How to make good Turkish tea
1. Tea must be stored in closed packages in such a way that it is not affected by humidity and external odors.
2. For best results, lime-free water, a tea-kettle and a porcelain teapot are recommended.
3. After rinsing the clean teapot with lukewarm water, put in one teaspoon of tea per person, whilst the water is boiled in the tea-kettle.
4. Boiling water from the tea-kettle is poured into the teapot.
5. The flame under the tea-kettle is turned down and the teapot is placed onto the tea-kettle so that it boils with the steam underneath.
6. The tea must brew for 10-15 minutes.
7. The tea is then ready for pouring into the small tea glasses, usually 1/3 or 1/4 full depending how dark or how light you prefer your tea. The tea glass is then topped-up with hot water from the tea-kettle. The pot of tea should then be drunk within 30 minutes.
Yogurt Soup (Yayla Corbasi)
Ingredients:
Rice 1/3 cup 60 grams
Water 4 cups 800 grams
Salt 2 teaspoons 12 grams
Flour 3 tablespoons 18 grams
Yogurt 1 2/3 cups 360 grams
Egg 1 50 grams
Butter or margarine 4 tablespoons 40 grams
Mint 1½ tablespoons 2 grams
Servings: 6
Yogurt Soup - Yayla SoupPreparation:
Wash the rice and place in a saucepan together with water and salt and cook for about 30 minutes, until tender. Blend the flour into yogurt in a separate dish, break in the egg, mix and warm the mixture by adding a couple of spoon full of the hot soup. Gradually add the yogurt mix to the saucepan, stirring continuously and keep stirring until it comes to boil and then cook for 10 minutes. Melt the butter or margarine in a pan, add the mint, stir a couple of times and remove from heat and slowly sprinkle over the soup.
Tarhana Soup (Tarhana Corbasi)
Ingredients :
Tarhana (dry) ½ cup 75 grams
Water 6 cups 1200 grams
Salt 1½ teaspoons 9 grams
Butter or margarine 4 tablespoons 40 grams
Mint 1½ tablespoons 2 grams
Red pepper ½ teaspoon 1 gram
Servings: 6
Preparation :
Dissolve tarhana in water, add the salt and cook for 10 minutes. Melt butter or margarine, add mint and red pepper and stir a few times and sprinkle over the soup.
Alanazik (Alinazik)
Ingredients :
Ground meat 1 4/5 cups 500 grams
Margarine 2 tablespoons 20 grams
Salt 2 teaspoons 12 grams
Black pepper 1/2 teaspoon 1 gram
Red pepper 1/2 teaspoon 1 gram
Eggplants 6 medium size 1 kg
Garlic 3 cloves 10 grams
Yogurt 4 ½ cups 1 kg
Green peppers 2 30 grams
Oil 2 tablespoons 20 grams
Servings: 6
AlanazikPreparation :
Place the ground meat and margarine in a saucepan and simmer on low heat with lid closed for 20-25 minutes until all the juice is reduced. Add 1 teaspoon salt and the other spices, stir. Wash and dry the eggplants, barbecue on the burner, turning frequently. Peel off the skin, cut off the stems and chop finely. Sautè the chopped eggplants in 2 tablespoons of oil for 2-3 minutes. Peel the garlic, wash and mince. Add the garlic, yogurt and the remaining salt to the eggplants and mix them throughly. Remove it to a serving plate and spread evenly. Pour the hot minced meat over the eggplants. Wash the green peppers, remove the stems and chop them 2-3 millimeters thick and sprinkle over the dish.
