TAZE BÖRÜLCE SALATASI

LONG BEAN SALAD

Ingredients:

1 lb long bean
1 carrot ( peeled and grated )
1 small size red onion (half moon sliced )
1 red sweet pepper ( sliced )
1 yellow sweet pepper ( sliced )
2 tomatoes ( peeled and cubed )
1/4 cup of olive oil
1/3 cup of boiling water
1 tbsp of tomato paste
salt
Chopped fresh dill to decorate

Wash and cut the long beans 2-3 inch parts. Boil the long beans and drain. Discard the remaining water. Take the long beans in a large pot. Add grated carrot on top of  long beans. Add onion on top of carrot. Add sliced pepper on onions. Add cubed tomatoes on peppers. Dissolve the tomato paste in 1/3 cup of boiling water and add it in the pot.  Add olive oil salt. Do not stir. Cover the lid.
Turn the heat on medium low and simmer  for 30 minutes. When it is cooled take it in a serving dish and decorate with chopped dill.

DEREOTLU TAZE BAKLA

FRESH FAVA WITH DILL

Ingredients:

• 2 lb of fava
• 1 medium size of chopped onion
• 1/2 bunch of chopped fresh dill ( chopped )
• 3 tbsp of olive oil
• 1 tbsp of tomato paste
• 1/2 cup of boiling water
• salt

Wash favas and cut the ends off. Cut them into 2-inch sizes. Take olive oil, chopped onion in a large pot. Saute onion over medium heat until tender. Add boiling water, tomato paste, favas into the pot and stir. Bring it to the boil and turn the heat down to low. Stir occasionally and add more boiling water if it is necessary. Simmer 30 minutes or until favas are tender. Turn the heat off . Add chopped dill and salt.
Serve it with yogurt on top.

KİMYONLU & SARIMSAKLI TAZE FASULYE

GREEN BEANS WITH GARLIC & CUMIN

Ingredients:

• 3 lb. of green beans
• 1 large size of onions
• 1 fresh green pepper
• 1 tbsp of tomato paste
  
• 3 large size of tomatoes
• 3 tbsp of olive oil
• 5 cloves of garlic ( minced ) 
• 1/3 tsp of ground cumin
• salt

Chop onion and green pepper. Wash, drain and, trim the beans and cut them diagonally into 2-inch pieces.
Take olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion, chopped pepper into the pot. Saute them o for 10 minutes. Take green beans into the pot. Stir them all together. Simmer it until green beans are soft. Peel the tomatoes and cut them into cubes.Add tomato paste, garlic, cumin and salt into the pot and stir.  Place tomatoes on top of beans. Cover the lid on and cook for 20 minutes.

ZEYTİNYAĞLI YAPRAK SARMASI

STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES WITH OLIVE OIL

My family has their own vineyard. We were collecting our own grape leaves  and boil them first in order to make this recipe when I was living in Turkey. 

   For me, this is the best vegetarian/vegan dish ever. I can have this dish for  every single meal, even as a snack with my afternoon tea.

It took me almost one hour to roll all the leaves. It is better to have someone with you to reduce the time you spent rolling them.

Ingredients:

• a jar of canned grape leaves ( 2 lb )
• 2 cups of uncooked rice
• 1/2 bunch of green onion ( chopped )
• 1 large size of onion ( chopped )
• 10 cloves of garlic ( chopped )
• 1/2 cup of olive oil
• 1 tsp of black pepper
• 2 lemon's juice
• 1 tbsp of salt
• 2 tbsp of tomato paste
• 1 tbsp of red pepper paste
• 1 cup of boiling water

Take olive oil, chopped onion, garlic and green onion in a large pot over medium heat. Stir and saute it for 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and red pepper paste in it and stir for 5 minutes. Add 1 cup of boiling water into the pot and stir. Bring it to the boil and add rice in it. Cover the lid and turn the heat down to low. Simmer until rice absorb all of the water. ( Rice will cook halfway. ) Turn the heat off and add pomegranate paste, salt, black pepper, lemon juice in it and stir. Set a side.
Take the jar of  grape leaves and drain its juice. Wash the leaves and drain the excess water.

