TÜRLÜ

VEGETABLES WITH GROUND BEEF

Ingredients:

• 1 lb of ground beef
• 1 medium size of onion ( chopped )
  
• 10 cloves of garlic ( peeled )
  
• 1 green pepper ( chopped )
  
• 3 baby eggplants
• 3 zucchinis
  
• 2 medium size of potatoes ( peeled )
  
• 3 medium size of tomatoes
• 1 tsp of red pepper paste
• 2 tbs of vegetable oil
  
• 1/2 tsp of black pepper
• salt

Take ground beef and vegetable oil in a large pot and cook it until the beef absorb all of its juice, stirring occasionally . Add chopped onion, chopped pepper, and garlic into the pot. Saute them on a medium heat for 10 minutes then add pepper paste and continue to cook for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, wash, drain, and cut eggplants, zucchinis, and potatoes into cubes. Take them into the pot. Add black pepper and salt. Stir them all together. Peel the tomatoes and cut them into cubes. Place tomatoes on top of other vegetable and turn the heat to the low. Put the lid on and cook for 30 minutes.

MOZAİK PASTA

MOSAIC

Ingredients:

• 4 cups of milk
• 3 tbsp of corn starch 
• 6 tbsp of all purpose flour
• 1 cup of sugar
• 4 tbsp of butter
• 1 packet of honey maid grahams chocolate
  

Chocolate sauce:

• 1/2 cup of chocolate chips
  
• 6 tbsp of milk
  

Take corn starch and flour in large pot with milk and whisk it. Turn the heat on high. Stir constantly with a whisk until flour is not lumpy. Add butter and sugar and turn the heat off. Stir constantly until smooth consistency and turn the heat off.
In a rectangular pyrex, layer graham cookies side by side and spoon pudding over. Repeat this step three times.When it is finished, there will be 3 layer cookies and 3 layer pudding. Set a side until it is completly cool.
Take chocolate chips and milk in a small skillet and turn the heat on medium high. Stir until it is smooth. Spoon the sauce over the cookies-pudding layers. Chill in the refrigerator before serving.

TAHİNLİ KURABİYE

TAHINI COOKIES

These cookies are delicious, if you like the taste of tahini. The original recipe is in Turkish and belongs to a very famous Turkish food site. The only change that I made is adding baking soda after baking them several times.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 cup of tahini
• 1+1/2 sticks of butter ( in a room temperature )
  
• 1 egg yolk
  
• 1/2 tsp of vanilla
  
• 1/2 tsp of baking soda
  
• enough flour ( approximately 4 cups )

Topping:

• 1 cup of crushed walnut
• 1 egg white

Take sugar and tahini in a large mixing bowl and mix it with a whisk. Add butter, egg yolk, vanilla, and baking soda in to the bowl. Start to knead by adding flour slowly and stop adding flour until the dough reaches a hard consistency. Take small parts ( about the size of walnut ) from the dough and give them the shape of small balls and press them gently while they are still between your palms. Dip ( just one side of the cookies ) them first into egg white and then coat with walnut. Place them on a greased baking tray. Preheat the oven 350 F. Bake the cookies for 15 to 20 minutes.

PIRASALI BÖREK

BOREK WITH LEEKS

This borek is delicious. I definitely suggest it to anyone.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pack Athens Fillo Dough
  

Filling:

• 1 bunch of leeks
• 1/2 cup of crumbled feta cheese ( or same amount of ricotta cheese )
  
• 3 tbsp of vegetable oil
• 1 bunch of parsley
• salt

Sauce:

• 1 egg white
• 1/2 cup of milk
• 1/2 cup of vegetable oil

Topping:

• 1 egg yolk
• sesame seeds

For preparing filling; cut off top of leeks, wash, and drain. Cut leeks in half lengthwise and slice them thinly. Wash leek one more time after chopping. Wash, drain, and chop parsley too. Take vegetable oil and leek in a large skillet and turn the heat on medium high. Cook it until leek absorbs all of its juice. Turn the heat off. Let it cool for 20 minutes. Take both leeks and parsley in a bowl. Add cheese into the bowl and mix it. Set a side.
For sauce; mix egg white, milk, and vegetable oil.
Take one of fillo sheets, brush with one tbsp of sauce over the surface of fillo. Place one tbsp of filling on top, fold the edges and roll. Brush with egg yolk and sprinkle some sesame seeds on top. Place them on a baking tray. Preheat the oven 35OF. Bake for 30 minutes or boreks are just golden brown.