Sultan's Delight (Hünkar Begendi)
Ingredients :
Onion 2 large size 250 grams
Chopped lamb meat 750 grams
Tomatoes 2 medium size 250 grams
Salt 2½ teaspoons 15 grams
Black pepper ¾ teaspoon 15 grams
Water (hot) 1 cup 200 grams
Eggplants 6 medium size 1 kg
Margarine 5 tablespoons 30 grams
Flour 5 tablespoons 30 grams
Milk (hot) 2½ cups 500 grams
Hard cheese (shredded) 1 cup 80 grams
Servings: 6
Hünkar BegendiPreparation :
Wash the vegetables. Peel the onions, wash and chop finely, place in a saucepan together with meat. Cover and braise over low heat for 40-45 minutes. Chop the tomatoes into half centimeter cubes and add to the meat with 1 ½ teaspoon salt, black pepper and water, stir and continue cooking until the meat is tender. Dry the eggplants and barbecue them over heat, turning occasionally. Peel the skin, cut off the stems and finely chop. Place flour and margarine in a non-stick saucepan and lightly brown for 2-3 minutes. Add the eggplants and the remaining salt. Add the milk slowly and stir continuosly, cook for 7-8 minutes. Add the shredded cheese, stir once more and turn off the heat. Place on a serving dish, make a slight hollow in the middle, place the meat in the center, and pour the cooking liquid over the dish.
Lamb Kebab on Iron Plate (Sac Kavurmasi)
Ingredients :
Lamb leg (medium fat) 1 kg
Onion 5 medium size 300 grams
Tomato 3 small size 300 grams
Green pepper 5 medium size 75 grams
Dill ½ bunch 20 grams
Salt 2 teaspoons 12 grams
Black pepper ½ teaspoon 1 gram
Cummins ½ teaspoon 1 gram
Thyme 1 teaspoon 0.07 gram
Servings: 8
Preparation :
Cut meat into one centimeter cubes, place on an iron plate (called "sac") and cover. Braise for about 40 minutes over charcoal fire or burner, stirring occasionally. Peel the onion, wash and chop finely. Wash the other vegetables, remove the stem and seeds from the peppers, remove the coarse stems of the dill. Chop the pepper and dill finely. Chop the tomatoes into 1 centimeter cubes. Add the pepper and the onion to the meat and stir for 1-2 minutes. Mix in the tomatoes, dill, salt and spices, cover and braise for another 20 minutes.
Sish Kebab (Sis Kebabi)
Ingredients :
Boneless lamb leg 1 kg
Onions 3 medium size 200 grams
Milk ½ cup 100 grams
Olive oil ¼ cup 50 grams
Tomato paste 2 tablespoons 20 grams
Salt 2 teaspoons 12 grams
Black pepper ½ teaspoon 3 grams
Tomatoes 3 medium size 300 grams
Green peppers 6 medium size 75 grams
Servings: 8
Sis KebabPreparation :
Cut meat into 2 cm. cubes. Peel, wash and grate the onions, drain the juice and mix it well with milk, olive oil, tomato paste, salt and black pepper. Refrigerate the meat in this mixture for 24 hours. Wash the vegetables, remove the stems of the peppers. Chop the peppers 2 cm. thick and the tomatoes into 2 cm. cubes. Pass the meat, pepper and tomatoes alternately over skews. Broil each side over charcoal fire or in an electric grill for 3-4 minutes, turning until all sides are broiled.
Turkish Ravioli (Manti)
Ingredients Measure Amount
Flour 5 cups 550 grams
Salt 3 tablespoons 36 grams
Eggs 2 100 grams
Water 10 2/3 cups 2125 grams
Onion 2 small size 100 grams
Parsley 1/3 bunch 20 grams
Black pepper ½ teaspoon 1 gram
Ground meat 1 ½ cups 250 grams
Tomato 1 large 200 grams
Margarine 6 tablespoons 60 grams
Red pepper ½ teaspoon 1 gram
Garlic 6 cloves 18 grams
Yogurt 3 cups 660 grams
Servings: 6
Turkish Ravioli - Manti Preparation :
Sift flour into a large dish and set aside 1/3 cup. Add one tablespoon salt to the remaining flour, mix and make hole in the center. Blend in the eggs, gradually add 2/3 cup water and make a stiff dough. Knead for 7-8 minutes and divide into three balls. Cover with a damp cloth and let stand for 10 minutes. Peel the onions, wash and chop finely. Wash the parsley, separate the leaves and chop finely. Add the onion, parsley, ½ tablespoon salt and the black pepper to the ground meat and mix. Sprinkle with flour and roll out one of the dough balls until 1 millimeter thick. Cut it into 2 cm squares, place about half a teaspoon of the filling at the center of each square and bring the four corners together at the top, press and seal. Process the remaining dough balls in the same way.
