Farm Kebap

(Çiftlik Kebabı / Çiftlik Köfte)

Meatball / Köfte ingredients:
~150g lean ground beef
1/2 tsp oregano
Salt
Pepper
~
2 small-sized carrots, peeled, diced
2 medium-sized potatoes, peeled, diced
2/3 cup frozen sweet peas, rinsed with hot water
8-10 small size mushrooms, cleaned, cut in two
1 tbsp butter
3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup canned crushed tomatoes
~2 1/2 cups warm beef broth
Salt
Pepper

Garnish:
Oregano
Fresh Parsley, chopped

Knead all the köfte ingredients, make little balls (slightly larger than hazelnuts).

Heat the butter and olive oil and lightly fry the meatballs and carrots in a medium-sized pot.

Then add the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook until the vegetables are tender for about 15 minutes. Let the kebap stand for 3-4 minutes. Garnish with oregano and parsley.

Serve with freshly baked Turkish bread or pilaf on the side.

Makes 2 servings.

Ottoman Kebap

(Osmanlı Kebabı)

Ingredients:
1 medium-sized eggplant - peel alternating strips of skin lengthwise, slice and soak in 2 cups of water with salt for about 15 minutes, squeeze, and dry them with a paper towel
~
Oil for frying

Filling:
~250g lamb, cut in cubes
4-5 green onions, cleaned, chopped
4-5 medium-sized mushrooms, cleaned, cut in 4
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 cubanelle pepper, discard the seeds and chop
1 medium-sized tomato, peeled, diced
1-2 tbsp canned crushed tomatoes
Salt
Pepper
~
1 tbsp pine nuts
1 medium-sized tomato, cut in wedges
1 cubanelle pepper, discard the seeds, cut into 2-3 pieces
~
~1 cup warm water

Directions:
Pre-heat the oven to 450° F (230° C).

Fry the eggplants on both sides until golden brown. Then, place on a paper towel to soak up any extra oil. Place them in an oven-proof dish.

Meanwhile, to prepare the filling;
Cook the lamb cubes in their own juice in a medium-sized pot. Then, add the rest of the ingredients, stir. Cover and cook at medium-heat for 8-10 minutes. Turn the heat off.

Distribute the filling equally over the slices of the eggplant. Sprinkle the pine nuts over the tops. Arrange the green pepper strips and tomato wedges around them. Pour 1 cup of warm water into the dish from the side.

Place on the middle rack and cook for about 30 minutes. If necessary, add a little more hot water. Serve with Pilaf with Orzo, Cacık or Ayran on the side.

Makes 2 servings.

Abant Kebap

(Abant Kebabı - Bolu - Black Sea Region)

Ingredients:
4 medium-sized eggplants
1⁄2 cup sunflower oil
1 cup hot water mixed with 1 tbsp crushed tomatoes

Filling:
~300g lamb, in cubes
1 cup water, warm (to cook the lamb)
1 small onion, sliced
8-10 medium-sized mushrooms, cleaned, sliced
1 medium-sized tomato, peeled, diced
1 medium-sized carrot, peeled, sliced
1⁄3 cup celery root (celeriac), peeled, diced, keep in water with lemon juice for about 10 minutes)
1⁄3 cup sweet peas, frozen
1-2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 Bay leaf
Salt
Pepper
1 tbsp crushed tomatoes, canned
3⁄4 cup hot water

Garnish:
Mozzarella cheese, grated

Directions:
Pre-heat the oven to 500° F (260° C).

Peel alternating strips of skin lengthwise as seen in the picture for each eggplant. Sprinkle salt on top and put aside for about 20 minutes. Squeeze, and dry them with a paper towel. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and fry all around until the whole surface is nicely colored. Cut a slit in each eggplant and scoop out of the hard seeds if there are any, making sure they don't fall apart. Place them in an oven-proof dish.

Cook the lamb cubes in their own juice in a medium-sized pot. Add 1 cup of hot water and the onions. Cover and cook at low-heat until the lamb pieces are tender. Add the rest of the ingredients, cook until the vegetables are tender. Remove and discard the Bay leaf.

Using a spoon, fill the eggplants equally with the filling. Sprinkle the cheese all over the tops. Pour 1 cup of hot water mixed with 1 tbsp crushed tomatoes into the dish from the side.

Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C). Place on the middle rack and cook for about 30 minutes. If necessary, add a little more hot water.

Makes 4 servings.