MERCİMEK ÇORBASI

RED LENTIL SOUP

It is another easy to make recipe. Everybody likes and knows this soup in Turkey.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of red lentils
• 3 tbs of rice
• 2 tbs of green lentils
• 1/2 onion ( chopped )
• 1 tbs of tomato paste
• 4 cups of water
• salt
  

Sauce :

• 3 tbsp of vegetable oil
• 1 tsp of red pepper flakes
  

Wash and drain red lentils, rice,and green lentils. Take them in a large pot. Add water, tomato paste and chopped onion. Turn on the heat high, bring it to the boil. Turn the heat down to low and cook it until red lentil is mushy, stirring occasionally. Add salt at the end. You can add some hot water if the soup is too thick.
In a small skillet, take vegetable oil and red pepper flakes. Turn the heat to low and stir until the pepper gives its smell. Add this sauce into the soup.

NOKUL

Ingredients:

Dough:

• 1 cup of milk ( warm)
  
• 1/2 cup of vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp of yeast
• 5 tbsp of sugar
• 1 tbsp of salt
• 4 cups of all purpose flour
  

Filling:

• 1/2 cup of poppy seeds
• 3 tbsp of vegetable oil

In a large mixing bowl; mix flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Add milk and vegetable oil and knead. Cover it with plastic wrap and let it rise for one hour.
Take the poppy seeds in a small skillet. Turn the heat to the medium high and cook it until it starts to give its smell, stirring constantly around 5-6 minutes. Let it cool for ten minutes. Take the seeds to the grinder and grind it for 5 minutes.




Take it into small bowl and add 3 tbs of vegetable oil and mix it.



Take the dough and knead it until it is bubble free. Divide the dough into two equal parts. Roll the first half to make 12" square. Spread the half of filling onto the dough and roll it tightly.Prepare the second half with the same way. Cut the rolls into 1 inch parts and place them on a rectangular pyrex. Let it rise for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 F and bake it for 4o minutes or nokuls are just golden brown.

LAHMACUN

First of all, you could make lahmacun with tortilla which is more practical or you can make your own dough which is more delicious:)
I made this one with tortillas but I will give the recipe for the dough.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb of ground beef
• 1 medium size onion
  
• 2 medium size of tomatoes
• 1 bunch of parsley
• 2 green pepper
• 5-6 cloves of garlic
• 1 tbsp of tomato paste
• 1 tbsp of red pepper paste
• 1/2 tsp of black pepper
• salt

For the dough:

• 10 tortilla breads

or:

• 4 cups of all purpose flour
• 2 tsp of salt
• 1+1/2 cups of warm water
• 1tbsp of yeast

Wash and drain tomatoes, pepper, onion, garlic, and parsley.Take onion, garlic and green pepper to the bowl of food processor and process it until finely chopped .Take them into a big mixing bowl.Put tomatoes to the food processor and process until smooth consistency and take the tomatoes to the mixing bowl too. Chop parsley and take it to the mixing bowl. Add meat, tomato paste, pepper paste, black pepper, and salt to the mixing bowl and knead them all until well combined.
Preheat the oven to 450F. Take a tortilla and spread 2-3 tbsp of mixing. Sprinkle some flour to the baking sheet and place the tortilla on it and bake it for 10-15 minutes.You can bake 2 to 3 tortilla at a time.
For making your own dough, mix flour, salt, and yeast in a bowl and add warm water slowly to make a soft dough. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise for 1 hour and knead it again until it is bubble free. Take a small part of dough (like a lemon) and roll it as large as tortilla. Before spreading the mixing you should bake the dough first for 5 minutes and then add the mixing.
You can serve lahmacun with ayran and onion salad.

