Beef Stew with Pickled Cabbage

(Çorti Aşı - Bitlis - East Anatolia Region)

~300 g beef or lamb, bone-in
2/3 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed
1/2 cup pearl wheat
1 1/2 cups pickled cabbage, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1-2 tbsp tomato paste, optional
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt
4 cups or more warm water

Garnish:
Red pepper flakes

Place the meat in a cooking pot. Spread the chickpeas, pickled cabbage, pearl wheat, olive oil, garlic and salt. First add 2 cups of water into the pot. Cover and start to cook at medium-low heat. Occasionally add the rest of the water.

Garnish with the red pepper flakes and serve.

2 servings.

Celery Root in Olive Oil with Orange Juice

(Zeytinyağlı Portakallı Kereviz)

2 medium-sized celery roots, peeled, cut in wedges
Enough water mixed with the juice of half a lemon to cover the celery root wedges
~
10 pearl onions, peeled
1 carrot, peeled, sliced
1 medium size potato, peeled, cut in cubes
1 tsp flour, all purpose
~50 ml (4 tbsp) extra virgin olive oil (half for cooking, half for after cooking)
Juice of one orange
3-4 slices of orange with rind, cut in half
1/2 cup water with lemon juice (taken from the lemon water used to soak the celery)
Salt

Soak the celery wedges in water with the lemon juice for about 5 minutes to prevent them from getting darker.

Meanwhile, saute the carrot, potato and pearl onions in a pot with the olive oil and flour. Add the celery wedges, orange juice, orange wedges, water and salt. Cover and cook at low heat until the vegetables are tender.

Let it cool down in the pot. Then, place on a serving platter. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Pearl Wheat - Onion Soup

(Den Corbasi - Erzurum - East Anatolia Region)

1/2 cup pearl wheat
~3 cups water
~4 cups bone or beef broth
2 tbsp mint
Salt
Pepper

Sauce:
3/4 cup yogurt, plain
2 tbsp flour, all purpose
2 egg yolks
1 tbsp lemon juice
~
1 medium-size onion, sliced
1 tbsp butter

Paprika-Butter sauce:
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp paprika

Cook the pearl wheat with 3 cups of water in a medium-size pot until it is soft. Then add the 4 cups of bone broth. Stir and continue to cook for about 5 more minutes.

Whisk the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Take a few spoons of liquid from the pot and mix into the bowl. Then slowly pour the mixture into the pot while stirring very slowly. Cook for 15 minutes at low heat. Season with mint, salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, lightly caramelize the onion with butter in a small pan, add the soup. Turn the heat off.

Heat up the butter in a small pan, add the paprika and then turn the heat off. Don't burn the pepper! Drizzle all over the soup. Serve immediately.

4 servings.

Chicken with Spiced Yogurt Sauce

(Yoğurtlu Bastı)

4 pieces chicken thighs, boneless, skinless, cut in cubes
1 medium onion, sliced
1-2 garlic cloves, sliced
3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup hot water
Salt
Pepper

Spiced Yogurt Sauce:
1/2 cup Turkish plain yogurt, at room temperature
1 tsp cardamom, ground
1 tsp fresh ginger root, grated

Garnish:
2-3 tbsp blanched almonds, slivered, toasted

Mix all the Yogurt Sauce ingredients in a bowl, put aside.

Meanwhile, saute the onion with olive oil for 1-2 minutes in a medium size pan. Add in the chicken, garlic, salt and pepper. Continue to saute until the smell of garlic comes out while stirring. Pour the hot water into the pan. Cover and cook until the chicken is tender for about 10 minutes at medium-low heat. Don't dry them up! Leave some juice in it. Stir the dish at half way of cooking.

Add the Spiced Yogurt Sauce, stir and heat it up for 2-3 minutes at low heat. Do not cover it! Arrange them on a serving platter. Garnish with some toasted almonds, serve with Turkish Rice Pilaf on the side.

2 servings.

Pilaf with Cabbage

(Lahanali Pilav)

3/4 cup rice, washed, drained
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups white cabbage, shredded
1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
1 cup warm water
2 tbsp currants
1 tbsp pine nuts, lightly toasted
2 tbsp almonds, bleached, sliced, lightly toasted
3/4 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Salt
Pepper

Saute the cabbage with olive oil for 3-4 minutes at medium high heat while stirring. Add in the remaining ingredients except water. Continue to saute for 2-3 more minutes. Then add the water, stir. Cover, turn the heat to low and cook until the rice absorbs all the water.

