Kavurma with Eggs (Kavurmalı Yumurta)

Makes 2 servings

150 g kavurma (cooked and pressed beef) * 2 eggs * 1/2 spoon of butter * salt * black pepper

Melt the butter. Add the meat and sauté for about three minutes. Place the eggs in the center, without mixing, and season with salt and black pepper. Cook three more minutes and serve hot.

Nettles with Rice (Isırgan Çeşitlemesi)

Makes 3-4 servings

250 g fresh nettles * 1 onion * 50 g parsley * 2 tbsp olive oil * 1 coffee cup rice * 1 cup water (from boiling the nettles) * ½ tsp red pepper * salt

Use plastic gloves. Wash the nettles and remove the thicker stems. Cook the nettles in some water with salt. Meanwhile, sauté the minced onion with the olive oil. Add the nettles and minced parsley and mix. Add the rice, seasonings and water. Cook for about 15 minutes over low fire.

Yeşillikler

Green chickpeas (yeşil nohut), a variety of parsley (firik maydonoz) and nettles (ısırgan otu).

Potato Salad (Patates Salatası)

Makes 5-6 servings

5 medium sized potatoes * 50 g parsley * 1 carrot * 1/2 lemon juice * black pepper * salt

Boil the potatoes and the carrot. Filter and mash them with a fork or in the mixer. Mince the parsley. Mix the mashed potatoes and carrot with the minced parsley, lemon juice and a bit of black pepper and salt. Let it cool down a little. Make small balls and serve cold or warm with pickles.

Çorum Bread (Çorum Ekmeği)

Although it seems ordinary bread equal to many others, it surprises for its crustiness, lightness and has also the typical flavor of bread baked in firewood stove.
This is the type of bread most consumed in Turkey, and is also used in the döner and other Turkish fast-food, especially in fried fish sandwiches, which are also very typical.
This bread is made with Çorum flour. Çorum is a Turkish province located in the Black Sea region, which is also known for having the best flour of the country.

Almond Pudding (Keşkül)

Makes 2 servings

2 cups milk * 1 cup sugar * 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch * 2 egg yolks * 1/2 cup chopped almonds

Mix the egg yolks with the sugar and the cornstarch. Cook over medium heat until boil and thicken. Add the almonds and cook one minute more, stiring continuously. Place in a serving plate or in individual bowls. Garnish with chopped almonds and serve cold.

Orchid Root Drink (Salep)

Seller of Salep in the center of Ankara, December 2007.

The salep is a drink made of orchid root in powder called salep, which lends its name to the drink. It is a hot drink very common in Turkey during the winter, like the boza, another drink made with bulgur.
The popularity of salep extended from Turkey and the Middle East to England and Germany before the coming of coffee and tea, and later remained as an alternative beverage.
The Romans used the orchid roots to produce some beverages considered a powerful aphrodisiac.
In Turkey there are desserts made with salep and also ice creams. The Turkish city of Kahramanmaraş is the biggest salep producer and the delicious Kahramanmaraş ice creams are famous throughout Turkey.
The popularity of salep in Turkey led to the decrease in the amount of wild orchids in the country. As a result, it is illegal to export salep. Also due to this fact, there are many instant mixtures for sale to make salep drink with artificial aroma.



Makes 1 serving

1 cup milk * 1 tsp salep * cinnamon powder * sugar

Mix the salep and the milk very well until boiling. Add sugar to taste and sprinkle with cinnamon. Drink hot.

Note: In Turkey, the genuine salep powder can be found for sale in herbalists (Lokman Hekim). The instant preparations are sold in any supermarket.

Ground Beef and Swiss Chard Stew (Pazı Kavurması) with Yogurt Dip (Sarmısaklı Dereotlu Yoğurt)

Makes 4 servings

300 g swiss chard * 300 g ground beef * 2 garlic cloves * 1 onion * 1 cup water * 3 tbsp olive oil * salt * red pepper

Cut the swiss chard and remove the stems. Cook with water. Filter and reserve. Sauté the minced onion and garlic in the olive oil. Add the ground beef and go on sautéing for more 3-4 minutes. Add the swiss chard, seasonings and water and cook for about 15 minutes. Serve with yogurt dip.