Pot Kebap

(Tencere Kebabı)

~350 - 400 g lamb cubes
1 tbsp flour
1 medium size onion, thinly sliced
1-2 garlic cloves
2 tbsp butter
1 medium size carrot, peeled, sliced
3/4 cup frozen green peas, rinsed with hot water
4-5 whole sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
~400 g Jerusalem artichokes
1 3/4 cups hot water
Salt
Pepper

Garnish:
Dill, chopped

Cook the lamb cubes in a medium size pot at medium heat until there is no water in it. Then add in onion, carrot, flour and butter and saute for 7-8 minutes at low-medium heat. Do not burn it!

Add the remaining ingredients except Jerusalem artichokes. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes. Then add in Jerusalem artichokes, stir. Continue to cook until Jerusalem artichokes are tender, it takes app 6-7 minutes at medium heat. Garnish with dill and serve with Turkish Rice Pilaf or Turkish bread on the side.

2 servings.

Roasted Vegetable Kebap with Yogurt

(Közlenmiş Sebzeli Yoğurtlu Kebap)

Vegetables:
2 medium-size zucchinis, washed, cut in bite size
2 small Japanese eggplant, cut in bite size
1 red Bell pepper, washed, cut in bite size
2 cubanelle peppers, washed, cut in bite size
14-15 small mushrooms, brushed, cut in 3 or 4s
1 onion, peeled, cut in 8
2-3 garlic cloves, do not peel
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Pepper
~
Paprika
Mint
~
Pide, cut in bite size

Sauces:
Yogurt, room temperature
Canned crushed tomatoes, heated up

Set the oven to broil (grill) and heat it up (or use the barbecue). Arrange all the vegetables on an oven tray. Sprinkle salt and pepper and drizzle extra virgin olive oil all over them, mix. Roast them on the second rack from the top in the oven. Keep checking often enough as some will be roasted earlier. Peel the garlic.

Cut the pides in bite size diagonal shapes and place on the serving plates. Season the grilled vegetables with paprika and mint. Spread them over the pide pieces. Pour the tomato sauce on top and place a few spoons of yogurt on the side.

Serve it as a light lunch. It is a great vegetarian dish:)

Makes 2 servings.

Pasha Kebap

(Paşa Kebabı - Ottoman Kitchen)

2 medium size eggplants - peel the skin in strips lengthwise. Cut in medium size, soak in 2 cups of water with salt for about 15 minutes
1/2 cup sunflower oil for frying
~
400 g lamb, cut in cubes
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
8 medium size mushrooms, cleaned, sliced
1 cubanelle pepper, discard the seeds, cut in bite size
2 medium tomatoes, peeled, discard the seeds, cut in cubes
Salt
Pepper

Garnish:
Mozzarella cheese, grated
Cayenne pepper

Squeeze the eggplants with your hand and dry them with paper towel. Fry the eggplants until light golden colour. Then, place on a paper towel to soak up any extra oil.

Meanwhile, fry the lamb cubes with butter until the color of the meat lightly turns in a pan. Put it aside. Saute the mushroom, cubanelle pepper, tomato salt and pepper with olive oil for 3-5 minutes at medium heat in the same pan. Turn the heat off. Add in the fried eggplant and lamb, stir.

Transfer to the oven proof dish. Sprinkle the shredded cheese and red pepper on top. Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C) and bake until the cheese melts. Serve with Turkish Pilaf with Orzo.

2 servings.

Royal Kebap

(Saray Kebabı - Ottoman Kitchen)

350 g milk-fed veal, cut in cubes
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp butter
3/4 cup hot water
10-12 mushrooms, cleaned, sliced
1/4 cup 35% cream
Salt
Pepper

Saute the meat and onion with butter. Add the hot water. Cover and cook at low heat for about 50 minutes until a little bit of water is left and the veal is tender. Add the mushrooms, cream and salt. Cover and continue to cook for 20-25 more minutes at low heat. Season with black pepper. Serve it with pilaf on the side.

2 servings.

Chicken Beyti

(Tavuk Beyti)

Kofte Ingredients:
500 g extra lean ground chicken
1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
1 tbsp red pepper paste, sweet
1 tsp red pepper paste, hot
Salt
Pepper

For Roll (sarma):
1 packet Original Tortillas (keep them warm)

1 tsp butter, melted
Parsley, finely chopped

Yogurt Sauce & Tomato Sauce:
Yogurt, at room temperature
1/2 cup canned crushed tomatoes, heated up with a few tablespoons of water

Knead all the kofte ingredients for 3-4 minutes. If you can, use the flat metal skewers for this kebab. Take a fist-sized ball and place it on the skewer starting from the tip of the skewer. Squeeze and flatten it on the skewer going back slowly, so that it is thin and flat.