Let the Pilaf stand for about 5 minutes.

2 servings.

Leek with Yogurt Casserole

(Sirkeli Pırasa - Sinop - Black Sea Region)

Only white parts of 4-5 large leeks, cut in 2 or 3 (cut them lengthwise in half), wash, drain
Salt
1/4 cup liquid oil, for frying
2-3 tbsp wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar

Garlic Yogurt Sauce:
1/2 cup plain Turkish yogurt
1 garlic clove, mashed with salt

Garnish:
Paprika

Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C).

Boil the leeks with salt water until they are tender, drain. Squeeze out the excess water, dry with a paper towel. Fry the leeks on both sides until light golden colour. Then, place on a paper towel to soak up any extra oil. Place them in an oven-proof dish. Drizzle the vinegar and pour the garlic yogurt sauce over the leeks.

Place the dish on the middle rack of the oven and cook for about 20 minutes. Garnish with paprika and serve at room temperature.

This is a surprisingly delicious dish:)

Manti Filled with Chickpeas

(Nohutlu Mantı)

1 pkg (approx 400 g) wanton wraps (3.5 x 3.5 inch squares)

Filling:
~150 g canned chickpeas, rinsed, peeled*, pureed with the blender
1 tbsp grated onion
1/2 tsp cumin
Salt
Pepper

Garlic Yogurt Sauce:
1 cup plain yogurt
1-2 garlic cloves mashed with salt

Red Pepper Butter Sauce:
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp mixture of paprika&Cayenne pepper

Cut the wraps diagonally, i.e., two triangles per wrap. Take approximately half a teaspoon of filling in the shape of a ball and put in the center of each triangle. Have a cup of water nearby, and use your little finger to dampen the sides of each triangle (so the dough will stick) and close them up. The pictures to help you with the preparation is here.

Place all the uncooked manti into the big size Ziploc or in a container with the lid. Keep it in the freezer at least for a day. Let it stay at room temperature for an hour before cooking.

Boil some water with a tablespoon of salt in a large pot. Put all the manti in and stir occasionally. Cook for exactly 5 minutes and then drain. Arrange them on a serving platter. Fry the butter in a small pan with the red pepper. First place some garlic yogurt on top of the manti, then drizzle the red pepper butter. Sprinkle with some dried mint if you want:)

2 servings.

*To peel the chickpeas; Soak them in hot water for 5-10 minutes. Then gently rub them with the palm of your hands while they are still in the water.

**If you like to make the dough from the scratch, you can use Gozleme dough to make yufka. Also here is another recipe to make Yufka and Ci Borek:)
2 cups milk
750 gr all purpose flour
Salt
Mix and knead them all.

Sour Butternut Squash Stew with Lamb

(Ekşili Balkabağı - Antalya - Mediterranean Region)

500 g butternut squash, peeled, cut in bite size
250 g lamb, cut in cubes
1 + 1/3 cup warm water
1 small onion, sliced
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp sugar
1/3 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed
~1 tbsp lemon juice
Salt
Pepper

Garnish:
1 tbsp butter
Parsley, finely chopped

Cook the lamb cubes with their own juice in a medium sized pot. Add 1 cup hot water and onions and cook on low-heat until the lamb pieces are tender. Then add the rest of the ingredients. Cover the lid, cook at low heat until the pieces of squash are softened.

Add the butter, stir. Sprinkle some parsley all over it and serve with yogurt by the side:)

2 servings.

Ground Beef with Eggs and Vegetables

(Kıymalı Menemen)

~200 g regular or medium ground beef
1 small size onion, sliced
1 cubanelle pepper, discard the seeds, sliced
2 large size tomatoes, peeled, diced
Salt
Pepper
~
2 eggs

Saute the ground beef with onion at medium-low heat until all the water evaporates in a pan, while stirring. Add the tomatoes, cubanelle pepper, salt and pepper. Cook until the tomatoes are tender. Make sure you don't overcook, otherwise it will be dry.

Then, make room and break the eggs. When the egg whites are cooked, remove it from the heat. Do not overcook the egg yolk!

Serve with freshly baked Turkish bread as breakfast or brunch or lunch or dinner:)