ZEYTİN EZMELİ AÇMA

ACMA WITH BLACK OLIVE PASTE

Ingredients:

• 1/2 stick of butter ( melted )
  
• 1 egg+1 egg white
• 1 cup of milk
• 5 tbsp of sugar
• 1 tbsp of salt
• 1tbsp of yeast
  
• 4 cups of all purpose of flour

Filling:

• 1/2 cup of black olive paste

Glaze:

• 1 egg yolk
  

Mix all of the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add milk, melted butter and eggs. Knead them all together with your hands until becoming dough. The dough should be soft. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest until the dough rises to double its size. It takes one to two hours. ( If you have bread maker, you can use it for this step. ) Take the bowl and knead the dough again until it is bubble free.

Divide the dough into two equal parts. Roll the first half to make in 22" 11" rectangular. Spread the olive paste to the half of the rectangular.



Fold the dough.



First divide into two by cutting lengthwise and than make 1 inch stripes.




Twist the stripes around and give them swirl shape.




Repeat this steps for the second half of the dough. Put a parchment paper on a cookie sheet and place all of the acmas to the sheet. Let it rises for about 30 minutes and brush them gently with egg yolk. Preheat the oven to 350F and bake it for 45 minutes or acmas are just golden brown.



Note:You can either buy black olive paste from a Mediterranean store or you can make it by yourself if you have some black olives.

KİLİS TAVA

TRAY KEBAB

Kilis is a city in Turkey which is my hometown and this kebab is one of its delicious dishes.

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds of ground lamb ( or ground beef )
  
• 3 medium size of onions
• 12 cloves of garlic
• 1 tbs of tomato paste
• 1tbs of red pepper paste
• 1 tsp of black pepper
• salt

for the bottom:

• 4 medium size of potatoes ( thinly sliced )
  

Preheat the oven to 400 F.
Place sliced potatoes on a 13"18" inch tray no space between them .
Chop onions and mash garlic. Take them in a big mixing bowl. Put all of the other ingredients into this bowl and knead them until well combine. Take this mixing on top of the potatoes and cover the surface with this mixing pressing gently.
Bake it for 40 minutes.


Tips:

• You can use eggplants instead of potatoes for the bottom.
• You should slice thinly either potatoes or eggplants otherwise it might not cook.
  

MEVSIM SALATASI

SEASON SALAD

There is no fix recipe for this salad but it is a must for me, especially for dinners. Ingredients change a bit every time. Sometimes I use red onion instead of green onion or add fresh mint or cucumber.



Ingredients:

• 1 green pepper
• 1 medium size tomato
  
• 3 green onion
• 1 carrot
• 3 leaves of red cabbage
• 6 leaves of lettuce
• 1/4 bunch of parsley

Souse:

• 1 lemon juice
• 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
• salt

Wash all of the salad ingredients and drain them well.
In a big salad bowl, take lemon juice, salt, and olive oil and beat them with a whisk.
Thinly slice red cabbage and take it to the bowl and crush it with your hands until it gives its red color to the salad souse.
Chop tomato, onion, pepper, lettuce, and parsley. Grate the carrot. Take them all to the salad bowl and toss it.

DOMATES ÇORBASI

TOMATO SOUP

Winter is coming... Nothing is better than a small bowl of homemade soup for cold winter days.
Turkish cuisine has a wide variety of soups. We start our dinners with them as a starter.

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp of vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp of all purpose flour
• 2 large tomatoes ( peeled and grated )
• 2 tbsp of tomato paste
• 1/2 tbsp of red pepper paste (optional )
• 5 cups of boiling water
• a pinch of ground thyme
• a pinch of black pepper
• salt

Take vegetable oil and flour in a medium pot. Turn the heat to medium. Stirring constantly with a whisk , cook it just until the flour has lost its raw smell. Turn the heat down to low. Add tomato paste, pepper paste, thyme, black pepper, and grated tomatoes into the pot. Stir until it is smooth. Than add boiling water slowly and stir continuously. Cook until it reaches thick consistency.Add salt. When you serve the soup, sprinkle some grated mozzarella cheese on top.
Enjoy...

ZEYTİNYAĞLI PATLICAN DOLMASI

 




























STUFFED EGGPLANT WITH OLIVE OIL

Turkish cuisine has a lot of stuffed vegetable recipes. They are either with meat or olive oil. I should admit, it is not so easy to make but it worth all of the time you spend for it.