 Take one of leaves on a flat surface. Place one tbsp of filling on the upper side of it and fold the sides inside and roll it. Repeat this step for all off the leaves.
Place all the rolls horizontally, side-by-side in a large pot. Add boiling water into the pot slowly, just to cover the rolls. Take the pot over medium heat and bring it to the boil. Turn the heat down to low as soon as it starts to bubble. Cover the lid and simmer for one hour or until the rolls are tender. Serve it warm or cold. 
We had it as a dinner with cacik.
Enjoy...

İMAMBAYILDI

  






























 BABY EGGPLANTS WITH OLIVE OIL
I remembered this summer dish as soon as I saw these teeny-tiny eggplants in our local Indian store. I usually follow the seasons for buying vegetables and fruit but I just couldn't resist.

Tomatoes which were used in this recipe are from summer. When they are so fresh and much more cheaper in the summer time I buy some more for coming winter. I just chop and place them in small freezer bags and store in the freezer.


Serves for 4-6

Ingredients

• 20 of baby eggplants
• 1 large size of onions
• 20 baby chilli peppers 
• 10 cloves of garlic ( chopped)
  
• 3 medium size of tomatoes
• 1 tbsp of tomato paste
  
• 1/3 cup of olive oil
• a pinch black pepper
  
• salt

Wash and trim eggplants. Cut them "+" shape that go almost halfway from the bottom. Take 1/3 cup of olive oil in large pot and heat over medium-high heat. Take all 20 eggplants in the pot at the same time and cover the lid. Do not open the lid just shake the pot gently every two minutes until they are nicely brown. Turn the heat off and take eggplants to a dish. Chop the onion and take them to the same pot. Saute with the remaining olive oil. Wash and trim chilli peppers and add them with garlic to the pot and stir .Peel and grate tomatoes. Add them to the pot with tomato paste and stir. Cook for 10 minutes over medium heat.Add salt and black pepper to the pot and stir.Place  eggplants to the pot and cover the lid. Turn the heat down to low and simmer for 30 minutes.

ÖCCE/MÜCVER

HERB FRITTER

Most people know about zucchini fritter in Turkey and it is called "mucver' in Turkish. It is a pretty popular dish. This version of fritter is just made in my hometown and we call it "öcce." The taste of both fritters are similar but the ingredients are almost completly different.

Ingredients:

• 2 bunch of green onion ( finely chopped )
  
• 1 large onion ( finely chopped )
• 2 bunch of parsley ( finely chopped )
• 10 cloves of garlic ( finely chopped )
• 3 eggs
• 1 tbsp of dried mint
• 1 tbsp of red pepper paste
• 1 tbsp of cumin
• 2 cups of all purpose flour
• 1+ 1/2 cups of water
• 1/3 tsp of baking soda
• salt
• olive oil for frying
  

Take chopped green onions, chopped onion,chopped garlic, chopped parsley in a large mixing bowl. Add salt, red pepper paste, dried mint, and cumin into the bowl and rub it with your hands until it loses its volume. Whisk eggs in another bowl and add to the mixture and stir. Add water into the bowl and mix. Add flour and baking soda together to the mixture and mix it.
Place some paper towel on a serving dish. Take olive oil in a large frying pan, turn the heat on high. Take 1 tablespoon of the mixture and put it into the pan. Fry both sides, drain away the excess oil and place fritters on the serving dish. Repeat this steps until the mixture is finished.