Preheat the barbecue or oven (grill). Place the skewers on the rack. Make sure to turn the skewers so that all sides of the meat cook equally. Afterwards, roll the Kebab pieces with a Tortilla, but only one layer, it shouldn't be thick. Brush the surface of the Tortilla with the melted butter. Sprinkle some chopped parsley all over and cut in 2-inch wide pieces. Arrange them on a serving dish along with yogurt and tomato sauce, and serve while they are still hot.

Makes 4 servings.

Kilis Kebab

(Kilis Kebabı- Mediterranean Region)

Köfte Ingredients:
~200 gr medium ground beef
1/2 tsp all spice
Salt
Pepper

1-2 Chinese or Japanese eggplants, cut in kofte size, soak into salty water for 15 minutes and squeeze
1 medium-size onion, cut in 8
1 cubanelle pepper, discard the seeds
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp crushed tomatoes, in can
1 tbsp red pepper paste
1 tsp pomegranate paste or Grenadine syrup
1 cup water, warm
1 small tomato, sliced
Salt
Pepper

Knead the meatball ingredients. Shape them into medium-size balls. Place the meatballs and eggplants on 4 skewers as one piece of meatball followed by one piece of eggplant. Preheat your barbecue or oven (grill). Place the skewers on the rack. Grill them for about 4-5 minutes until their colour turns lighter!

Meanwhile, saute the onion with butter and olive oil for about 3-4 minutes in shallow cooking pot. Remove the skewers and place lightly cooked koftes and eggplants into the pot. Mix 1 cup water with crushed tomatoes, red pepper paste, pomegranate paste, salt and pepper. Pour into the pot. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes under medium-low heat.

Serve the Kilis Kebab Turkish Rice Pilaf by the side while still warm.

2 servings.

Chop Shish with Ali Nazik

(Çöp Şişli Ali Nazik - Gazianatep - Southeast Anatolia Region)

6 skewers of Chop Shish (See, How to Make Chop Shish)
2-3 cubanelle peppers, roasted, peeled
2-3 tomatoes, cut in half, roasted, peeled

Ali Nazik:
1 large eggplant, roasted
1 cubanelle pepper, roasted, peeled, finely chopped
2 tbsp creamy yogurt (See-How to Make Creamy (Strained) Yogurt)
Salt
Pepper

Sauce:
2 tbsp butter

Mix the roasted eggplant, cubanelle pepper, strained yogurt, salt and pepper all together. Place in an oven proof dish and keep it warm in the oven for about 2-3 minutes. Arrange the Chop Shish on top of Ali Nazik. Melt the butter in a small sauce pan. As soon as it starts bubbling, pour all over the kebab.

Serve with roasted peppers and tomatoes along with Ayran and Pide by the side.

Roasting the Eggplant:
Before putting the eggplant in the oven, make holes in it with a fork so that it will soften and cook better. Place it on an oven tray and roast for about 35 minutes on broil. Then peel it and soak it in 2 cups of water with juice of 1⁄2 lemon to prevent from turning dark. Leave it in the water for about 5 minutes. After draining, cut into small pieces. Alternatively, you can barbecue it until softened.

Roasting Cubanelle Peppers:
Cut off the tops of the peppers. Discard the seeds. Cut each pepper in half. Set the oven to broil (grill), and heat it up. Place the peppers on an oven tray (inner side facing down) and place in the oven. Roast them for about 15 minutes and peel off the skin.

Alternatively, you can barbecue the peppers until softened. Just place the peppers with the outer side facing down on the barbecue.

2 servings.

Nomad Kebab

(Yörük Kebabı - Hatay - Mediterranean Region)

1 servings of Turkish noodles or large egg noodles
1 tbsp butter
Salt
Pepper

300 gr lamb, cut in cubes
3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, cut in medium size
1 cubanalle pepper, cut in medium size
2 tsp crushed tomato, canned
2 medium sized tomato, peeled, diced
1 bottom of artichoke, fresh or frozen, cut in bite size
1 small carrot, peeled, chopped
1/4 cup sweet peas, frozen, rinsed with hot water
5-6 mushrooms, cleaned, sliced
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tbsp dill
Salt
Pepper

Topping:
1/3 cup Mozzarella cheese, grated
Cayenne pepper

Heat up the oil in a medium sized pot. Add the lamb cubes, start to fry. Add the onions after one minute. Then, continue to cook on high heat until all the water evaporates while stirring. Add the rest of the ingredients, stir. Cover and cook heat at medium-low heat until the vegetables are softened.

