DOMATES & SOĞAN SOSLU KARIŞIK SEBZE KIZARTMASI

MIXED VEGETABLE FRIES WITH TOMATO & ONION SAUCE

Ingredients:
2 golden potatoes ( cubed )
1 eggplant ( cubed )
3 green fresh pepper (cubed )
olive oil to fry

Sauce:
1 small size of onion
1 cloves of garlic
2 tomatoes
2 tbsp of olive oil
a pinch of ground black pepper
salt

Fry potatoes, eggplant and peppers separately. Lay them on a serving dish.
Chop onion and saute it with 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. Finely chop garlic and add it the onion. Peel and grate the tomatoes and add it in the skillet. Add a pinch of black pepper and salt. Spoon the sauce over fries and serve

ISPANAK SALATASI

BABY SPINACH SALAD

It is a very simple and satisfying dish that can be served as salad or dip.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb of baby spinach
• 3 tbsp condensed yogurt
• 1 clove of garlic
• 2 tsp of extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp of Turkish red pepper flake
• salt

Take baby spinach and olive oil in pot over low heat.Stir occasionally until spinach absorb its own juice. Turn the heat off and let it cool.Take spinach, yogurt,garlic,red pepper flakes and salt in a mixing bowl and stir. Take it in a serving dish.
  

BULGURLU ISPANAK

SPINACH WITH BULGUR

Ingredients:

• 2 lb of spinach
• 1/3 cup of uncooked course bulgur
• 1 medium size of onion ( chopped )
• 10 cloves of garlic ( chopped )
• 1 tbsp of tomato paste
• 1 tbsp of red pepper paste
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• 3/4 cup of boiling water
• a pinch of black pepper
• salt

Soak spinach in cold water and add 2 tbsp of vinegar. Leave spinach in the water for 20 minutes. Wash and drain it.
In a large pot, take olive oli, chopped onion, and chopped garlic. Stir and cook until onion is tender. Add tomato paste and red pepper paste, stir for 2-3 minutes.
Chop spinach and add it to the pot. Stir until it loses its volume. Add 3/4 cup of boiling water, bulgur and black pepper to the pot and stir. Turn the heat down to low. Cover the lid. Simmer until the bulgur is cooked. Add salt.
Serve it warm with plain yogurt.

ISPANAKLI BÖREK

SPINACH BOREK

Ingredients:

• 4 Turkish pastry sheets

Filling:

• 1 large size of onion(chopped)
• 2 lb of spinach
• 1 tbsp of tomato paste
• 1 tbsp of red pepper paste
• 1/2 cup of feta cheese
• 3 tbsp of olive oil
• 1/2 tsp of ground black pepper
• salt

Sauce:

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

Glaze:

• 1 egg yolk
• sesame seeds and nigella seeds

Soak spinach in cold water and add 2 tbsp of vinegar. Leave spinach in the water for 20 minutes. Wash and drain it one more time.
In a large pot, take vegetable oil add chopped onion. Stir and cook until onion is tender. Add tomato paste and red pepper paste stir for 2-3 minutes.
Chop spinach and add it to the pot. Stir until it loses its volume. Add ground black pepper and salt. Turn the heat off when the spinach absorbs all of its juice and let it cool.
For the sauce; take eggs, milk and vegetable oil in large mixing bowl and whisk.
Brush bottom and sides of a 13 by 17-inch baking tray with vegetable oil. Layer the first sheet, spoon 1/3 of the sauce over entire surface. Layer the second sheet and spoon 1/3 of sauce over and spread the filling all over covering the whole surface. Layer the third sheet on top of the filling and spoon the remaining sauce all over and layer the last sheet.
Whisk egg yolk for the glaze and brush the last sheet with egg yolk. Sprinkle some sesame and nigella seeds.
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Bake for about 45 minutes or until nicely brown.
When it completely cools down, cut the borek into squares.