Ingredients:

• 20 baby eggplants
• 20 slices of tomatoes
  

Filling:

• 20 tbsp of uncooked rice
• 1 large size of tomato
• 1 large size of onion
• 1 green pepper
• 1/2 cup of olive oil
• 1 tsp of black pepper
• 1 tbsp pomegranate paste
• 2 lemon's juice
• 1 tbsp of salt
• 2 tbsp of tomato paste
• 1 tbsp of red pepper paste
  

For filling, chop tomato, onion,and pepper. Take them in a big mixing bowl. Take the other ingredients for filling into the mixing bowl and mix them well.



Wash and cut off the eggplants' tops. Scoop out inside of the eggplants with a spoon or vegetable peeler.



Fill them halfway with the fillings. Close each eggplant a slice of tomato. Place them horizontally in a large pot, leaving no space between eggplants. Fill the pot halfway with boiling water. Take the pot on a medium heat and wait until it starts to boil. Turn the heat to low as soon as it starts bubbling. Cook for one our or until eggplants are tender.

ZEYTİNYAĞLI TAZE FASULYE

GREEN BEANS WITH OLIVE OIL

This recipe is from one of the iftar dinner which we had it with our friends.

Ingredients:

• 2 lb of green beans
• 2 medium size of onions
• 3 medium size of tomatoes
• 3 tbsp of olive oil
• a pinch of sugar
• salt

Chop the onion. Wash, drain, trim the beans and cut them diagonally into1-inch pieces. Peel and grate tomatoes.
In a medium pot, take olive oil and chopped onion and saute them for 5 minutes on a medium heat. Add beans to the pot and cook it until beans lost their rawness, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes, sugar and salt to the pot and cook for half an hour.

ŞEKERPARE

Makes 38 cookies

During Ramadan, we would like to have dessert after iftar. These desserts are usually very sweet like this one...
The recipe belongs to Portakal Agaci.

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks of butter ( melted )
  

• 1 cup of granulated sugar
• 4 tbsp of semolina
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp of shredded coconut
• 1 tsp of baking soda

• 3 cups of flour
  

Syrup:

• 2+1/2 cups of sugar
• 3 cups of water
• 1tbsp of lemon juice

First mix all of the syrup ingredients in a medium pot and boil them for 10 minutes on a medium heat. Let the syrup cool completely.



Preheat the oven to 350F. Mix melted butter, powdered sugar, semolina,eggs, coconut, baking soda in a large mixing bowl. Add flour slowly to make the dough soft.  Take a small part of dough like a size of walnut and give it a cookie shape. Place a hazelnut ( or a piece of walnut or pistachio or almond whichever you have in your hands ) on top of cookies. Place them on the baking tray. Bakef or 30 minutes or the cookies change their color to brown.Take the tray out of the oven and pour the syrup slowly on top of cookies and let the cookies absorb the syrup for 6-7 hours.

PİDE

TURKISH FLAT BREAD

Pide is the special Turkish bread for Ramadan. During the holy month of Ramadan, you could see long lines in front of bakeries. Those people wait to have one of these breads to break their fast with it. The smell of pide 'force' you to get one even you don't think about buying it.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups of all purpose flour
• 1+3/4 cups of warm water
• 1/2 stick butter ( melted )
  
• 1/2 tbsp of dry yeast
• 1 tbsp of sugar
• 1/2 tbsp of salt

Topping:

• sesame seeds and baraca seeds

In a large mixing bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients. Add melted butter and warm water into this mixture and knead. The dough should be sticky. Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and keep it in a warm place for rising. Let the dough rises to double its size. Take the bowl and knead the dough again until it is bubble free. Place a parchment paper on a 13" 10.5" baking tray. Take the dough to the tray and make it flat with your hands until it cover all of the surface of the tray. Dampen your hands with water if the dough stick to your hands on this step. Then take a knife and give the dough square shapes going deep down. Sprinkle some sesame and baraca seeds on top. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Let rise the dough for half an hour. Bake it for 30 minutes or the color of pide turns light brown. Take the pide out of the oven let it cool for 20 minutes and fold it with a clean kitchen towel to keep it soft.