BAKLA

FRESH FAVA WITH OLIVE OIL

Ingredients:

• 2 lb of fresh fava
• 1 medium onion ( chopped )
  
• 6 cloves of garlic ( chopped )
  
• 1 tbsp of tomato paste
• 1/2 tbsp of red pepper paste
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• 1+ 1/2 cups of boiling water
  
• salt

Garlic yogurt:

• 1 cup of plain yogurt
• 2 garlic ( minced )
• salt
  

Wash favas and cut the ends off. Cut them into 1-inch bite sizes. Take olive oil, chopped onion, and chopped garlic in a large pot. Saute onion over medium heat until tender. Add boiling water, tomato paste, red pepper paste , and favas into the pot and stir. Bring it to the boil and turn the heat down to low. Stir occasionally and add more boiling water if it is necessary. Simmer 30 minutes or until favas are tender. Turn the heat off and add salt.
For the garlic yogurt, take yogurt in a small mixing bowl and add minced garlic and salt in it and stir.
Serve it with garlic yogurt on top at room temparature.

PAZI

RED SWISS CHARD WITH OLIVE OIL

As far as I know, there is not red Swiss Chard In Turkey. I just know the green one but the taste is almost the same. I really like the red color of it.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb swish chard
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• 5 cloves of garlic ( chopped )
• 1 tsp of cumin
• 1 tbsp of red pepper paste

Wash Swiss Chard. Cut into small pieces. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped garlic and stir for 3 minutes. Add pepper paste and cook for 5 minutes. Add chopped chard and cumin into the pot. Turn the heat down to low and cover the lid. Simmer for 15 minutes. Add salt. Turn the heat off. Serve warm with plain yogurt.

ZEYTINYAĞLI KEREVİZ

CELERY ROOTS WITH OLIVE OIL

Ingredients:

• 2 celery roots with leaves
• 2 small size of potatoes
• 2 carrots
• 1 small size of onion
  
• 1 tbsp of tomato paste
• 1 tsp of red pepper paste
• 3 tbs of olive oil
• 1/2 cup of boiling water
• salt
  

Scrub celery roots well. Cut of the top and bottom of the bulb. Remove skin. Keep them in the water with 1 tbsp of lemon juice to prevent darkening. Wash and drain the leaves and cut them two to three pieces. Wash potatoes and carrots. Peel potatoes and cut them into cubes. Peel the carrots and slice. Cut the onion into halves and slice both thinly. Take olive oil and onion into small pot. Turn the heat on medium. Saute onion. Add tomato and pepper paste into the pot and saute them for three-four minutes. Take the celery roots from the water and cut them into cubes. Add celery,celery leaves, potato, carrot, and boiling water. Stir and bring it to the boil.Add salt. Turn the heat down to low and simmer until celery cubes are soft. Serve it warm.

YUMURTALI ISPANAK

SPINACH WITH EGGS

Ingredients:

• 1 lb spinach
• 3 eggs
• 1 medium size of onion
  
• 2 tbs of olive oil
• 1/2 tbsp of tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp of ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp of ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp of ground red pepper
• salt

Wash and drain spinach. Chop onion finely. Place a large skillet on the stove top. Take olive oil and chopped onion into the skillet. Turn the heat on medium and cover the lid. Meanwhile, chop spinach. Stir onion once in a while until it chances its color golden brown. Add tomato paste into the skillet and cook it with onion for five minutes. Then, add chopped spinach, black pepper, red pepper, cumin, and salt into the skillet and give it a quick stir. Cover the lid and cook it until spinach absorbs all of its juice, stirring occasionally. Wash eggs just before using them. Make three indentations in spinach and crack one egg into each indentation. Turn the heat down to low and cover the lid. Cook it until egg whites are just opaque.
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.

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.

MENEMEN

Menemen is for special breakfasts for me but it covers lunch very well with a slice of bread.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium size of onion
• 1 medium size of jalapeño pepper
• 3 medium size of tomatoes
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbs of vegetable oil
• salt, black pepper

Heat a medium skillet over medium heat, add vegetable oil in it. Chop onion and pepper and add them to the skillet. Cook them until onion is just golden. Peel and chop tomatoes and add them to the skillet, stirring occasionally until the juice of tomatoes comes up. Season with salt and pepper. Crack eggs into the skillet. Reduce heat to low. Cover, cook very gently until egg whites are just opaque.

Tips:
.Serve menemen with bread.
.Crack 1 egg per person.