ETLİ SARI KABAK DOLMASI

STUFFED YELLOW SQUASH

Ingredients:

• 20 yellow squash
• 20 slices of tomatoes
  

Filling:

• 20 tbsp of uncooked rice
• 1/2 lb of ground beef
• 2 large size of tomato
• 1 large size of onion
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 green pepper
• 3 tbsp of olive oil
• 1 tsp of black pepper
• 1 tbsp pomegranate paste
•  juice of 2 lemon
• 2 tbsp of tomato paste
• 1 tbsp of red pepper paste
• salt 

Take onion, green pepper,tomatoes and garlic into the bowl of food processor and process it until finely chopped. Take them in a large mixing bowl. Add the other ingredients ( rice, beef, tomato paste, red pepper paste, lemon juice, black pepper,pomegranate paste and salt) into the mixing bowl and mix it until well combined.
Wash and cut off the squash's tops. Scoop out inside of the squash with a spoon or vegetable peeler.
Fill them halfway with the fillings. Close each squash with a slice of tomato. Place them horizontally in a large pot, leaving no space between them. Fill the pot halfway with boiling water. Take the pot over medium heat and wait until it starts to boil. Turn the heat down to low as soon as it starts bubbling. Simmer for one our or until squashes are tender.

ETLİ BAMYA

OKRA WITH BEEF CUBES

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs of fresh okra
• 1 lb of beef cubes
• 1 medium size onion ( chopped )
• 1 fresh green pepper ( chopped )
• 3 large tomatoes
• 2 cups of boiling water
• 1 tbsp of tomato paste
• 2 tbsp of vegetable oil
• 1/2 tsp of citric acid
• 1/2 tsp of black pepper
• salt

Cut off the okra's ends, wash and drain them. Take beef cubes, black pepper and vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook it until the beef absorb all of its juice, stirring occasionally . Add chopped onion, chopped pepper into the pot. Saute them over medium heat for 10 minutes then add tomato paste and continue to cook for 5 minutes. Take okra and citric acid into the pot. Add salt. Stir them all together. Peel the tomatoes and cut them into cubes. Place tomatoes on top of everything. Turn the heat down to low. Put the lid on and simmer it until okras are soft.

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.

TAM BUĞDAY UNLU EKMEK

WHOLE WHEAT BREAD

Ingredients:

• 4 cups of whole wheat flour
• 1+1/2 cup of warm water
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• 1 tbsp of salt 
• 1 tbsp of granulated sugar
• 1 tsp of yeast

In a large mixing bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients. Add olive oil and warm water into this mixture and knead. The dough should be soft. 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. Give the dough a round shape. Then take a sharp knife and give the dough the shapes you desire. Sprinkle some flour on top. Preheat the oven to 450 F.
Let rise the dough for half an hour. Bake it for 30 minutes or the color of bread turns brown. Take the bread out of the oven let it cool for 20 minutes and fold it with a clean kitchen towel to keep it soft.

BABAGANUŞ

BABAGANOUSH

Ingredients:

• 1 large eggplant
• 4-5 tbsp of tahini
• 1 large clove of garlic (mushed)
• juice of a half lemon
• salt
• 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil 
• some pepper flakes

Pierce the eggplant with a fork . Grill the eggplant until they are soft. Take it out from the oven and let it cool. Peal the crust of eggplant and take the eggplant in a strainer and wait for 20 minutes to let the liquid out. 
Chop both eggplant finely and take it in a large bowl. Add garlic, lemon juice, tahini, and salt into the bowl and stir it until well combined. Take it in a serving dish. Drizzle some olive oil and sprinkle some pepper flakes on top and decorate it with parsley.
It is a very good side dish with meat or it might be a nice dip with a pita bread.
Enjoy.

SÖĞÜRME

 COOKED EGGPLANT SALAD

This dish can be served cold or warm. It could be lunch by itself or a side dish with meat.

Ingredients:

• 2 large eggplants
• 1 large onion ( chopped )
• 1 fresh green pepper ( chopped )
• 4 tomatoes (peeled and diced )
• 1/2 tbsp of tomato paste
• 4 tbsp of olive oil
• salt

Pierce the eggplants with a fork . Grill the eggplants until they are soft. Take them out from the oven and let it cool. Peal the crust of eggplants and take the eggplants in a strainer and wait for 20 minutes to let the liquid out.Chop eggplants finely.
In a large skillet, olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion and chopped pepper into the skillet and cook them together for 10 minutes. Add tomato cubes, tomato paste into the skillet and cook for another 10 minutes. Add chopped eggplant and stir. Turn the heat down to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn the heat off add salt and stir. 

