VEGETARIAN BULGAR WHEAT KOFTE ( etsiz cig kofte )

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups fine bulgur ( bulgar ) wheat
• 1 onion
• 4- 6 cloves of garlic
• 5-6 sun dried tomatoes, diced finely
• 2 cooked potatoes, mashed
• 2-4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp pepper paste ( optional )
• bunch of parsley, chopped
• cumin, chilli pepper flakes, salt and pepper.

METHOD

1) Wash the bulgur in cold water and drain. Set aside.

2) Place onion, garlic, sun dried tomatoes in a food processor and pulse it a few times. (or grate onion, garlic and tomatoes by hand and mix everything well to make this dish.)

3) Add the oil, mashed potatoes, bulgur wheat into the food processor. Mix in the tomato paste, pepper paste, parsley, cumin, chilli, salt and pepper. Pulse it several times until it all bind together. Add sprinkle of cold water if needed to form a stiff mixture.

4) Shape them into little sausages by hand and serve them on bed of lettuce leaves.

EASY POTATO KOFTES ( Kolay patates koftesi )

These vegetarian  koftes are ideal for entertaining or for a quick snack when hungry. It takes 10- 15 minutes to prepare in total. Serves 2.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 medium potatoes, about 300 g peeled and diced 
• 1/2 a cup fine bulgur ( fine cracked wheat ), about 50 g
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1 tbsp olive oil or little less if you are cutting down on fats
• 3 spring onions, chopped finely
• 2 level tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp chilli flakes
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 2-3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley or 1/2 tsp dried herbs
• salt and black pepper

1) Boil the diced potatoes in salted water until cooked. Drain and set aside.

2) In a separate bowl pour boiling water over the bulgur, cover and let it rest for 5 minutes until all the water absorbed.

3) Mash the potatoes, add soaked bulgur, tomato paste, spring onions, olive oil, parsley, spices, salt and pepper. Mix well together to bind.

4) Take a walnut size of the mixture and shape it like little sausages. 

5) Transfer the koftes on a serving plate and sprinkle with chopped spring onions. Serve them  with salad of your chose. I served mine with : red cabbage, celery and parsley salad.

GOURMET BURGERS WITH SUNDRIED TOMATOES( kuru domatesli burger)

YOU NEED

• 250 g lean steak mince
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 2 chillies, medium hot
• 6 sun dried tomatoes
• 1 tbsp goats cheese
• 1 tbsp parsley, chopped
• pinch of cumin powder
• salt.

1) Place onion, garlic, ginger and chillies in a food processor and pulse it couple of times. 

2) Add mince tomatoes,mince, cheese, parsley, salt and cumin powder and mix to  bind.

3) Take the burger mixture out of the processor and form into 2 large burgers.

4) Cook the burgers under hot grill or in a non stick pan until the both sides are browned and cooked to your taste.

5) Serve with salad, pitta bread or buns. 

NOT: I served mine with carrot, red cabbage, white turnip, celery, curly kale and parsley salad with lemon and olive oil dressing.

 Sun dried tomatoes in oil, in a jar  will be fine to use for this dish.

Makes 2 large or 4 small burgers.

SPICY MUSHROOMS with sumak ( Baharatli mantar )

This spicy mushroom dish is  great for lunch over toast with some salad or serve it as a side dish to accompany a main meal. This recipe serves 1, but the ingredients can be doubled to serve 2 or more.

YOU NEED

• 1 spring onion or 1 tbsp onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• pinch of chili pepper
• 100 g button mushrooms
• 1 clove of garlic, diced finely
• 5 tbsp water or vegetable stock
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, and mint, chopped finely
• salt to taste
• Sumak for sprinkling and lemon slices

1) First wipe the mushrooms and leave them whole. No need to wash them. Brown the onion in olive oil in a non stick frying pan.

2) Add cumin seeds, chili pepper, mushrooms and garlic. Stir and add the water. Cook on low heat for 5-7 minutes or until all the juices absorbed. Add the fresh herbs and salt. Turn the heat off.

3) Sprinkle with pinch or two of sumak and squeeze of lemon juice before serving.

COOK'S NOTE : You can use pinch of dried herbs instead of 1 tbsp of fresh herbs. Also pinch of cumin powder to replace 1 tsp of cumin seeds, if the cumin seeds are not available.