For the yogurt dip:

6 tbsp plain Turkish yogurt (or Greek) * salt * 2 tbsp minced fresh dill * 3 garlic cloves

Mix the yogurt with the minced dill and garlic. Pour this dip over the stew.

Ground Beef with Eggs (Kıymalı Yumurta)

Makes 2 servings

200 g ground beef * 2 small green peppers * 2 eggs * 3 tbsp olive oil * salt * dried thyme

Sauté the ground meat in the olive oil for about 10 minutes. Add the peppers cut in small pieces and the seasonings. Stir and cook for more five to seven minutes. Find some space in the middle of the meat for the eggs or cover the meat with the two eggs. You can spread a little the egg over the meat.

Chickpea Salad (Nohut Salatası)

Makes 4 servings

400 g cooked chickpeas * 6 tbsp olive oil * 6 tbsp vinegar * 1 lemon juice * 4 tbsp minced scallions * 6 tbsp minced parsley

Mix the olive oil with the vinegar, lemon and salt. Cover the chickpeas with the sauce and mix. At the time of serving add the parsley and scallions and mix.

Turkish Baggels with Mahaleb (Açma)

For 8 baggels

500 g flour * 20 g fresh yeast * 1/2 cup milk * 1/2 cup water * 1/4 cup oil * 1 tbsp sugar * 1 tsp salt * 2 egg whites * 2 tsp mahaleb

To garnish:

2 egg yolks * sesame seeds * nigella seeds

Mix the yeast with the milk and the sugar and stir well to dissolve the yeast. Place the flour in a bowl and open a hole in the center. Put all the ingredients inside and knead very well. Cover with a cloth and let it rest for 30 minutes. Divide the dough into four pieces and open each one with a roller pin. After opening, divide it again in two equal parts. Make a roll with each and then make rings. Arrange them on a greased oven tray and brush each one with the beaten egg yolks. Sprinkle with the seeds. Let it rest for 30 minutes before placing in the oven. Cook on a 180° pre-heated oven for about 30 minutes.

Forest Kebab (Orman Kebabı)

Makes 4 servings

250 g beef or veal * 2 tbsp olive oil * 1 large onion * 1 large potato * 1 carrot * 1 cup peas * 1 tsp tomato paste * 3 cups water * 1 tsp dried thyme * salt

Cut the meat in cubes and cook with water until it gets soft. Cut into small pieces and reserve. Mince the onion. Cut the potato and the carrot in small pieces. Sauté the onion in the olive oil. Add the tomato paste, potatoes, carrots and the cooked meat. Add the water, salt and thyme. Cook for about 15 minutes over low heat. Add the peas (cooked, frozen or fresh) and cook for 10 minutes.

Rice Pilaf with Eggplant and Lemon (Patlıcanlı Pilav)

Makes 2-3 servings

1 cup rice * 1 1/2 cup water * 1 eggplant * 4 tbsp olive oil * salt * 1 tbsp lemon zest

Peel the eggplant and cut into small cubes. Soak in water with salt for 10 minutes. Wash the rice and soak it in hot water for 15 minutes. Pour two tablespoons of olive oil in a cooking pot and sauté the rice for about two minutes. Add the water and salt and cook until all the water evaporates. Place the eggplant cubes over a kitchen towel to release the excess of water. Saute the eggplant with two tablespoons of olive oil until they become lightly golden. Cover the rice with the eggplant and the lemon zest. Stir gently and serve.

Dry Mint (Kuru Nane)

Dried mint is essential in many Turkish cuisine dishes, particularly in some soups. It gives a unique and delicious flavor to dishes, more discreet than fresh mint.