KIYMALI PAZI

SWISS CHARD WITH GROUND BEEF

Serves 3-4.

Ingredients:

• 2 bunch of swiss chard
• 1/3 lb of ground beef
• 1 onion
• 5 cloves of garlic
• 2 tbsp of vegetable oil
• a pinch of black pepper
• 1 tsp of red pepper paste
• salt

Soak swiss chard in cold water and add 2 tbsp of vinegar. Leave it in the water for 20 minutes. Wash and drain it.
In a large pot, take vegetable oil and beef. Stir and cook until it absorbs its own juice over medium heat. Add chopped onion and garlic. Stir and cook until onion is tender. Add pepper paste, stir for 2-3 minutes.
Chop swiss chard and add it to the pot. Stir until it loses its volume. Add black pepper to the pot and stir. Turn the heat down to low. Cover the lid. Simmer for 15 minutes. Add salt.

MANTARLI PİLAV

RICE WITH MUSHROOMS

Serves 4.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of jasmine rice
• 1 lb of mushrooms
• 1/2 large size of onion
• 1/3 tsp of black pepper
• 3 tbs of olive oil
• salt
• 1+1/2 cup of boiling water

Chop onion and take it in a large pan over medium heat. Saute it with 3 tbsp of olive oil for 5 minutes. Wash, drain and cut mushrooms into small cubes. Place mushrooms into the pan and stir. Cover lid and cook until it absorbs all of its juice, stirring occasionally.  Add boiling water into the pan. Add black pepper, rice, and salt to the pan, stir. Turn the heat down to low and cover the lid. Simmer until the rice absorbs all of the water.

ETLİ KARA LAHANA SARMASI

STUFFED COLLARD GREENS WITH GROUND BEEF

As I mentioned in the previous post, I tried stuffed collard greens for the first time. I really liked it so did my family.
This dish is very popular in the north part of Turkey so it is very traditional too.


Ingredients:

• Large leaves of 3 bunch collard greens ( 29 leaves)
• 1/2 lb of ground beef
• 1 cup of rice
• 2 tbsp of extra fine bulgur
  
• 2 tbsp of tomato paste
• 1 tbsp of red pepper paste
• 1 medium size of onion
• 1 fresh green pepper
• 6 cloves of garlic 
•  juice of 2 lemon
• 1 tsp of black pepper
• salt

Wash the leaves several times to remove grit. Remove the center stalks from the leaves. Cut the large leaves into three triangular parts. Cut the smaller leaves into two equal parts.
Fill a large pot halfway with water. Turn the heat on high, bring it to the boil.  Place the first half of leaves' pieces in the pot, wait for 1 minutes and take them out. Repeat this step for the second half of it. Place all of them on a large plate and set a side.
Meanwhile, take onion, green pepper, and garlic into the bowl of food processor and process it until finely chopped. Take them in a large mixing bowl. Add the other ingredients ( rice, bulgur, beef, tomato paste, red pepper paste, lemon juice, black pepper, and salt) into the mixing bowl and mix it until well combined.
 

Take one piece of leaves. Place one tbsp of filling on the larger side of it and fold the sides inside and roll it. Repeat this step for all off the pieces.
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 with salad, plain yogurt or cacik. 

KIYMALI KARA LAHANA

COLLARD GREENS WITH GROUND BEEF

I bought three bunches of collard greens to make stuffed collard greens. However the inner leaves looked too small to roll. Then I decided to use those younger leaves for another recipe. I tried this recipe with a whole bunch of collard greens before but this one tastes totally different and delicious.

Serves 2.

Ingredients:

• young leaves of 3 bunch of collard greens
• 1/3 lb of ground beef
• 2 tbsp of vegetable oil
• 1/2 of large onion ( chopped )
• 4 garlic cloves ( chopped )
• 1/2 tbsp of red pepper paste
• a pinch of black pepper
• salt

Strip leaves from stems. Wash them several times to remove grit. Drain and chop them. 

Meanwhile, cook beef with 2 tbsp of oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion and garlic to the pot and stir. Cover lid and let them cook for 5 minutes. Add pepper paste and black pepper to the pot and turn the heat down to low. Add chopped collard greens to the pot and stir. Cover the lid and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn the heat off and add salt.

