VEGETARIAN ICLI KOFTE ( Veceteryan icli kofte )

This type of stuffed kofte, traditionally made with minced meat but some friends requested the vegetarian version. It was tasty and I enjoyed making these with different vegetarian fillings. Makes 15- 16 icli koftes.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 small onion, 
• 4 heaped tbsp fine bulgur ( bulgar wheat )
• 4 heaped tbsp coarse semolina
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• pinch of chili and cumin powder ( optional )
• Salt and pepper to taste.

FILLING VARIATIONS

1) Chick peas, cooked with onion, tomatoes, herbs and spices

2) Beans with mix veg

3) Cheese and onion

4) Lentils cooked with leeks, ginger, chili and garlic

5) Boiled and grated potato mixed with spring onion, spinach and grated cheese.

6) Chopped nuts and mashed chick peas.

METHOD

1) Place  roughly chopped onion in a food processor, pulse it couple of times. Add bulgur, semolina, egg, tomato puree, salt and spices. Pulse it several times until you achieve a  smooth paste. Bring it out and make 16 walnut size balls.

2) Take each piece and make a hole  in the middle with your thumb. Then turning the index finger inside the bulgur balls to make thin holes. Wet your fingers while doing so. Make the holes as thin as possible.

3) Fill the holes with vegetarian filling of your chose about 1 tsp in  each ball and close them to make oval or round shapes. At this stage if it breaks, just mend it and close it with little water and cover the holes.

4) Bring 6 -7 glasses of  water to boil, add some salt. Drop 6-8 koftes at a time so they wont overlap. Boil on medium heat for 15 minutes. Take them out carefully with perforated spoon and let them cool on kitchen paper for 10 minutes.

5) Shallow fry them in hot oil, drain them on kitchen paper  and serve them with sweet and spicy sauce.

ASURE ( SWEET CEREAL- LEGUME PUDDING )

Hi all, this pudding is one of the most traditional and oldest of deserts in Turkey. It is made during the religious month of 'Kurban Bayrami.' About 10-15 ingredients go into this desert and the more ingredients we have, is the better.

Every household makes this pudding in large amounts and then distributed amongst neighbours and relatives. It is served when family and friends visit during bayram to celebrate the holy month.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup dovme ( wurled wheat )
• 1/3 cup small white dried beans
• 1/3 cup chick peas
• 4 tbsp rice
• 1/2 cup seedless raisins
• 1 small orange peel, chopped finely
• 1 small lemon peel, chopped finely
• water
• 5 dried figs, chopped into small pieces
• 6-7 dried apricots, chopped finely
• 1 packet of vanilla or 2 tsp vanilla essence
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp rose water
• cinnamon
• desiccated coconut
• walnuts
• hazelnuts
• pistachios
• pomegranate seeds.

First soak dovme, white beans and chick peas separately in plenty of water ,overnight. Wash them several times and boil them to cook separately. Then transfer all 3, into a large sauce pan. Add the rice, orange and lemon peel. Add water to the top, to cover the ingredients and bring it to boil. Turn the heat to medium, stir  it well and  simmer for 30 minutes. Add sugar and washed raisins  mixing thoroughly. Simmer for further 10 minutes. Add washed and chopped figs, apricots, vanilla  and boil for another 5-7 minutes. Rewove from heat and add rose water. Pour the pudding into individual desert bowls while it is hot. Then cool it. Sprinkle with cinnamon, then decorate and garnish with coconut, hazelnuts, walnuts, pistachios and pomegranate seeds just before serving. Serves 10.

CHILLI BEEF WITH BEANS (acili kiymali fasulye)

This is simple yet tasty supper dish to be enjoyed with family and friends and it can be prepared in advance. Serves 2.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 medium potatoes, diced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 150-200 g minced beef
• 1 glove of garlic, diced
• 10 cherry tomatoes
• 3 tbsp kidney or white beans, canned
• Little cold water
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley
• salt and hot chilli pepper to garnish.

METHOD

Dice and fry the potatoes in oil for about 10 minutes on a medium heat, until they are golden. Transfer the potatoes to the serving plate. Add the chopped onion to the pan, add more oil if needed and stir fry onion for 5 minutes. Then add the mince, garlic, stir. Mix the mince with a wooden spoon during cooking to break up any lumps in the meat. Cook for 7-10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, drained and washed beans and salt. At this stage add a little water to the pan to prevent it sticking. Stir and cook for further 5 minutes. Bring the potatoes and mix them in the pan with the mince mixture. Turn the heat off. Add the parsley and some flakes of red chilli pepper just before serving. Afiyet olsun.