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.

POTATOES WITH EGG AND MUSHROOMS ( mantarli, yumurtali patates)

YOU NEED

• 350-400 g new potatoes, diced
• 2-3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion or 50 g leeks, chopped
• 50 g peppers, diced
• 50 g mushrooms, sliced
• 2-3 eggs
• Salt, pepper.

METHOD

First stir fry the onions on high heat for 5 minutes. Add potatoes, pepper and cook on medium heat with the lid on until the potatoes are cooked and golden for about 1o minutes stirring and mixing occasionally. Add mushrooms , cook for 5 more minutes. Add eggs, salt and pepper and cook for couple of minutes more until the eggs are to your taste. Serves 2-3.