RED LENTIL SOUP WITH CUMIN AND CORIANDER(kirmizi mercimek corbasi)

INGREDIENTS

• 100 g red split lentils
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 potato
• 1 carrot
• 750-800 ml chicken stock or water
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• pinch of chilli pepper
• Some salt to taste
• Juice of half a lemon
• handful of fresh coriander

METHOD

Wash the lentils in cold water and drain it for couple of times. Heat the soup pan add the oil and the onion and stir fry it for 2-3 minutes. Wash and dice the potato into small pieces, add to the pan. Add the grated carrot together with the water, cumin powder, chilli pepper and salt. Bring the soup to boil. Turn the heat to low and place the lid on tilted. Simmer the soup for 25-30 minutes or until the lentils are tender and mushy. Remove from the heat, add the lemon juice and sprinkle with chopped coriander just before serving. Serves 4.

KOFTE WITH TOMATO SAUCE ( Salcali kofte )

YOU NEED

• 400 g steak mince
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, diced
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• Plain flour to coat the koftes
• Some oil for frying the koftes

FOR THE SAUCE

• 1 small onion, chopped finely
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• Handful of fresh parsley, chopped
• Enough water to cover the koftes
• Salt and pepper to taste
• More parsley for serving

METHOD

First chop the shallot or small onion and the garlic finely. Add to the mince together with cumin powder, salt and pepper. Mix it well by hand or pulse it in a food processor until all mixed together. Then take the pieces of the mixture about a teaspoon at a time and roll each into a small round. Coat each kofte with flour then brown them in the oil in a large frying pan. When the koftes browned transfer them to a plate.

Prepare the sauce in the same frying pan with remaining juices. Add more oil if necessary to fry the onions first, then add the tomato paste some water, parsley, salt and pepper. Bring the sauce to boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Now add the koftes into the simmering sauce add more water to cover the koftes. Cover the pan and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle with some more parsley just before serving. Serve with rice and salad. Serves 4.

TURKISH SHISH KOFTE ( sis koftesi )

INGREDIENTS

• 400 g steak mince
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 egg
• 1-2 slice of bread
• bunch of fresh parsley
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp salt

GRILLING

Onions, peppers and tomatoes, chopped into cubes for grilling.

METHOD

Put mince and the rest of the ingredients in a food processor and blend it until it is all mixed together. Make them into walnut size meat balls and arrange it on a skewer with onions, peppers and tomatoes. Brush them with olive oil and grill or barbecue turning them occasionally until browned nicely.

Serve the koftes on bed of rice or nice with pitta bread. Serves 4.

SALMON WITH CREME FRAICHE ( kremali salmon )

YOU NEED

• 2 salmon steaks

SAUCE FOR THE SALMON

• 1 tub of creme fraiche ( about 200g )
• 2 tbsp natural yogurt
• 2 tbsp dill, chopped
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp chilli powder or sweet paprika
• 1 tsp sumak (optional )
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• Little salt.

METHOD

Grill the salmon steaks until nice and crispy and cooked to your taste. While the salmon cooking, prepare the sauce. Mix creme fraice, yogurt and rest of the ingredients in a bowl and serve it with salmon. Serves 2.

KEBAB ON PITTA BREAD & YOGURT (Yogurtlu Kebap)

INGREDIENTS

• 400 g steak mince
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 slice of stale bread
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 chili pepper ( optional )
• handful of fresh parsley
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp mix spice
• 1 or 2 tsp sesame oil
• salt and black pepper
• 2 pitta bread
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed ( optional )
• Half a tub about 250 g natural yogurt
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• pinch of paprika

METHOD

First put the onion, garlic and bread pieces in a food processor and pulse it a few times. Then add mince, chilli, oil, spices, salt and pepper and mix it well to bind it all together. Shape them lengthwise on to the skewers and grill or cook them on the griddle until all browned and ready to serve. Brush the kebabs with oil during cooking. In the meantime heat the pitta bread in the toaster or in a non stick pan to warm it. Cut the bread and place it on a serving plate. Mix crushed garlic with yogurt and pour over the pitta bread. Then arrange the kebabs over the yogurt. Heat the olive oil in a small frying pan, add paprika and drizzle over the kebab just before serving. Serves 4.