GREEN BEANS WITH TOMATOES AND HERBS

This is another vegetarian dish which is enjoyed in summer months made with olive oil. It is generally served cold as a side dish.  In Turkey people prepare these vegetables dishes cooked in olive oil and fresh tomatoes in advance and keep them the fridge as standby for meal times. These dishes traditionally served after the meat dish and before the rice but can be served as meze or side dish. 

YOU NEED

• 500 g stringless beans
• 2-3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped finely
• 1-2 clove of garlic, diced
• 4-5 medium fresh chopped tomatoes or can of tomatoes
• pinch of sugar
• handful of chopped fresh parsley and dill
• salt and ground black pepper.

1) Trim the beans and cut them into small pieces. Wash and set aside.

2) Fry chopped onions in the olive oil until lightly brown. Add the tomatoes, garlic, sugar, beans and stir.

3) Bring it to boil on the stove then turn the heat to very low and cook the beans with the lid on for 20-25 minutes.

4) You don't need to add any water to this dish but if it is going dry just add splash of water.

5) When it is nearly cooked, season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with fresh chopped herbs just before serving.

SIYAH ZEYTIN VE KURU DOMETESLI KAHVALTI EKMEGI

MALZEME

• 2 fincan un
• 1-2 cay kasigi tuz
• 1 paket kuru maya
• 2-3 yemek kasigi zeytin yagi
• 3 yemek kasigi sut ( ilimis veya oda sicakliginda )
• 2 cirpilmis yumurta
• 50 gr kuru tomates
• 10 tane siyah zeytin
• 1 yemek kasigi susam

1) Once unu tuzla eleyin. Mayayi karistirin ve zeytin yagi, sut ve cirpilmis yumurta ile guzel bir hamur yapin.

2) Hamuru unlanmis bir zemine aktarip 5-6 dakika yugurun. Hamuru yaglanmis derin bir tasa aktarin ve 2 saat bir kenarda mayalanmaya birakin.

3) Iki saat sonra bir iki yumruklayarak havasini alin. Kucuk parcalara kesilmis kuru dometesi ve cekirdegi alinmis zeytinleri hamura ilave edin.

4) Hamuru 8 parcaya ayirin ve yuvarlak sekil verin. Hafif yaglanmis tepsiye aktarin ve 25-35 dakika daha tepside mayalanmasi icin bekletin.

5) Sonra sutle uzerlerini fircalayin ve susam serperek, onceden isitilmis ( once firini 10-15 dakika isitin ) firina verin. 230 C derecede 10-15 dakika pisirin ve servis yapmadan once biraz sogumaya birakin.

Afiyet olsun.

LAVAS ( HERB TORTILLAS )

This is a very good savory flat bread recipe that is very similar to tortillas. it is used to wrap up kebabs, salads and cheese fillings.

YOU NEED

• 1 cup wholemeal flour
• 1 cup plain flour
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp or 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp natural yogurt
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 chopped shallot or spring onion
• 2  tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 3 tbsp warm water.

1) Place everything in a food processor and pulse it several times until you achieve a soft dough.

2) Transfer into a bowl and cover with a cling film. Let it rest 10-15 minutes in the fridge if you have time.

3) Cut the dough into equal pieces about the size of an egg on a floured surface.

4) Heat the griddle pan or non stick frying pan.

5) Shape each dough into a round shape with the rolling pin to fit your pan. Cook both sides  on medium heat.

6) Serve them warm with butter on or roll them with cheese, tomatoes, meat or salad of your chose.

SOGAN VE MAYDANOZLU LAVAS (BAZLAMA )

Bugun sizlerle degisik bir lavas tarifi paylasmak istedim. Sogan , yumurta ve maydanozla lavas  yumusak ve lezzetli oldu. Bu hamur buzdolabinda 2-3 gun kalabilir ve istediginiz zaman cikarip kullanabilirsiniz.

MALZEME

• 2 cay fincani un ( 1 fincan cavdarli, 1 fincan beyaz un olabilir )
• 1 cay kasigi tuz
• 1 yumurta
• 2 yemek kasigi kiyilmis taze sogan veya kuru sogan
• 2 yemek kasigi kiyilmis taze maydanoz
• 2 yemek kasigi yogurt
• 1 yemek kasigi zeytinyagi
• 3 yemek kasigi ilik su.

1) Once unu tuzla karistirip robota diger malzemeleri de ilave ederek yumusak bir hamur haline gelinceye kadar karistirin. Vaktiniz varsa 10-15 dakika dinlendirin.

2) Yumurta buyuklugunde parcalara ayirip, oklava ile tavanizin buyuklugune gore acin.

3) Teflon tavayi isitin ve orta atesde lavasin iki tarafini pisirin.

4) Sicak tutmak icin bir bezin arasinda saklayip, obur hamurlarida ayni sekilde pisirin.

5) Tereyagi surup ekmek olarak servis yapin veya arasina lor, peynir, tomates, marul koyup durum yapin.

Afiyet olsun.

NO FAT, LOW CALORIE SOUP

This is my favorite low cal soup that I keep in my fridge on most days. It is good hot and cold. When I feel peckish I have cup of this soup and it is much better than those packet soups. I used my favorite vegetables but vary them and use the vegetables you like. I worked it out the calories and 3 scoops of this soup is only 45 calories so it is great. 

