FISH PILAKI ( BALIK PILAKISI )

This dish traditionally is made with firm fleshed whole fish but I used  smoked and white fish chunks as I had them in my fridge. Mixture of smoked and white fish worked very well for  this recipe. Cod or any other white fish can be used instead of haddock.

INGREDIENTS

• 1  large carrot
• 2 medium potatoes 
• half a cup water or stock
• 150 g smoked haddock ( 2 medium  fillets )
• 100 g haddock ( 1 medium fillet )
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 2-3 tbsp olive oil
• Half a tin of tomato with tomato juice
• 2 cloves of garlic
• pinch of hot pepper or half of green chili pepper
• 3-4 bay leaves
• bunch of dill, chopped
• juice of half a lemon
• freshly ground black pepper

1) Peel and cut the potatoes and carrot into small chunks. Place them into a pan with some water just to cover the vegetables. Bring it to boil and cook the veg on high heat for about 5 minutes.

2) In the meantime wash the fish and cut into chunks. Set aside.

3) Saute the onions  in olive oil until just turning brown, add tomatoes, garlic, chili pepper, bay leaves.

4) Arrange the  chunks of fish over the vegetables, then pour the onion and tomato mixture over the fish. Sprinkle chopped dill, lemon juice and black pepper. Cook on low heat for 10- 12 minutes with the lid on. Do not stir.

5) Serve with extra dill and crusty bread. Serves 2.

NOT : I didn't add any salt to this dish as the salt from the smoked fish was just enough.

SUGAR FREE CARROT AND BANANA CAKE ( Sekersiz havuc ve muz keki )

 Using the carrots and banana in this recipe, make the texture beautifully moist, at the same time adding natural sweetness.

FOR THE CAKE

• 170 g self raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 level tsp mixed spice
• 200 g carrots, peeled and grated
• 100 g sultanas
• 50 g walnuts or hazelnuts, chopped roughly
• 1 large banana, mashed
• Juice of 1 whole orange
• 120 ml sunflower or olive oil
• 2 eggs beaten

First sift the flour with baking powder and mixed spice. Add the grated carrots, mashed banana, sultanas, walnuts and mix. Add the beaten eggs, oil and orange juice and mix it until well blended. Spoon this mixture into a greased and lined 20 cm cake tin.

Bake at pre-heated oven 180C, 160Fan, 350F for 60 minutes or until the skewer inserted comes out cleanly. Turn the cake out onto a wire rack and let it cool. Rewove the lining paper.

TOPPING

• 2 bananas
• 165 g soft cheese
• 1 tbsp lemon 

Mash one of the bananas and beat in the soft cheese. Spread this mixture on top of the cake. Slice the other banana and toss in the lemon juice to prevent discolouring. Arrange the banana slices round the edge of the cake just before serving.

COOK'S NOTE

I have adopted this cake to microwave and it was good but it is best cooked in conventional oven. I cooked this cake in microwave on full power for 7 minutes and further 2 minutes at 650 Watt.

LEEKS WITH CARROTS ( Havuclu pirasa)

INGREDIENTS

• 300 g leeks, about 3 medium size
• 100 g carrots, 2 medium
• 1 medium potato
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp mix spice
• Dash of soy sauce
• Juice of half a lemon
• Handful of parsley, chopped
• 300 ml water or vegetable stock
• Salt and black pepper

METHOD

First wash and chop leeks, carrots and the potato into small cubes. Heat the oil in the pan and add the leeks. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Tip in the carrots, potatoes and garlic. Add tomato puree, sugar, spice, soy and lemon juice. Pour stock or water and bring it to boil. Add parsley, salt and simmer gently for 10- 15 minutes until the vegetables cooked but still crunchy. Serve it with more parsley and lemon wedges. Serves 2.