Meanwhile, Boil the noodles with salty water following the instructions on the package, drain. Melt the butter in a pot. Toss the noodles, season with salt and pepper.

Place the noodles to the bottom an oven proof dish (or individual oven proof dishes). Place the cooked lamb&vegetables equally over them. Cover with the grated cheese equally. Sprinkle cayenne pepper over the top.

Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C) and bake until the top takes a golden colour. Don't over bake it!

2 servings.

Wrap Filled Chickpeas aka Chickpeas Kebab

(Nohut Kebabı aka Nohut Dürümü - Gaziantep - Southeast Anatolia Region)

Lavash Bread or Original Tortillas

Filling:
Chickpeas (540 ml), canned, rinsed, cooked in water about 10 minutes, drained
Extra virgin olive oil
Grape vinegar
Salt
Tomato, diced
Parsley, washed
Dried red chili, "Isot (Urfa biberi)"

Season the chickpeas while still hot with vinegar, olive oil and salt. Toss with tomato and parsley, roll in freshly baked flat bread and serve with Isot biber.

The Wrap Filled Chickpeas is sold by vendors with a wheeled cart on streets and eaten as breakfast in the Gaziantep-Southeast Anatolia Region:)

Wrap Filled Mashed Chickpeas


Lavash Bread or Original Tortillas

Filling:
Chickpeas (540 ml), in can rinsed with hot water, peeled*
~1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp lemon juice
Salt
Pepper

Fresh Salad Ingredients:
1 medium onion, sliced, rubbed with salt and rinsed
Parsley, washed, chopped
Paprika
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt

Puree the chickpeas and mix with the olive oil, cumin, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Place the warm chickpeas filling on the warmed lavash bread. Sprinkle the fresh salad over the top. Afiyet Olsun!:)

Chickpeas Kebab is sold by vendors with a wheeled cart on streets and eaten as breakfast in the Gaziantep-Southeast Anatolia Region:)

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

Yufka Kebab

(Yufka Kebabi)

1 or 1 1/2 Turkish yufka*
500 g lamb, cut in cubes
2 tbsp butter
3 green onions, chopped
1 cubanelle pepper, discard the seeds, cut in bite size
1 small red bell pepper, cut in bite size
1 large tomato, peeled, diced
Salt
Pepper

Garnish:
Mozzarella cheese, grated
Cayenne pepper

Place the yufka in an oven proof tray. Lightly toast in the oven until the colour turns to light golden. Break them in medium size pieces with your hands. Then place in a serving platters.

Meanwhile, fry the lamb cubes with butter until the color of the meat lightly turns in a pan. Add in the remaining ingredients. Saute for 7-8 more minutes until the vegetables are tender. Turn the heat off.

Spoon out all over the pastries. Pastry should soak the juice of the dish. Garnish with some cheese and cayenne pepper.

Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C). Bake until the cheese is melted, serve immediately.

2 servings.

*Turkish yufka; fresh and hand rolled sheets of dough.
I used triangle yufka sold in package. You can find these packages (whole or triangular cut pastry leaves) in Turkish or Mediterranean stores if you have any in your area. Or, you can shop from Tulumba.com which is online Turkish grocery store:)

Chicken Kebab with Yogurt Sauce

(Yogurtlu Tavuk Kebabi)

2 Tandoori Bread or Naan Bread, lightly toasted in the oven, cut in bite size
Half of barbecued chicken*
2 tbsp butter

Tomato Sauce:
1/3 cup canned crushed tomatoes

Garlic Yogurt Sauce:
1/3 yogurt, plain, at room temperature
1-2 garlic cloves, mashed with salt

Peppery Butter Sauce:
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp paprika

Remove the skin and bones from the chicken. Meanwhile, heat up the crushed tomatoes and cook for about 4-5 minutes over medium-low heat. Place the lightly toasted tandoori bread on a service plate, cut in bite size. Arrange the pulled chicken over the bread bites. Pour some Tomato and Garlic Yogurt Sauce over the chicken.

Meanwhile, Heat up the butter in a small pan and add the peppers. When it starts to ́bubble, turn the heat off. Drizzle over Chicken Kebab. Serve immediately.

