PARTY FOOD (RICE WITH CHICKEN,SPICY SAUSAGE& PRAWNS)

This dish is always a favorite when family and friends get together for special occasions. it is very similar to paella but made with basmati rice and Turkish spicy sausage SUCUK.

It is a kind of feel good dish that so nice to make. I serve it as a main mail with salad or one of the hot dishes at a party.

• First I pan fry the CHICKEN TIGHTS (4 or 6 depending on how many people.) Add little water and cook the chicken pieces for 10 minutes, set aside.
• Then chop 1-2 large ONIONS and brown them in oil in a large frying pan or wok.
• Transfer chicken tights into the wok.
• Add 1 or 2 cups of BASMATI RICE and stir with onion for a minute or so. Add pinch of TURMERIC and CHILI PEPPER to taste.
• Add hot WATER or STOCK ( 2 cups of water for 1 cup of rice ), some SALT to taste.
• At this point, add some VEGETABLES that you like. ( corn, peas, peppers )
• Bring it to boil, then turn the heat to low to simmer.
• Add SUCUK or SPICY SAUSAGE slices on top. Cover and simmer for 20- 30 minutes until the rice is cooked.
• Add cooked PRAWNS 5 minutes before the cooking time ends.
• Sprinkle with CHIVES or SPRING ONIONS just before serving.

NOT: Chicken tights are best for this dish as they are not so dry.

Use any spicy sausage instead of sucuk.

AUBERGINE AND CHICKPEA RICE (nohut ve patlicanli pilav)

Hi all, today I made this delicious rice dish with chickpeas, aubergine and sun dried tomatoes. I served it for lunch with green salad. This is also good warmed up to accompany the main meals or cold as a party dish.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups basmati rice
• 4 cups hot vegetable stock or hot water
• 2-3 tbsp oil or butter
• 1 large onion chopped finely
• 1 aubergine, diced finely
• 2-3 tbsp diced sun dried tomatoes
• 1 cup cooked and drained chickpeas
• 1 level tsp mixed spice
• salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh, chopped parsley and dill

1) Fry the onion in a pan until well browned. Add the aubergines and cook together for 5 minutes coating and mixing well.

2) Add the sun dried tomatoes, chick peas and mix spice, mix.

3) Toss in the washed rice coating it well in the spice. Pour the stock into the pan, season with salt and pepper and bring it to boil.

4) Lower the heat, cover the pan and simmer for 12-15 minutes until all of the water has been absorbed. Turn of the heat and place a 2-3 pieces of kitchen paper on top of rice and place the lid back on tightly. Let the rice rest for 10 minutes.

5) Fluff the rice with fork and sprinkle some dill and parsley over it just before serving.

VEGETARIAN RICE WITH ALMONDS

YOU NEED

• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp oil
• 4 mushrooms, diced
• 1 -2 tsp currants
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
• 1 cup rice, washed 2-3 times
• 2 cups hot water or vegetable stock
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• salt
• fresh dill, chopped
• handful of flaked almonds

1) Fry the shallots in a non stick pan with oil. Add mushrooms, currants, cinnamon and black pepper, stir.

2) Add the rice and coat it well with the spices. Add hot water and salt. Mix once and bring the rice to boil.

3) Add the lemon juice and cover. Turn to heat to low and steam the rice for 12-15 minutes until it is cooked.

4) In the mean time, dry roast the almond flakes in a non stick frying pan for a minute or two, until just turning brown. Set aside.

5) Take the rice off the heat and add chopped dill and mix. Place the lid back on and  let the rice rest for 10 minutes.

6) Sprinkle the rice with roasted almonds before serving.

MIDYE DOLMASI ( Stuffed mussels with aromatic rice )

This is a  very popular Turkish traditional meze dish. it is sold by street vendors in cities and sea side resorts all over Turkey. It is a common site to see people stopping to buy the mussels, squeezing with lemon  and enjoying them  as a snack. Normally It is made with fresh mussels strength from the sea, cleaned and cooked, but I had some greenshell New Zealand mussels ( my favorite ) in the freezer to use and result was very good and it worked very well with this dish.  Serves 2.