HAVUÇLU KEK

CARROT CAKE

This cake is one of my favorites. My oldest sister, Dilek , used to bake it for me when I was single. I am married now and baking this cake to my son and my husband. They like it as much as I do :)


Ingredients:


For cake:

• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup of sugar
• 3/4 cup of flour
• 2 cups of grated carrot
• 1/2 cup of crushed walnut
• 1/2 cup of raisins
• 1tbsp of ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp of baking soda
  

For frosting:

• 2 cups of milk
• 3 tbsp of flour
• 4 tbsp of sugar

Preheat the oven to 350F.
In a large mixing bowl, take the eggs and sugar and mix it for 5 minutes with a mixer. Add flour, cinnamon, and baking soda to this mixture and mix them for another 5 minutes. Add carrot, walnut, and raisins to the bowl and stir them with a spoon until they are well combined. Pour this mixture to a 8" non-stick round cake pan and bake for 1 hour.Remove the pan from oven and allow the cake cool completely.
Meanwhile, in a medium pot, take milk, flour, and sugar for frosting. Mix them with a whisk and turn the heat to the high. Keep mixing until it starts bubbling and starts to be smooth.Turn the heat off allow it cool completly.
Pour the frosting on top of the cool cake and frost it.

ZEYTİNYAĞLI BAMYA

OKRA WITH OLIVE OIL

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs of fresh okra
• 1 medium size onion( chopped)
• 10 garlic cloves ( peeled)
• 2 tomatoes ( peeled and chopped)
• 2 cups of boiling water
• 1 tbsp of tomato paste
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• 2 lemon's juice
• salt, pepper

Cut off the okra's ends , wash and drain them. Meanwhile, in a large pot, take olive oil and chopped onion. Stir and cook for 5 minutes on a medium heat. Add tomato paste. Stirring occasionally , cook for 2-3 minutes. Add boiling water, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Stir and add okra, tomatoes, and garlic cloves. Bring it to the boil.

Reduce the heat and simmer for about 45 minutes until okra is tender.

ETLİ KURU FASULYE

TURKISH STYLE KIDNEY BEANS

Kuru fasulye is our "national" dish with rice and sliced onion. I think it gives you an idea how much we like it:)

Ingredients:

• 1 lb dried kidney beans ( soaked over night )
• 1 lb beef cubes
• 1 large onion (chopped)
• 1 jalapeno pepper ( chopped )
• 3 dried chile pepper
• 2 tbs of vegetable oil
• 2 tbs of tomato paste
• 1/2 tbs of red pepper paste
• 2 cups of boiling water
• 1 tsp of black pepper
• salt

In a large pot, take vegetable oil and beef cubes and cover the lid. Cook them on a medium heat around ten minutes. Add chopped onion and pepper. Stir and cook them for five minutes and then add tomato and red pepper paste. Stirring occasionally, cook another five minutes. Drain the kidney beans and add them to the pot with boiling water, black pepper, dried chili pepper, and salt. Give them a quick stir.Turn the heat to low and cook for one hour.
I prefer to cook kidney beans in a pressure cooker. This way it takes less time and energy.

BULGUR PİLAVI

BULGUR PILAF

Bulgur pilaf is a very good alternative to rice.



Ingredients:

• 1 cup of coarse bulgur
• 2 cups of boiling water
• 2 tbs of orzo pasta
• 2 tbs of butter ( or vegetable oil )
• 1/4 tsp of black pepper
• salt

In a medium pot, take butter and orzo pasta and cook it on a medium heat until orzo change its color to light brown. Add bulgur, boiling water, black pepper, and salt into pot and cover the lid. When it starts bubbling, turn the heat low. Cook it until bulgur absorbs all of the water.Turn off the heat. Take the pot in a cool spot and place a paper towel between the pot and the lid. This way, the paper towel absorbs remaining water and pilaf won't be sticky.
Enjoy...

KIYMALI BÖREK

BOREK WITH GROUND BEEF

Borek is another very well known dish in Turkey. Everybody has their favorite one. Fillings are made almost with every vegetable, beef or cheese. Just use your imaginations...

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb. fillo dough

Filling:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 medium onion
• 1 bunch of parsley
• 2 tbs of vegetable oil
• 1 tsp of black pepper
• salt

Sauce:

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup of vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup of milk

In a medium skillet, cook ground beef with 2 tbs of vegetable oil on a medium heat. When the beef is done add chopped onion in the skillet and cook them together for 5 minutes. Turn of the heat and add chopped parsley, black pepper and salt. Set a side.