*You can buy ready, still warm barbecued chicken sold in plastic containers. After a busy day at work, stop by a supermarket on the way back home. It is very convenient and you can easily prepare a delicious meal:)

2 Chicken Kebab.

Abu Gannush Kebab

(Abu Ganus Soslu Kebap)

Meatball Ingredients:
500 g medium ground beef
Salt
Pepper

Abu Ganush Ingredients:
2 large eggplants, roasted, peeled
2 large tomato, cut in half, roasted, peeled
3-4 cubanelle pepper, roasted, peeled
6 garlic cloves, roasted, peeled

Mix all the Kofte (meatball) ingredients together with your hand. Make a fist-sized ball and skewer it. Squeeze it on the skewer so that it thins and lengthens to acquire the shape shown in the picture.

Preheat your barbecue or oven (grill). Place the skewers on the rack along with the eggplants, peppers, tomato halves (inside up) and garlic cloves. Make sure to turn the skewers so that all sides of the meat is cooked equally.

Mash the roasted eggplant, tomato, peppers, garlic, salt and pepper using a fork. Place the mixture on a oven proof plate. Heat it in the oven for about 2-3 minutes. Place the Shish Koftes on Abu Gannush. Place some Turkish plain yogurt around it. Serve immediately with Pide.

4 servings.

Roasted Eggplant:
Before putting in the oven, make holes on the eggplant with a fork so that it will soften and cook better. Then place on an oven tray and roast for about 35 minutes on broil. Then peel it, remove any hard seeds and place in 2 cups of water with 1/2 lemon juice to prevent dark colour. Leave it in for about 5 minutes. After draining, cut into small pieces with a knife. Alternatively, you can barbecue it until softened.

Roasted Green or Red Peppers:
Cut off the tops of the peppers. Cut each pepper in half. Discard the seeds. Set the oven to broil (grill), and heat it up. Place the peppers on an oven tray (inside facing down) and place in the oven. Roast them for about 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can barbecue it until softened. Just place the peppers out side facing down on the barbecue.

White Kebab

(Sakiz Kebabi)

Lamb and Vegetable Puree Ingredients:
~400 gr gr lamb, cut in cubes
1 + 1 cup warm water
1 small onion, peeled
1 small carrot, peeled, cut in small cubes
1/4 small celery root, peeled, cut in small cubes
1 Bay leaf
1/4 tsp clove
Salt

Sauce:
2 tbsp flour, all purpose
1/4 cup milk

2 tbsp creamy yogurt

Vegetable Ingredients:
2 small zucchini, peeled, cut in half lengthwise, then cut in half
1 medium tomato, peeled, discard the seeds, cut in small cubes
2 tbsp crushed tomato, canned
4-5 fresh mint leaves
1 tbsp butter
Salt
Pepper

Cook the lamb cubes with their own juice. Then add 1 cup of hot water, cook over medium-low heat until most of the water evaporates. Add 1 cup hot water, onion, carrot, celery, Bay leaf, clove, salt and pepper, stir and close the lid. Cook until the vegetables are softened for about 30 minutes at medium-low heat.

Remove the lamb cubes from the pot, put aside. Discard the Bay leaf. Strain the cooked vegetables. Now, the vegetable puree is ready:) Put back the vegetable puree and the lamb cubes into the pot. To prepare the sauce; whisk the flour and milk in a bowl, pour into the pot, stir. Cook until it gets enough thickness at low heat, stir occasionally. Turn the heat off. Add the creamy yogurt in it, stir. Keep it warm.

Meanwhile cook all the Vegetable Ingredients in a medium size pot with the lid until all the vegetables are tender.

Place the lamb in a deep serving dish. Arrange the vegetables on the top. Serve the White Kebab while still warm.

2 servings.

Onion Kebab

(Sogan Kebabi - Gaziantep)

500 g shallots, peeled
1 tbsp pomegranate paste + 1/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup water

Kofte (meatball) Ingredients:
500 g medium or regular ground beef
1/2 tsp crushed (flakes) red pepper
Salt
Pepper

Mix all meatball ingredients and knead them. Make a medium-sized balls press down with your finger a little bit. Arrange the meatballs between the onions in a oven proof dish. I used 21 cm (81/2 inch) round Teflon oven proof dish.

Preheat the oven to 450 F (230 C). Place the dish on the middle rack and cook for 40-45 minutes. Take it out of the oven. Mix the pomegranate paste with 1/4 cup warm water. Pour all over the dish. Put the dish on stove. Cover, first bring to boil. Then turn the heat to down. Simmer for 10-12 minutes. Turn the heat off. Season with red pepper flakes.