INGREDIENTS

• 10  large frozen mussels, defrosted
• 1 small onion, chopped finely
• 2 tsp of olive oil
• 2 tsp pine nuts
• 2 tsp currants
• 1 level tsp cinnamon,
• 1 tsp mix dried herbs
• pinch of mix spice
• 1/2 cup rice ( about 60 g )
  
• 2 tsp tomato paste
• 1 cup hot water
• fresh chopped herbs ( parsley, dill )
• Salt and ground black pepper.

1) Clean the shells with a brush, pull out the though beards. Wash the mussels, drain and set aside. 

2) Make the  rice filling. Brown the chopped onion in a pan with oil. Add pine nuts, currants, spices and dried herbs, stir.

3) Add rice and mix until well coated. Add tomato paste, hot water, salt and bring  the rice to boil. Once boiled, turn the heat to low and cook the rice with the lid on for 10- 12 minutes.

4) Transfer the rice on a plate and let it cool. Add the fresh herbs and mix.

5) Stuff each shell of the mussels with a  tsp of the rice filling then close the shells and place them into a steamer. Place the lid tightly and bring the water to boil. Then steam the filled mussels for  15 minutes on low heat.

6) Leave the mussels in the pan for a few minutes then transfer them onto a serving plate. Serve with lemon wedges.

TENDER LAMB AND AROMATIC RICE WRAPPED IN AUBERGINES(kuzulu pilav, patlican sarmasi)

This is a wonderful dish from Central Turkey. It takes some time to prepare but your quests will be impressed at a dinner party. Traditionally the sliced aubergines fried in oil but I grilled them today which worked very well and it was lighter than the original recipe.

YOU NEED

• 2 aubergines, sliced thinly
• olive oil for brushing
• sprinkle or salt
• 250-300 g lean, tender lamb pieces
• 2- 3 tbsp oil or butter
• 1 large onion, chopped finely
• 2 clove of garlic, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme or pinch of dried thyme
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• hot water
• Half a cup of washed rice
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1 cup of hot water

METHOD

1) Brush the aubergine slices with olive oil on both sides, sprinkle with salt and grill under preheated grill, on the top shelf for 20 minutes turning once. Grease a non stick dip pan, 15 cm wide and 6 cm deep. Arrange slice of aubergines all round the pan and at the bottom of the pan as shown above. Set aside.

2) Chop the lamb in to small cubes, Saute the onion in oil first then add the meat and cook until brown. Add the garlic, thyme and tomato pure. Add enough hot water to cover the meat and bring it to boil. Place the lid and let the meat simmer for about 30- 35 minutes. Add little more hot water if the meat is drying out.

3) Add rice, parsley, mixed spice salt and ground black pepper to the meat. Add one cup of water to cover the rice and meat mixture. Bring it to boil then simmer for about 7 minutes until. The rice still should be mushy and half cooked. Turn the heat off.

4)Transfer meat and rice mixture in the pan with prepared with aubergine slices. Then over lap the slices and cover the the meat and rice mixture completely, wrapping the filling. Pour half a cup of hot water gently and bring the pan to boil.

5) Then turn to heat to very low and steam the dish for 15 minutes with lid on. Let it rest for 10-20 minutes before turning it over to a serving plate. Decorate with parsley leaves.

ZEYTINYAGLI YAPRAK SARMASI ( stuffed vine leaves with aromatic rice )

Vine leaves are used in many dishes in Turkey but most popular ones are filled with minced meat ( etli yaprak sarmasi) and vegetarian sarma which is  made with aromatic rice and olive oil ( zeytinyagli yaprak sarmasi). Stufffed vine leaves served  warm or cold.  I will be posting etli  yaprak sarma in coming weeks.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 jar of 400 g of preserved vine leaves in brine
• 2 large onions, chopped finely
• 1 cup long grain rice, washed
• 1 bunch of dill, chopped
• 1 bunch of parsley, chopped
• 1 tbs currants, diced
• 1 tbsp pine nuts or chopped mix nuts
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

To add to the pan just before cooking

• juice of half a lemon
• extra, olive oil for drizzling
• 5-6 medium potatoes
• hot water 

METHOD

1) First wash vine leaves under cold running water, let in drain in colander. Layer the base of the pan with 2-3 vine leaves. ( This will prevent the stuffed vine leaves sticking to the pan)

2) Prepare the filling: Wash the rice and place in a bowl. Add diced onion, parsley, dill, currants, nuts, salt, cinnamon, black pepper and 3tbsp of olive oil to the rice. Mix well to coat the rice with herbs and spices. 