Potato Börek (Patatesli Börek)

5 phyllo pastry sheets (yufka) * 6 potatoes * 2 medium onions * 1/2 tsp red pepper * black pepper * 50 ml olive oil * salt * 2 eggs

Peel the potatoes and boil them. Mash the potatoes with a fork. Mince the onions. Sauté the onions in olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the potatoes and seasonings and mix well. Cook for about five minutes and remove from fire. Let it cool down. Grease an oven tray with olive oil.


Open a phyllo pastry sheet and place the filling in one of the extremities. Make a roll.


Place the roll on the oven tray giving a spiral shape.


Proceed in the same way with the remaining phyllo sheets. If the filling is only enough for four phyllo sheets, use only that amount. Place each roll around the previous one. Finally, cover with two beaten eggs.


Cook on a 170° pre-heated oven for about 35 minutes. Let it cool down a little and cut into slices.



Find more börek recipes here.

Baked Chestnut Seller

Ankara, February 2008.

Spinach and Meat Stew With Yogurt Dip (Yoğurtlu Ispanak)

Makes 2-3 servings

500 g spinach * 4 tbsp olive oil * 1 onion * 200 g ground beef or veal * 1/2 cup rice * 2 cups water * salt * ½ tsp red pepper

For the yogurt dip:

1 cup plain yogurt * 2 garlic cloves

Wash the spinach and cut them. Mince the onion. Bring to fire the olive oil, the ground meat and the onion. Cook until the meat releases all the juice. Add the spinach. Cover the cooking pot and cook for about 10 minutes. Add the rice, water and seasonings. Keep on fire until the rice is cooked. Meanwhile, prepare the yogurt dip. Mix the yogurt with the minced garlic. When the stew is ready, place it in a serving plate and serve with the yogurt dip.

Rice Pilaf with Chestnuts and Blackcurrants (Kestaneli Pilav)

Makes 4 servings

1 cup baked and peeled chestnuts * 1 cup rice * 4 tbsp olive oil * 1 tbsp dried blackcurrants * 1 1/2 cup water * salt * black pepper

Wash the rice and bring it to fire with the olive oil. Sauté it for about two minutes on medium heat. Add the chestnuts, the dried blackcurrants and the seasonings and mix. Add the water and cover the cooking pot. Cook on low heat until all the water evaporates.

Leek and Rice Stew (Zeytinyağlı Pırasa)

Makes 2 servings

1 onion * 2 tbsp olive oil * 2 carrots * 500 g leek * 2 cups water * 1/2 cup rice * 1/2 lemon juice * salt

Mince the onion. Cut the carrots in small pieces. Saute the onion and carrots in the olive oil. Cut the leek in half lengthwise. Then cut pieces about half a finger in length and add to the other ingredients that are already cooking. Cook for about five minutes and add the water and rice. Season with salt. Keep on low heat until the rice is cooked. Add the lemon juice and turn off the fire.

Swiss Chard Pie (Pezik Mücveri)

This is a delicious recipe typical from the Black Sea region.

Makes 4-6 servings

1 bunch swiss chard (about 750 g) * 1 onion * 1 tbsp flour * 2 eggs * 2 cups cooked rice * dry mint * black pepper * salt * olive oil to fry

Wash the swiss chard and cut the stems. Mince the swiss chard and boil with water. Filter and reserve. In a bowl, mix the eggs, the flour, the minced onion, the cooked rice and all the seasonings. Add the swiss chard and mix well. Put oil in a large and anti-adherent frying pan. The pan must be completely covered with olive oil. Pour the mixture in the whole area of the pan. Cook on low heat, one of the sides, for about 10 minutes. When that side is cooked, fry the other side of the mixture. For that, use a plate with the same diameter of the frying pan or bigger. Place the dish on the pan and turn the pan, so that the mixture falls on the plate. Place the side that has not been cooked in the pan. Cook that side for about 10 minutes. Let cool down a little and turn on a serving plate. Serve cut into slices.