In a medium mixing bowl, mix eggs, milk and vegetable oil for sauce.
Divide fillo sheets into two equal parts. Brush bottom and sides of a baking tray ( 13" 17" inches ) with vegetable oil. Lay 2 sheets of fillo at a time, spoon the sauce over entire surface. When you are done with first half, spread the filling all over covering the whole surface. Repeat with second half of fillo sheets, spoon the sauce until it is finished.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Bake for about 45 minutes or until nicely brown.

When it completely cools down, cut the borek into square shapes.

SOĞAN SALATASI

ONION SALAD

Onion salad is great for barbecue parties.


Ingredients:

• 3 large yellow onions
• 1/2 tbsp of salt (to rub onion )
• 1/4 bunch of parsley
• 1 tbs of sumac
• 1/2 tbs of ground chili pepper
• 1 lemon juice
• salt

Chop parsley. Thinly slice onions. In a big mixing bowl,take onion and 1/2 tbsp of salt, rub onion and salt with your hands until onion gives its juice out. Wash and drain. Squeeze onion to get rid of all the juice. Take them in another large mixing bowl. Add chopped parsley, sumac, salt, and pepper in the bowl. When you are ready to eat, drizzle lemon juice all over.

FIRINDA TAVUK

OVEN BAKED CHICKEN THIGHS

This recipe is easy and delicious. You can serve it with rice and salad.


Ingredients:

• 8 chicken thighs
• 2 tomatoes
• 8 jalapeno peppers

Sauce:

• 4 tbs of plain yogurt
• 1 tbs of red pepper paste ( or 1/2 tbs of ground chili pepper)
• 1+ 1/2 tsp of ground thyme
• 1 tsp of black pepper
• salt

Preheat the oven to 400F. In a medium mixing bowl, mix all of the ingredients for sauce. Slice the tomatoes. Dip all the thighs, tomatoes, and peppers into this mixture and place them in a baking tray. Bake them about 45 minutes or the thighs turn to golden brown.

CEVİZLİ BAKLAVA

BAKLAVA WITH WALNUT

I don't need to say anything about baklava, it speaks itself :)... Don't you agree?



Ingredients:

• 1 lb. fillo dough
• 2 sticks of salted butter ( melted )

filling

• 1+1/2 cups of crushed walnuts

syrup

• 1+1/2 cups of sugar
• 1 cup of water
• 1 tbs of lemon juice

In a medium pot , combine syrup ingredients and boil it for ten minutes on a medium heat. Turn off the heat and let the syrup cool down.
Divide fillo sheets into two equal parts. Brush bottom and sides of a baking tray ( 13" 17" inches ) with melted butter. Lay 3 sheets of fillo at a time, brush melted butter over entire surface . When you are done with first half, spread the filling all over covering the whole surface. Repeat with second half of fillo sheets, brushing 3 layers with melted butter. Brush separately when there are four or five sheets left.
Preheat to oven 300F. Using a sharp knife, cut deep into sheets, making rectangle shapes.

When you are finished, brush the last layer with melted butter.
Bake for about 1 hour or until nicely brown and fluffy, remove from oven, wait
three to four minutes and spoon cold syrup over.

KISIR

It is hard to categorized kisir. It could be a meal by itself with some tomatoes, cucumbers, pickles and ayran or an afternoon snack with Turkish tea. For having an idea, you should try it first and decide what might it be...

Ingredients:

• 1+1/2 cups of bulgur ( dried, medium crushed wheat)
• 1 cup of boiling water
• 1 tbs of of red pepper paste
• 2tbs of tomato paste
• 1 bunch of parsley
• 1 bunch of green onion
• 10 cloves of garlic
• 1 tbs of pomegranate syrup
• 1/2 cup of olive oil
• 2 lemons' juice
• 1/2 tsp of black pepper
• salt

In a large mixing bowl, mix bulgur and boiling water and cover the lid. Let bulgur absorb the water. Meanwhile chop parsley, green onion, and garlic. When you are done with chopping, take the bulgur and add red pepper paste, tomato paste, pomegranate syrup , lemon juice, olive oil, black pepper, and salt. Mix them well and then add chopped parsley, green onion, and garlic. Mix them all together.