3) Lay one of the vine leaves on a flat  surface and spoon 1-2 tsp ( depending on the size of the leaf )of the rice mixture along the stalk end of the leaf and fold once. Then tuck in the sides of the leaf and roll it up tightly to make a cylindrical parcel.

Repeat this  with the reaming leaves and rice filling.

4) Arrange the stuffed vine leaves, seam side down in the prepared  pan, as you roll them. Pack them tightly together in circles. Making 2-3 layers, depending on your pan size.

5) Squeeze the lemon juice over the sarmas and drizzle over with olive oil. Add enough hot water to cover the stuffed vine leaves . Peel 5-6 medium potatoes and arrange them on top of the stuffed vine leaves. Cover the pan with the lid and bring it to boil. Then lower the heat and steam the sarmas gently  for 45-50 minutes. until the rice is cooked.  Let it stand for 20 - 30 minutes before serving

NOTE: Potatoes are used  as a weight to prevent sarmas from unravelling, also potatoes draw excess salt from the vine leaves. I use the cooked potatoes in soups or use it to make potato salad.

KAPUSKA ( RICE WITH TOMATOES AND CABBAGE )

This vegetarian dish of rice, tomatoes, cabbage, onion and peppers  is good on its own or as a side dish to accompany any meal.

YOU NEED

• 1 onion, chopped finely
• 2 -3 tbsp of olive oil
• 1 cup rice, washed
• 2 cups  finely chopped cabbage,
• 2-4 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1 cup finely diced  peppers, 
• 3 cups  vegetable stock or hot water
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• salt and black pepper
• fresh dill and parsley, chopped finely
• Fresh lemon juice

METHOD

First  heat the oil in the pan, add the onion and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes. Add washed rice, tomatoes, peppers and stir. Add the tomato paste and stock and boil for 2 minutes. Stir in salt and pepper and fresh herbs, turn the heat down to low and let it cook for 10-15 minutes until the rice is cooked. Add more water if necessary as it is nicer with the juice of the dish.

Garnish with fresh parsley and lemon juice just before serving.

MEAT AND RICE FILLED PEPPERS ( kiymali dolma )

YOU NEED

• 1/2 kg peppers
• 250 g lean steak mince
• 1 -2 tbsp oil
• 1 cup  of rice
• 2 onion
• bunch of fresh parsley
• salt, black pepper
• 2-3 tomatoes
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• some water
• little oil 
• extra tomatoes, sliced,  to use them as lids  for  the peppers.

First wash the peppers and take the stalks out by cutting around them and pushing them inwards with your thumb. Then prepare the filling. Place the mince into a dip dish, add the washed rice, oil. Chop the onions finely and dice the tomatoes, adding the  chopped parsley in to the mince and rice mixture.  Some salt and black pepper to taste and then mix it all together to bind it. 

Stuff each pepper loosely with the mixture( about 1 -2 table spoonful each pepper) making sure to leave room for  rice to expand. if we stuff the peppers too much the rice wont cook through. Cut the tomatoes into small round shapes to cover the peppers like a lid. Then transfer the peppers to a dip pan and add some water to cover up to half way of the peppers. Mix the tomato puree in some water and pour it over the peppers making sure the water covers the peppers at this stage.  Drizzle some oil over the peppers then, put the pan on a high heat and bring it to boil. Then turn the heat to low and let it cook slowly for 25-30 minutes until it is cooked. When cooked, transfer it to a serving plate  and use the juices as sauce for the peppers. Afiyet olsun...

COOK'S NOTE

In Turkey we prefer the small, thin skinned  peppers  for  this dish. The measurements above are for small peppers. If you are using larger, firm flesh capsicums you need to use more stuffing per pepper.