Place the remaining water and the salt in a pan and bring to boil. Add the little dough bundles (manti) and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Wash the tomato and grind into another saucepan, add margarine and simmer for about 5 minutes, add the red pepper. Pele, wash and crush the garlic and mix into the yogurt. While serving, pour the garlic yogurt over the manti and then sprinkle with the tomato sauce.
Vine Leave Wraps with Olive Oil (Zeytinyagli Yaprak Sarmasi)
Ingredients Measure Amount
Vine leaves - 150 grams
Water 2 2/3 cups 550 grams
Salt 3 teaspoons 18 grams
Onion 6 big 600 grams
Olive oil ¾ cup 150 grams
Pine nuts 2 tablespoon 20 grams
Rice 1 1/3 cup 240 grams
Sugar 2 teaspoons 8 grams
Currants 2 tablespoons 20 grams
Parsley 1 small size bunch 40 grams
Dill 1 small size bunch 30 grams
Fresh mint 10-15 leaves 10 grams
Cinnamon ¾ teaspoon 1.5 grams
Black pepper ¾ teaspoon 1.5 grams
All spice ½ teaspoon 2 grams
Lemon juice 2 tablespoons 20 grams
Lemon 1 medium size 100 grams
Servings: 6
Yaprak Dolma Preparation :
Wash the vine leaves and remove the coarse stems. Put the water and a teaspoon of salt in a pot. Bring to boil and add half of the leaves. Simmer them for 4-5 minutes, turning over once. Simmer the other half in similar fashion. Measure the cooking liquid and complete it to 2 3/4 cups and set aside.
Peel the onions, wash and chop finely, place in pot together with oil and nuts, cover and sauté for 20 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally. Stir a few time with the lid removed so that the nuts are browned. Wash and drain the rice and add to the pot and stir a couple of times. Add the remaining salt, sugar and the 1 ¾ cups of the hot cooking liquid, stir and sprinkle with currants. Simmer it on first medium and then low heat for 10-15 minutes, until all the liquid is reduced. Wash the parsley and the dill and remove the stems and chop finely. Add them to the cooked rice together with mint, spices and the lemon juice and leave covered for 10 minutes. Place the vine leaves so that the side with veins face inside when wrapped. Place the prepared filling to one side, fold the side edges over he filling and then wrap it. Cover the bottom of a shallow saucepan with vine leaves and the removed parsley and dill stems and place the wrapped vine leaves over them.
Place a heat-proof flat plate over the leave wraps (dolmas). Heat the remaining boiling liquid and add to the pan slowly, pouring from the edge of the dolmas. Cover and simmer over low heat for 50 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish when cool, and garnish with lemon slices.
Bulgur Salad (Kisir)
Ingredients Measure Amount
Bulgur (fine grain) 2 � cups 375 grams
Water (hot) 2 � cups 500 grams
Tomatoes 4 medium size 500 grams
Romine lettuce � 150 grams
Green pepper 4 medium size 60 grams
Spring onions 10 200 grams
Parsley 1 large bunch 100 grams
Fresh mint 4 sprigs 10 grams
Tomato paste 9 tablespoons 90 grams
Red pepper paste 1 tablespoon 10 grams
Olive oil � cup 100 grams
Lemon juice � cup 100 grams
Salt 4 teaspoon 24 grams
Red pepper 1 teaspoon 2 grams
Black pepper � teaspoon 1 gram
Servings: 6
Preparation :
Place the bulgur in a large dish. Sprinkle with water, cover and leave for 15 minutes. Wash the vegetables, remove the stem and seeds of the green peppers, clean off the surplus from onions, parsley and the mint. Chop all the vegetables except the romaine lettuce finely and add to the bulgur. Add the tomato paste, oil, lemon juice, salt and the other seasonings and mix well. Arrange lettuce leaves around the sides of a serving dish and place the bulgur salad in the center.
