[Cooksisters] Best delights from Turkiye: Lekker recipes that are full of freshness and few ingredients
|Published
Kisir Salad picture supplied
Hello everyone
This week I want to share one of my favourite food cuisines with you - Turkish food.
Known for their amazing desserts like baklava, kunefe and their apple tea, this cuisine has a charm of its own.
Turkish food is based on freshness and minimal ingredients, the aim is not to overpower the foods’ natural taste.
Chilli is hardly used and most of the ingredients include fresh herbs, vegetables, fresh tomato, ground meat, mild spices and olive oil.
Each region of Turkiye have its own cuisine based on what is in season and what is unique to the environment.
I always use bulgar wheat as a base, similar to couscous, for a saucy chicken or meat dish, but Turkiye has this dish called kisir salad (see recipe below) which has bits of cucumber, lettuce, parsley and mint, in a tomato-based bulgar salad.
It’s refreshing, filling, uses basic veg and it’s super lekker!
It amazes me how ingredients such as parsley, mint and olive oil can add such freshness to any Turkish dish, all you need is one bite, and you are hooked.
It is also common to find fruit such as pomegranates in their meals. This fruit is usually easily found all over Turkiye and the combination of fruit infused in mains along with meats give the country’s cuisine a distinct, and incomparable, flavour.
I’ve had chicken and kebab with bits of pomegranate rubies in and a relish similar to what we know as a sambal, infused with pomegranate molasses. The burst of flavours is so lekker, I promise once you taste it, you will find yourself adding these flavours in all your meals.
For more recipes or baking and cooking inspiration, visit my website @ www.sprinklesandspice.co.za or visit my social media platforms on Instagram, or TikTok @sprinklesandspicect or Sprinkles and Spice by Farzana Kumandan on Facebook.
Love, Your Cooksister
Adana Kebabs (ground beef Mince Kebabs)
Ingredients
1kg beef mince (not lean at least 20% fat)
½ small onion
½ red pepper
2 garlic cloves
Few sprigs parsley
1 tsp jeera (cumin)
1 tsp sumac
1 tablespoon Orange Pepper
Method
In a food processor, add the onion, pepper, garlic, and parsley.
Blend until fine and squeeze out the excess water.
In a large bowl, add the mince, processed veg, and spices and mix until evenly, and well combined.
Add a dash of oil to your hands, and press out and flatten your kebabs on kebab sticks.
Rest the kebabs on a tray, gently press it flat with your fingers and freeze for at least a half hour (this will hold the kebabs together nicely)
Once you are ready, grill it in the oven on 180 C for 15-20 minutes, depending on the size, or air fry on 180 C for 8 minutes.
If you prefer a coal charred adana with chunky charred veg, braai over a medium to low heat until it is grilled to perfection.
Tip - due to the fat content, it will grill quickly, so be sure to grill slowly on a lower heat.
Pickled Red Cabbage and onions
Ingredients
1 baby red / purple cabbage
1-2 red onions thickly sliced
2 garlic cloves cut in quarters
½ cup white vinegar
½ cup water
1 bay leaf
2 tsp sugar ( or to taste)
Black pepper to taste
Pinch of salt
Method
Using a potato peeler, thinly slice the cabbage and cut the onion into thick slices.
To a clean sterilised large jar, add the spices, cabbage and onion, top up with the vinegar.
Using a spoon or knife, stir well until all the sugar is dissolved.
Top up with the water and vinegar.
Refrigerate and allow to pickle for at least an hour before serving as a side.
Tavuk Sis (Chicken Kebabs)
Ingredients
500g chicken fillets cubed
1 teaspoon garlic flakes
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon Sumac
½ teaspoon crushed chillies (or to taste)
½ teaspoon salt or to taste
Pomegranate Rubies, freshly chopped mint and lemon wedges for serving
Method
Cut the chicken fillets into thick cubes
Season the chicken with the spices and mix well ensuring all the chicken is well coated, marinade and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight.
Add the chicken cubes on a sosaties stick and add a generous drizzle of olive oil
Place the kebabs on a baking tray and grill on 180 degrees for 20 - 30 minutes
Garnish with pomegranate seeds, freshly chopped mint and lemon wedges.
Mercimek çorbası (Turkish Lentil Soup)
Ingredients
2 olive oil
1 onion
1 green chilli
2 garlic cloves
1 large carrot
½ tsp cumin
1 tsp turmeric
1 level tsp white pepper
1 level tsp smoked paprika
50g tomato paste
4 chicken stock cubes
6 cups water
1½ cups red lentils
Method
Rinse and soak the lentils in boiled water for at least a half hour or overnight.
In a food processor, chop the onion, chilli, garlic, and carrot until fine and pulpy.
In a large pot or the instant pot, braise the veg until golden brown.
Add in the cumin, turmeric, white pepper, paprika, and tomato paste.
Mix until well combined.
Add in the water, stock, and lentils and bring to a slow simmer for 30 – 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Once the lentils are soft, garnish within olive oil, red chilli flakes and mint.
If you are using the Instant Pot, be sure to deglaze the bottom of the pot, cover and pressure cook on high for 30 minutes with QPR.
Serve with a squeeze of fresh lemon and enjoy.
Turkish Kisir Salad
Ingredients
3 cups fine Bulgur
4 cups boiling water
1 x 30g parsley finely chopped( stalks removed)
1 x 30g mint leaves finely chopped (stalks removed)
1 cucumber diced
1 punnet sweet baby plum tomatoes diced
2 x 50g tomato paste
2 tablespoons Turkish red pepper paste (optional)
5 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
½ cup olive oil
juice of 2 lemons
1 heaped tsp fine cumin
½-1 tsp crushed chillies or 2 green chillies
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
In a large bowl, soak the bulgur in boiling water and cover with a well sealable lid, or cling wrap.
Allow to rest for 15-20 minutes until it has doubled in size.
Finely chop and dice the herbs and veg or add to a food processor and mix until fine.
In a large mixing bowl add the bulgur and loosen it with a fork, add the herbs, veg, pastes, molasses, oil, lemon juice and spices and mix until well combined.
Rest for 15 minutes and allow the flavours to infuse.
Enjoy as is or as a side salad.