Please see my post for ETLI DOLMA, on 18- Nov- 08. made with CAPSICUM PEPPERS.

RICE COOKED IN FILO PASTRY ( yufkali pilav )

Hi all, this is a rice dish with a difference. Rice with herbs and spices cooked with mince and wrapped in filo pastry, making this dish a centre piece for any occasion.

YOU NEED

• 1 onion, chopped
• 200 g minced meat
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 pepper, chopped
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced
• pinch of cinnamon,
• ground black pepper
• parsley, dill, chopped.
• 1 cup rice
• 2 cup boiled water
• salt
• 1 large or 2 small filo pastry
• oil for brushing the pastry
• 1 egg yolk

METHOD

Fry the mince in oil with the onion until cooked and browned, add the tomatoes, peppers, cinnamon, black pepper, dill and parsley. Cook for 5 more minutes. Add the washed rice, stir, then add hot water and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and cook the rice with the lid on for 10-15 minutes until it is cooked. Set aside.

Grease a tray or Pyrex dish, lay the filo pastry, transfer the rice over the filo pastry and cover the rice with second filo pastry tucking in the edges. Brush the pastry with egg yolk and cook in the pre heated oven on 175C for 20- 30 minutes until it is golden brown.

CHICKEN BREAST WITH FRESH TOMATOES

This dish was cooked with organic chicken and fresh tomatoes and and fresh peppers which tasted quite delicious. I served it with Turkish round rice which is fried with some butter first then cooked with chicken stock.

YOU NEED

• 4 pieces of chicken breast, diced
• 2 tbls olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped finely
• 1 clove of garlic ( optional )
• 5-6 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 2-3 tblsp full of  green peppers, diced
• 1 cup stock stock or water
• Salt and black pepper
• fresh parsley and dill, chopped

METHOD

First wash and dry the chicken then dice into small pieces. Fry in a non stick pan with the oil for 5 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and fry for further 5 minutes. Then add the tomatoes,  peppers and the stock, cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until it is cooked. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with fresh herbs just before serving. Serves 4.

SUMMER RICE & YOGURT SOUP (Yayla Corbasi )

INGREDIENTS

• 100 g rice
• Half a tsp salt
• 750 ml water or stock
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 1 egg, whisked
• 6 tbsp natural yogurt
• 2 tsp dried mint or handful of fresh mint, chopped
• 200 ml water
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp olive oil or butter
• 2 tsp paprika or chilli powder

METHOD

Wash the rice, add salt and water or stock. Bring it to boil then simmer with the lid on for about 25-30 minutes until the rice is soft and cooked. Set aside.
Whisk the egg in a bowl, add flour, yogurt, mint, water and seasoning. Add this yogurt and egg mixture into the cooked rice. Return the pan of soup to the stove and cook the soup on low heat stirring frequently to prevent it sticking to the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 10 minutes. You may add more water if the soup is too thick. While the soup simmering, heat a small frying pan with 1 tbsp oil or butter, add the paprika and drizzle over the soup just before serving. Serves 4.

PILAV RICE WITH CHICK PEAS ( Nohutlu pilav )

This is my favourite rice which is fragrant and lovely to serve with curries OR serve it cold with the salad and coleslaw. It keeps well in the refrigerator for a quick snack when feeling peckish. Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS

• 1 onion, chopped finely
• 2 tbsp olive oil OR
• 1 tbsp olive oil for low fat rice
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 1 tsp chopped chilli pepper(optional)
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper if no chilli added
• 250 g basmati rice, washed and drained
• 200 g cooked chick peas
• 600 ml hot water.

TO COOK

Fry the onion in oil until golden brown. Add garam masala, ginger, chilli, mix for a minute or so until the heat draws out the fragrance. Next add the washed rice mix it well to coat with oil and spices. Pour in the boiling water, add chick peas, salt and pepper. Stir once and let it boil for 2 minutes on high heat. Then turn the heat down to half, put the lid on tight and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Add chopped fresh parsley or coriander just before serving.

COOKS TIPS

• If you want the rice more spicy, use more garam masala
• Cooking with a non-stick pan is best
• I buy the dried chick peas in large packs, steep and cook them in advance. Then freeze them for later use.