Cacik (Cucumber - Yogurt Salad)
Ingredients Measure Amount
Cucumbers 3 medium size 400 grams
Dill 3-4 sprigs 10 grams
Yogurt 3 � cups 770 grams
Salt 2 teaspoons 12 grams
Water 1 º cups 250 grams
Olive oil 2 tablespoons 20 grams
Garlic 3 cloves 9 grams
Servings: 6
Preparation :
Wash, peel and coarsely grate the cucumbers. Wash and weed out the dill and chop finely. Whisk the yogurt, add salt, water, garlic and the cucumbers and mix well. Pour the mixture into individual dishes and sprinkle with olive oil and dill.
Gözleme with Cheese (Peynirli Gözleme)
Ingredients Measure Amount
Flour 5 ½ cups 600 grams
Salt 1 ¼ table spoons 15 grams
Dry yeast ¾ table spoon 5.5 grams
Sugar 1 tea spoon 4 grams
Water (warm) ½ cup 300 grams
White cheese - 500 grams
Parsley 2 bunches 120 grams
Cheese - 500 grams
Oil ½ cup 110 grams
Margarine 1/3 cup 65 grams
Servings: 10
Preparation :
Sift the flour into a large dish and reserve 1 cup . Add 1 1/4 tablespoon salt to the remaining flour, mix and make a whole in the center. Blend the yeast and sugar with ¼ cup water, pour into the hole and sprinkle with some flour. Leave in a warm environment for about 10 minutes to allow the yeast to rise. Add the remaining water gradually and make a soft dough. Knead for five minutes until it no longer sticks to hand, and leave to rise for an hour keeping the warm temperature stable. Crush the cheese, wash, separate and finely chop the parsley and add to the cheese, mix and divide into ten portions. Put flour on hands and divide the dough into ten pieces forming them into balls. Use the remaining flour and roll out each ball until half a millimeter thick. Brush with oil. Fold opposite sides of the round pastry together, bringing edges together at the center. Spread cheese filling over half of the pastry. Fold 1 cm. of he round edge of the side with the cheese over the filling and cover the filling with the other half, shaping the round pastry into a rectangle. Press the the edges to seal lightly. Heat griddle, grease with margarine and place the gözleme. When the first side is browned, grease and flip the other side and brown.
Baklava
Ingredients Measure Amount
Sugar 3 cups 585 grams
Water 2 cups 500 grams
Lemon juice 1 teaspoon 5 grams
Pistachio nuts (uncrushed) 2 cups 220 grams
Flour 4 cups 500 grams
Salt 1 teaspoon 3 grams
Olive oil 1 tablespoons 15 grams
Eggs 2 100 grams
Starch 2 cups 55 grams
Butter or margarine 1 cup 250 grams
Servings: 12
Turkish BaklavaPreparation :
Place the sugar and 2 cups of water in a saucepan, boil for 10 minutes, add the lemon juice and bring to boil again for a short time. Remove from heat and leave to cool. Crush or grind the pistachio nuts. Sift the flour into a large bowl, add salt and and mix. Slowly pour the oil, make a hole in the middle and add the eggs and very slowly add the water. Knead into a medium stiff dough. Cover with a damp cloth and leave for about 10 minutes. Divide the dough into balls and roll each ball out very thin, sprinkling with starch until half a millimeter thick. Place half of the rolled out dough into a baking pan of 35-40 cm. diameter. Sprinkle pistachio nuts on the top sheet. Place the remaining sheets. Cut the layered pastry sheets into squares or diamonds. Heat the butter without burning it and pour over the pastry. Bake in a barely moderately heated oven for approximately 40-50 minutes until it is golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside for 2-3 minutes and then pour the cold syrup over the pastry, cover and let it soak the syrup.
Semolina Halva (Irmik Helvasi)
Ingredients Measure Amount
Margarine 2 cups 150 grams
Pine nuts 2 tablespoons 20 grams
Semolina 2 cups 300 grams
Water 2 cups 500 grams
Sugar 1 1/3 cups 240 grams
Servings: 6
Preparation :
Melt the margarine, add the nuts and the semolina and brown them for about 15 minutes until the ingredients change color slightly, stirring all the time. Boil the water in a separate saucepan, add and melt the sugar. Add the syrup to the semolina, stir and simmer for 10 minutes. Cover with a napkin and let rest for 20 minutes. Toss before serving.
Receipts from www.allaboutturkey.com
