostturkish.blogspot.com/atom.php</div>Burcuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03291775178560434313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32011247.post-82792008172115760412020-09-10T02:30:00.000-07:002020-09-10T14:32:53.942-07:00Bowl Kebap (Tas Kebabı)<br />
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Bowl kebap is one of my mom's specialties, the kind that you request every time you go back home. It is family favorite in our house as well; even the picky ones love this dish. <br /><br />
Bowl kebap is a very simple recipe. Preparation time is approximately 15 minutes, but you need to cook the meat between 1-2 hours for tenderness and deliciousness. <div><br /></div><div>Some people find how this dish is cooked confusing and because of that shy away from trying it. I assure you, it is very easy. All you need to do before getting your ingredients ready is (1) to find a bowl with a flat rim that can hold ~2 lb of meat; (2) and a wide pot that the bowl can fit in when it's upside down. Voila! You're ready.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYSQo0qkemdK2acLLBQ-V_cn4rnHpEq7n8VmR1pZbBn8lHqLdr59bBNcfhs6-FZDU9Fw-6KsuWqbsOcdOvOPbwHP361UMdhr67Z4AzDcBHeIq5WvQoivW7UjDrLf4gSJY-VVtD/s2048/E5014BE4-E56B-4C09-9115-F2FFAAA38EA1_1_201_a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYSQo0qkemdK2acLLBQ-V_cn4rnHpEq7n8VmR1pZbBn8lHqLdr59bBNcfhs6-FZDU9Fw-6KsuWqbsOcdOvOPbwHP361UMdhr67Z4AzDcBHeIq5WvQoivW7UjDrLf4gSJY-VVtD/w480-h640/E5014BE4-E56B-4C09-9115-F2FFAAA38EA1_1_201_a.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div><br /><br /><br />
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serves 4-6 people</span></span><br />
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~2 lb stew beef or lamb<br />
1-1 1/2 cup diced onions<br />
1 tsp or more black ground pepper<br />
1-1 1/2 tsp salt<br />
2-3 tbsp tomato or red pepper paste</div><div>2 tbsp olive oil </div><div>1 tbsp butter<br />
2 cups of boiling water</div><div>(optional: 2-3 potatoes, peeled and diced. Traditionally bowl kebap is made simply with meat, no vegetable is used. However, sometimes I do like the addition of potatoes in this dish. Potatoes simmered in meat juice makes a wonderful baby food when mashed.) <br /><br />
<img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWQ43fBHcPPDhqAcOgOQ1BWhvZoOoYhSwD6BJxq3CRJGVu_05_0hUnx-IiyJMOmv42SQ-f7y3eBu_MkCyflTW-zqkyCNnwF8aReIXbi18Ko43PSPYRXzKj3kXaYlFSTUok3QbH/w480-h640/7DC9A30B-2374-4AAC-BA14-203A0FAB3005_1_201_a.jpeg" width="480" /><br />
<br />-For this dish find a bowl with flat, even rim that is resistant to heat and would hold all the ingredients. Next find a pot that the bowl would fit upside down, as in the picture.<br />
-If you're using potatoes, place them at the bottom of the bowl.<br />
-In a different bowl mix meat, onion, salt, pepper, olive oil, and tomato or red pepper paste with your hands. Get in there and make sure meat gets coated with all.<br />
-Add this meat mix to the bowl, on top of the potatoes. If you're not using potatoes, just place the meat in the bowl. Depending on the size of the bowl, meat may or may not go all the way up, either way is fine. <br />
-Scatter small pieces of butter on top.<br />
-Put the pot on top of the bowl. Securing both the pot and the bowl with your hands, turn the pot upside down so that the bowl will be sitting in it upside down as in the picture above.<br />
-Since this is how we will be cooking the bowl kebap and we don't want the bowl to move, place a heavy container on top to seal or stabilize the bowl in the pot: a full pitcher, teapot, or a kettle filled with water like I did.<br />
-Pour 2 cups of boiling water in the pot to fill between the bowl and the pot.<br />
-Start cooking on high. Once you see bubbles on the sides of the bowl, turn it down to low or low medium and cook between 1 1/2 to 2 hours. With really good meat, 1 1/2 hours would suffice, however, if you're using a less expensive cut I would recommend cooking for 2 hours. Regardless, anything will come out scrumptious cooked for two hours in this method. <br />
-When you turn it off, you need to move the pitcher, teapot or whatever you placed on top, and slowly remove the bowl leaving the ingredients in the pot to mix with the water which has turned in to delicious juice now. If you do not remove the bowl when it's still hot, it might get sucked in and sealed to the pot. If this happens, don't panic, just reheat the bowl kebap. When it warms up, it will allow you to take the bowl back. </div><div>-Serve bowl kebap with any kind of rice or grain, but I have to say it's best with buttery white rice and a hearty red wine. </div><div><br /></div><div>If you try this recipe, I guarantee it will become a favorite for you as well. </div><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://mostly almost turkish recipes/www.almostturkish.blogspot.com/atom.php</div>Burcuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03291775178560434313noreply@blogger.com18