Aug
27
2010
Turkish: Mercimek Köftesi
Vegetarian red lentil kofte is one of the most popular summer appetizers of Turkish cuisine.
2,5 dl red lentil
1,25 dl fine bulgur
1,25 dl olive oil
5 dl of water
1 medium onion, very finely chopped
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili pepper flakes
1 tbsp tomato+pepper paste (salca)
1 tsp salt
1 lemon
½ bunch parsley, finely chopped
½ bunch green onion, finely chopped
Curly leaf lettuce
- Wash and boil the lentils in 2,5 dl of water until they almost soak the water
- When you turn the heat off, add bulgur and salt. Mix once and cover to let the bulgur expand. Let it cool off
- Heat oil in a pan and add the onion and cook until soft
- Add tomato paste and cook for another 1-2 minutes
- Add this to the lentils which should be cool by now
- Add half of finely chopped parsley and green onion to the lentils
- Add cumin, chili pepper flakes, juice of the lemon and mix all well
- Take walnut size pieces and give them kofte shape in your hands
- Decorate with the other half of the parsley and green onion
You can either place lettuce leaves on a serving plate and put koftes on top as in the picture, or serve koftes and lettuce leaves separately. However, when you eat them you should wrap each kofte in a lettuce leaf.
COMMENT(s) HERE! | tags: bulgur, lentil. veggie | posted in Appetizers, Recipes
Oct
3
2009
Turkish: Patatesli Bulgur
During a hiking trip a friend introduced us to this version of the traditional Bulgur Pilaf, and as a big fan of potato – I loved it. In this recipe I have also included sucuk [Wikipedia], a spicy sausage from the Middle East, which can probably be replaced by any sausage you like. I prefer it without though (just replace the sausage by 1-2 potatoes).
Ingredients for 4 persons:
1 onion
oil for frying
2 tbsp Turkish tomato paste **
3 potatoes (middle size)
10 cm sucuk
4 dl bulgur
6 dl water
1 vegetable stock
salt
black pepper
parsley
chili
** (substitute: grid a tomato, add some chili and reduce the added water by ½dl)
Directions:
- Chop the onion finely and fry in a bit of oil.
- While the onion is frying on low heat, cut the potatoes into dices (2 cm).
- Add the potato to the frying onion and continue with the sausage.
- Cut the sausage into small dices (½-1 cm) and add. Lightly fry.
- Add the tomato paste and stir for a couple of minutes.
- Add the bulgur and mix well.
- Add water and the vegetable stock. Cover and let it boil. Open up after a while, just to mix in the vegetable stock. Cover again and let it boil on low heat until bulgur soaks all water and both potato and bulgur is soft.
- Add some black pepper and parsley.
- Turn off the stove and cover the pot with a towel and let it wait for 5-10 minutes.
- Add salt and chili pepper according to taste.
Preferably served with yogurt. You may garnish with fresh parsley, or mint. A light salad next to it won’t be wrong.
M
COMMENT(s) HERE! | tags: bulgur, potato | posted in Pilafs, Recipes
Mar
8
2009
Turkish: Kisir
Kisir a very popular, traditional Turkish meze [Wikipedia] or side dish prepared with “bulgur”, tomato paste, parsley, onion, garlic, sour pomegranate juice and a lot of spices. It’s a different version of an Mediterranean/Arabic dish, Tabbouleh [Wikipedia].I think the main difference between these two dishes that the Turkish version has tomato and pepper paste. Kisir recipe varies from region to region. In some regions they add water, while they knead bulgur with tomato and pepper paste in some other regions. However kisir is made everywhere in Turkey. Kisir is served sometimes with the afternoon tea, sometimes as meze, and sometimes as a great summer dish.
Ingredients for 4 persons:
5 dl fine bulgur
5 dl hot water
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp pepper paste (preferably hot)
~1 dl olive oil
½ bunch green onions(spring onions), finely chopped
1 onion, cut in thin half rounds
1 bunch parsley, finely chopped
1 cucumber, finely chopped
2 green peppers, finely chopped
2 tbsp pomegranate syrup
1 lemon (add more or less lemon juice depending on the taste)
2 tsp red pepper flakes
1tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp mint flakes
1 tsp cumin
salt
tomatoes, sliced
lettuce leaves
Directions:
- Put tomato and pepper paste in a big bowl and melt them in boiling water. Add bulgur and 1 tsp salt into this mix. Stir once. Cover and let it soak the water for about 10 minutes.
- Chop the onion in half-moon shapes. Knead onion with 1 tsp salt in a little bowl. Rinse, salt and squeeze excessive water.
Fluff bulgur with a fork. Add pepper flakes, ground pepper, cumin, mint flakes, oil, pomegranate syrup, lemon juice, and knead onion. Mix well. Taste to see if it needs more lemon juice at this point. It should be a little sour.
- Add green peppers, spring onions, cucumber, and parsley. Mix well.
Serve kisir with lettuce leaves and tomatoes. Just wrap some kisir on a lettuce leave and eat like that. Kisir is usually served on a lettuce bed with slices of tomato on the side. Enjoy!
A.
COMMENT(s) HERE! | tags: bulgur, salad | posted in Recipes, Salads
Feb
25
2009
Turkish: Bulgur Pilavi
Here is an other tasty Turkish food. Bulgur is a common ingredient in Turkish, Middle Eastern, Indian and Mediterranean dishes. The Turkish name (bulgur pilavi) indicates that this is a kind of rice but it is, in fact, wheat. We usually eat Bulgur with pickled vegetables.
Ingredients for 4 persons:
2 onions
4-5 green pepper
2-3 tbsp butter
(or olive oil)
4 tomatoes
1 tbsp Turkish tomato paste (not a must)
4 dl bulgur
6 dl boiled water
1 tsp salt
Directions:
- Chop the onions and peppers, and fry them with olive oil (or butter).
- Chop the tomatoes finely and add in the pot. Stir for 5 minutes. If you have, add Turkish tomato paste and stir for 2 more minutes.
- Add boiled water and salt. Cover and let it boil on low heat until bulgur soaks all water and is soft.
- Turn off the stove and cover the pot with a towel and let it wait for 5-10 minutes.
- You may garnish with fresh parsley, or mint.
Have some pickled vegetables next to it.
Enjoy!
A.
COMMENT(s) HERE! | tags: bulgur, veggie | posted in Pilafs, Recipes