MÜCEDDERE

BULGUR PILAF WITH GREEN LENTIL

I prefer to have this pilaf instead of rice. It is more nutritious and delicious for me.
It is good to go with yogurt and green onion or any kind of salad.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of green lentils, washed
  
• 1 cup of bulgur( dried, medium crushed wheat)
• 2 cups of boiling water
  
• 1 medium size of onion
• 1/2 cup of olive oil
• 1 tbs of red pepper paste
  
• salt

Place lentils in medium pot, add enough water to cover and cook until just tender. Drain the lentil and place bulgur, boiling water, lentil, red pepper paste, and salt to the same pot and gentle stir. Place the pan over medium heat, cover the lid. When it starts bubbling turn the heat to low. Cook it until bulgur completely absorbs the water.

Thinly slice the onion. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat and add the onion. Saute the onion until it is golden brown. Add this saute to the pilaf and stir gentle. Take the pan to a cool place and cover it with paper towel, put the lid on and let sit 15 minutes. This way, paper towel absorbs all of the remaining water.

Enjoy...

SİYAH ZEYTİN EZMESİ

BLACK OLIVE PASTE

When we talk about Turkish breakfast, the first two elements come to our minds are olive and cheese. We do like to eat them plain. However, it is possible to make variety of dishes with olive and cheese.
One of them is this paste. You can spread it on crackers or bread, use it as a seasoning agent for salads and soups. Its uses are unlimited.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of black olive
• 2 tbs of olive oil
• 2 tbs of thyme
• 1 tbs of basil
• 1/2 of black pepper
• 1 clove of garlic
  
• salt( optional)
  

Remove the pits from the olives and discard. Place all of the ingredients in a bowl of food processor and process to a spreading consistency. It takes around ten minutes.

Take the paste in a jar. Spread olive oil on the surface of paste to keep it fresh. Store it in the refrigerator.

These ingredients make two cups of paste.

Enjoy...

PATATES SALATASI

POTATO SALAD

This salad has no specific recipe, this is the way I do it. The differences of my recipe are sumac and basil. These two ingredients make the salad delicious.


Ingredients:

• 4 large size of potatoes
• 1 bunch of parsley
• 1 small size of onion
• 1 bunch of fresh onion
• Lettuce leaves (optional )
• 1 tbs of sumac
• 1tbs of basil
  
• 1 lemon juice
  
• 3 tbs of olive oil
  
• salt, pepper
  

Wash potatoes and place them in a large pot, fill with water to cover, and cook until just tender. Meanwhile, thinly slice onion, parsley, and fresh onion. When the potatoes cool down, peel and cube them. Take all of the ingredients in a big mixing bowl and mix all of them with your fingers for a better taste.

SİMİT

TURKISH STYLE BAGEL

Simit means a lot for Turks. If you are outside and hungry and have limited time to eat, simit is always the first and the best choice. You can see them sold by hawker on the streets of Turkey or in a fancy "Simit Houses." It is much more tastier, if you have a slice of feta cheese and a cup of Turkish tea with it.

Since I am not in Turkey, I have to do it by myself.

Ingredients:

Dough:

• 1/2 tbsp of instant yeast
• 3/4 cups of warm water
• 2 cups of all purpose flour
• 1 tsp of salt 

Topping:

• 4 tbsp of grape molasses
• 2 tbsp of water
• 2 cups of roasted sesame seeds

Mix yeast, flour, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add warm water and knead them all together with your hands until becoming dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Keep the bowl in a warm place( not hot) for quick rising and let it rest until the dough rises to double its size. Take the bowl and knead the dough again until it is bubble free. Place the dough onto counter top and cut it into 12 pieces. Give each of them a shape of long roll (like 8 inches).Take two of long rolls and twist them around. Bring the ends together. It will look like a bagel.
Meanwhile, mix grape molasses and water with a whisk in a large mixing bowl. Take sesame seeds in a large plate. Dip simits into this liquid and drain the remaining liquid. Dip them into sesame seeds. Place them in a greased baking sheet.
Preheat the oven to 350F. Let simits rise for 20 minutes. Bake for 25 minutes, or until simits become a golden brown color and crispy.