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.

BROKOLİ MUSAKKA

BROCCOLI MOUSSAKA

Serves 6.

There is no traditional broccoli dish in Turkish cuisine, as far as I know. This is my idea to make moussaka with it and it turned out very well.


Ingredients:

• 1/3 lb of ground beef
• 2 lb of fresh broccoli
  
• 1 large onion (chopped )
  
• 10 cloves of garlic (chopped )
  
• 1 fresh green pepper ( chopped )
  
• 2 large size of tomatoes
• 1 tbsp of tomato paste
• 2 tbsp of vegetable oil
  

• 1/3 tsp of black pepper
• salt

Take ground beef and vegetable oil in a large pot and cook it until the beef absorbs all of its juice, stirring occasionally . Add chopped onion, chopped pepper, and garlic into the pot. Saute them on medium heat for 10 minutes then add tomato paste and continue to cook for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, cut broccoli florets, wash, and  drain.  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 vegetables and turn the heat down to low. Put the lid on and cook for 30 minutes.

TAVUKLU MANTAR

MUSHROOMS WITH CHICKEN BREAST

Serves 4-6.

Ingredients:

• 1+1/2 lb of mushroom
• 1 chicken breast
• 1 large onion ( chopped )
  
• 15 baby chilli pepper
• 3 tbsp of olive oil
  
• 2 tbsp of tomato paste 
• 1/2 tsp of ground black pepper
• salt

Wash, drain and cut chicken breast into cubes. Take olive oil and chicken  cubes in a large pot. Cook until it absorbs all of its juice over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cut off the top of chilli peppers and wash. Add chopped onion, and peppers into the pot and cook for 5 minutes. Add tomato paste to the pot and stir for 5 minutes. Chop mushroom into cubes. Add mushroom cubes into the pot and stir. Add black pepper, and salt to the pot, stir. Turn the heat down to low and simmer until mushrooms are soft.

ZEYTİNYAĞLI PIRASA

LEEKS WITH OLIVE OIL

Serves 4.

Ingredients:

• 4 leeks
• 3 carrots
• 1 onion
• 3 tbsp of rice
• 3 tbsp of olive oil
• 1 tbsp of tomato paste
• 1 cup of boiling water
• salt
  

Cut top of leeks off, wash, and drain. Cut the white parts of leeks and set a side. Cut the leeks' green parts in half lengthwise and slice them thinly. Wash leek one more time after chopping. Wash, drain, and slice carrots too. Take olive oil,chopped leeks, and carrots in a pot and turn the heat on medium high. Cook it until leek absorbs all of its juice, stirring occasionally.Chop onion and add it into the pot. Stir and cook for 5 minutes. Add 1 cup of boiling water, tomato paste, and rice into the pot and stir. Bring it to the boil. Slice the white part of leeks into 1 inch pieces. Place the leeks' slices on top and cover the lid. Turn the heat down to low and simmer until white leek sileces soft. Turn the heat off. Let it cool. Serve it with pepper flakes and some lemon juice.

MAKARNA SALATASI

PASTA SALAD

This salad has never disappointed me. I always prepare it to my friends with no doubt. Most of the time they ask for the recipe. It is also very easy to make. Here is my pasta salad recipe;

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb of pasta ( any kind you like )
• 1/2 cup of frozen corns
• 1/2 cup of frozen peas
• 3 tbsp of mayonnaise
• 3 tbsp of thick plain yogurt
• 1 tsp of ground red pepper
• 1/2 cup of pickle ( chopped )
  
• 1 bunch of green onion ( chopped )
  
• 5 cloves of garlic( minced )
• juice of 1 lemon
• 3 tbsp of vegetable oil
  
• salt

 Cook pasta according to package directions and let it cool for 40-50 minutes. Take pasta in a large mixing bowl. Add green onion, garlic, pickles, corns, peas, mayonnaise, yogurt, red pepper, lemon juice, vegetable oil, salt into the bowl and stir. Take it in serving bowl.

Note: 
The pickle I used was a mixture of carrot, cauliflower, cabbage pickles. If I am out of this kind of pickle, I just use the regular store bought pickles.