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.