Homemade Oruk, a version of Kibbeh or Baked Icli Kofte, Antakya Style
Oruk, baked icli kofte, a version of kibbeh; these bulgur balls with walnut and ground meat stuffing are a real treat. Oruk, or (Sam Orugu as they are also referred) the baked oval bulgur balls with...
View ArticleAncient, Healthy and Delicious; Bulgur Pilaf with Freekeh, Eggplants and Meat
Firik or Freekeh is a super food and an ancient grain; I absolutely love its delicious, nutty taste, similar to pearl barley. Freekeh used to feature a lot at my grandmother’s table in Antakya,...
View ArticleManti, the tiny treasures;Turkish dumplings stuffed with ground meat, in...
These delicious tiny treasures, Manti or Mantu, dumplings with spiced ground meat and onion, is one of the all time favorite dishes in Turkey. In especially Anatolia, family members gather to prepare...
View ArticleStuffed winter greens or Swiss chard with ground meat and rice – Kis Sarmasi
Stuffed winter greens or Swiss chard with ground meat, rice and herbs; Kis Sarmasi Any sight of large leaves gets me excited with the prospect of stuffing them. I grew up with my mother’s delicious...
View ArticleBaked Zucchini (courgette) halves with vegetables and chickpeas (garbanzo...
I previously made the delicious stuffed zucchini halves with ground meat, vegetables and chickpeas or garbanzo beans, inspired by my home town, Antioch’s (Antakya) cuisine. I was asked for a...
View ArticleRice with Lamb (or Beef) and Onions; Etli Pilav, The Aegean Way; and Spring...
Rice, pilaff form a very important part of Turkish cuisine; we Turks like to have rice, bulgur wheat or pulses for at least one meal every day. Pilav or pilaffs are enjoyed as an accompaniment to stews...
View ArticleKayseri Style Layers of Flat Breads with Ground Meat and Vegetable Topping –...
One of my readers wrote recently; she visited Kayseri, in Central Anatolia and greatly enjoyed this local specialty called Kayseri Usulu Yaglama; Layers of flat bread with a scrumptious ground meat and...
View ArticleAromatic Zahtar & Feta Cheese in Puff Pastry; Inspirations from Antakya
Antakya’s 2,000 years old Long Market, Uzun Carsi; home to aromatic spices, copper ware and endless food stalls. I got wildly excited when I spotted the Zatar (or Zahtar, Za’atar, Zatar or Dukkah)...
View ArticleStuffed Dried Eggplant and Pepper Dolma; Kuru Patlican Dolmasi
Dried eggplants and peppers, stuffed with ground meat and aromatic rice; kuru patlican dolmasi Have you ever had stuffed dried eggplants or peppers, kuru patlican ve biber dolmasi, in Turkey? Or ever...
View ArticlePoached anchovies or Anchovy Stew with vegetables; Hamsi Buğulama
Poached anchovies or anchovy stew with vegetables; Hamsi Bugulama I was delighted to get some fresh anchovy fillets, hamsi, as we call in Turkish at my local market a few weeks ago. This small, oily...
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