INGREDIENTS 

• 1 large onion,
• 2-3 cloves of garlic
• Half of butter nut squash
• 1 can of tomatoes
• 1 -2 leeks
• 1-2 carrots
• 5-6 mushrooms
• vegetable or chicken stock cube
• 1-2 small chili or pinch of chili powder ( optional )
• 1 piece of ginger stem
• handful of fresh herbs or 1 tsp dried herbs
• Water
• salt and pepper to taste
• Soy sauce.

Chop up all the vegetables, tomatoes  and  herbs, add  spices. Place them in a pan or pressure cooker. Add the stock and water. Cook until soft. Cool and blend to make a smooth soup. Add salt and pepper to taste and soy sauce before serving.

ISPARTA USULU EKMEK

Merhabalar, Turkiye'de butun ekmekler guzel ve her yorenin kendine gore yemekleri oldugu gibi ekmekleri de meshurdur bilirsiniz. Bugun ben yavas metoddan bu ekmegi yaptim ve ayni Isparta ekmegimiz gibi oldu. Bu ekmegin ozelligi, yugurmadan, sadace karistirip, uzun sure bekletiyorsunuz. Ekmege tadi verende uzun surede mayalanmasi.

Ingiltere su an hala serin, onun icin ben 18 saat mayaladim. Turkiye buraya gore sicak tabii ve mayalama 9- 10 veya 12 saat olabilir. Deneyin ve serin bir yerde mayalayin. Gordugunuz gibi kopurur gibi gorunurse olmus demektir. Sizlere hem fincan hemde tarti olculerini veriyorum ama tarti ve olcu kullanmanizi tavsiye ederim mumkunse, cunku fincanla olcu biraz kararlama oluyor ve hamurun sonucunu etkiliyor. Umarim begenirsiniz.

MALZEME

• 3 1/2 cay fincani beyaz ekmek unu ( 1 fincan un = 125 gr )
• 1/2 fincan cavdar unu ( 65 gr )
• 1/2 Turk cay kasigi kuru aktif maya
• 2 veya 3 Turk cay kasigi tuz
• 500 ml ( 2 fincan ) ilik su
• Uzeri icin bugday kepegi.

YAPILISI

1) BIR GUN ONCE, AKSAM :Unlar derin bir tasa olculur ve yarim cay kasigi kuru maya ve tuz ilave ederek karistirilir. Cok ilik su yavas yavas ilave edilir ve hamur karistirilir. ( Baya civik bir hamur olacak )

2) Simdi uzerini ya sitrecle, ya foil le kapatip, mutfaginizin bir kosesinde mayalanmaya birakin. ( Kisin 18-20 saat, yazin kaldiginiz yerin sicakligina gore bir saat ayarlayin, sabah kontrol edin ve kopuklu ise, hamurunuz hazir demektir.

3) Mayalandiktan sonra,hamuru karisitip havasini alin ve unlanmis bir zemine hamuru plastik bir kasikla aktarin. Unlu ellerle hamuru biraz yayin ve 4 defa katlayin. Sepet turu bir tasi hafif yaglayin ve kepegi her tarafina yayin. Hamuru 2 saat daha dinlenmeye birakin. ( Yazin 1 saat ). Hamurun uzerine kepek serpip temiz bir bezle kapatin.

4) Bu arada hamurun hazir olmasina yarim saat kala firina kapakli ve firina dayanikli kabinizi koyun ve 240 C derecede yarim saat hem firini hemde kapakli tencerenizi isitin. ( Tencerenin baya sicak olmasi lazim )

5) Yarim saat sonra hamuru sicak tencereye aktarin ve tencerenin kapagini kapatip ekmegi 35 dakika pisirin. Sonra kapagini alin firinin derecesini 220 C dereceye dusurun. Ekmegi bu sefer kapaksiz 15- 20 dakika daha pisirin ve firndan alin.

6) Iki saat sogumaya birakin. ( Beklemek cok zor oluyor ama, ekmek bu iki saat icinde hala pisiyor onun icin sabirli oluyoruz. )

Afiyet olsun.

NOT : Bulundugunuz yer cok sicaksa buzdolabinda saklayin sonra mayalamaya devam edin.

SMOKED SALMON WITH CAVIER

Smoked salmon is one of my favorite fish that I love. I use it in sandwiches, in salads, as a starter and as a side dish. We had friends round the other day and I served this as a starter which was lovely and light and enjoyable.

YOU NEED

• Tub of low fat creme fraiche
• 1 slice of smoked salmon per person
• Rocket leaves, cleaned and washed
• Jar of caviar
• 2 tbsp low fat mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• Some water to mix
• Salt and ground black pepper

1) Wash and spin the rocket leaves, set aside. Mix mayonnaise and tomato puree with water and set aside.

2) Place 1 tbsp of creme fraiche on each serving plate and place the rocket leaves on top. Then place one piece of salmon and top it up with 1 tsp of caviar.

3) Drizzle mayonnaise and tomato pure sauce over it.

4) Season with salt and pepper and serve it chilled.