Serve the Onion Kebab with Gavurdagi Salad or Turkish Style Tomato Dip and Ayran by the side:)

2 servings.

Bread Kebab

(Ekmek Kebabi - Gaziantep)

1 pide, lightly toasted in the oven, then cut in bite size (I used Indian Naan)

3-4 tbsp ground beef, lean
3-4 slice of onion
Salt
Pepper

Garlic Yogurt Sauce:
4-5 tbsp yogurt, plain, at room temperature
1 garlic clove, mashed with salt

Sauce:
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp crushed tomatoes, canned
1/2 tsp red pepper paste, I used the hot one

Saute the onion, ground beef, salt and pepper at medium-low heat until all the water evaporates while stirring.

Meanwhile, place the lightly toasted pide on a serving platter. Spread the garlic yogurt sauce on top. Arrange the ground beef all over it.

Heat up the butter in a small pan and add the crushed tomatoes and red pepper paste. Then, pour it over the ground beef and serve.

Serve with Antep-Style Tomato Salad.

Alined Eggplant Kebab

(Dizme Patlican Kebabi)

3 long eggplants
1 cubanelle pepper, discard the seeds and chop
3 fresh onion, cut in 1 inch
2 clove garlic, sliced
1 cup diced tomato, canned
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter, cut in cube
1 tsp red pepper, crushed
Salt
Pepper

1 1/2 cup hot water
3-4 tbsp crushed tomatoes, canned
1 tsp red pepper paste, hot

Meatball Ingredients:
200 gr medium ground beef
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
Salt
Pepper

Peel the eggplants alternating strips of skin lengthwise. Sprinkle some salt all over them, put aside for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, mix all meatball ingredients and knead. Divide the mixture into small round balls.

Squeeze the eggplants, dry them with paper towel, then slice about 1 inch thick. Don't mix the order:) Arrange the meatballs between the eggplant's slices in a oven proof dish (picture). Place the rest of the ingredients all over them. Mix crushed tomatoes and red pepper paste with 1 1/2 cup hot water and into the casserole dish.

Preheat the oven to 375 F (180 C). Place the dish on the middle rack and bake for 30-35 minutes. If necessary, add a little more hot water. Serve with any kind of Pilaf on the side.

4 servings.

Bairam Menu:
-Lamb Soup, Almond Pilaf, Antep Ezme, Potato Twister, Artichokes Stuffed with Shrimp, Fried Cauliflowers and Carrots, Tarator and Apricot Dessert.

Islim Kebap

(Islim Kebabi)

2 Chinese or Japanese eggplants, peel the skin in strips lengthwise, cut vertically about 0.5 cm thick, sprinkle some salt, wait for 15 minutes, dry with a paper towel.
1/2 cup sunflower oil, for frying

Filling Ingredients:
2 pieces of chicken breast, cut in small cubes or ~250 g lamb cubes
2-3 extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, sliced
1-2 garlic cloves, sliced
1/3 cup red bell pepper, diced
1.3 cup cubanalle or green pepper, diced
1 large tomato, peeled, diced
1 tsp tomato paste
2 tbsp almond, blanched, sliced
1/2 tsp red pepper, powder
Salt
Pepper

Garnish:
2 slice of tomato
2 slice of cubanalle pepper

To prepare the filling; saute the onion and garlic with olive oil for about 2-3 minutes. Add the chicken pieces, red and green peppers in it. Continue to cook until the colour of chickens turn to white colour. Then add the rest of the filling ingredients. Cover and cook until the chickens are tender over low heat. If it is necessary you can add a little bit hot water.

Meanwhile, pour the sunflower oil in a large skillet. Fry both sides of the eggplants until the colour turns light brown. After frying, place the eggplants on a plate with a paper towel to soak up any extra oil.

Place the eggplant slices diagonally in a tea cup. Leave the eggplants hanging over the rim of the cup. Arrange the cooked filling in the middle (picture). Then fold over the sides of the eggplants. Place the parchment paper on an oven tray. Gently turn the tea cup upside down on the paper and pull up. Place slice of tomato and cubanelle pepper on the top.

Preheat the oven 400 F (200 C). Bake for 20 minutes. Serve the Islim Kebab with Turkish Rice Pilaf.

2 servings.

Happy Ramadan!

Meal Ideas:
-Pilaf with Orzo, Mixed Green Salad with Yogurt Dressing, Leek in Olive Oil, Vegetable Borek and Gullac.