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Soup

Ezogelin Çorbası

Hearty Anatolian red lentil soup enriched with bulgur, rice, and aromatic spices, finished with a sizzling butter and paprika drizzle

vegetariantraditionalcomfort-foodprotein-rich

Ingredients

How to Make

Rinse 200g red lentils and 50g rice under cold water until water runs clear, then drain thoroughly.
In a large soup pot, melt 30g butter over medium heat and sauté 150g finely diced onion for 5 minutes until translucent and soft.
Add 30g tomato paste and stir constantly for 2 minutes until paste darkens slightly and releases its aroma.
Add the drained lentils, rice, 80g fine bulgur, 1.5L vegetable broth, 1.5 tsp salt, and 0.5 tsp black pepper to the pot.
Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low and simmer for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lentils and grains are completely soft.
Use an immersion blender to partially blend the soup, leaving some texture, or blend half the soup in a regular blender and return to pot.
In a small pan, heat remaining 20g butter over medium heat until melted, add 2 tsp dried mint and 1.5 tsp paprika, and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Ladle soup into bowls and drizzle the sizzling spiced butter over each serving immediately before serving.

Serving: 350g

🥘

Main Course

Tender marinated chicken skewers with sumac, sesame, and yogurt, grilled to perfection and served with grilled vegetables and lavash

protein-richtraditional

Ingredients

How to Make

Cut 800g chicken breast into 3cm cubes and place in a large mixing bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk together 150g yogurt, 40ml olive oil, 2 tbsp sumac, 2 tbsp sesame seeds, 20g minced garlic, 45ml lemon juice, 1 tsp cumin, 2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp black pepper until smooth.
Pour the marinade over the chicken cubes, mix thoroughly to coat all pieces, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours.
Toast 1 tbsp sesame seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until golden and fragrant, then set aside for garnish.
Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat (about 200°C) and lightly oil the grates.
Thread marinated chicken pieces onto metal or pre-soaked wooden skewers, alternating with 200g red bell pepper chunks, 200g green bell pepper chunks, and 150g red onion chunks.
Brush the skewers with remaining 20ml olive oil and place on the hot grill, cooking for 12-15 minutes total, turning every 3-4 minutes until chicken is cooked through with internal temperature of 74°C and has beautiful char marks.
Remove from grill, let rest for 3 minutes, then sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and serve immediately with warm lavash bread and lemon wedges.

Serving: 450g

🥗

Salad

Smoky fire-roasted eggplant salad with roasted red peppers, walnuts, garlic, and tangy pomegranate molasses dressing

vegetarianvegangluten-freetraditional

Ingredients

How to Make

Preheat oven to 220°C or prepare a gas flame or outdoor grill for roasting vegetables.
Pierce 600g eggplant several times with a fork and place directly on oven rack or over open flame, rotating every 5 minutes for 20-25 minutes total until skin is completely charred and flesh is very soft.
Place 300g red bell peppers on a baking sheet and roast at 220°C for 25-30 minutes, turning once, until skin is blistered and blackened.
Place roasted eggplant and peppers in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let steam for 10 minutes to loosen the skins.
Peel the charred skin from the eggplant and peppers under cold running water, remove seeds from peppers, and roughly chop both vegetables, allowing excess liquid to drain.
In a large serving bowl, combine the chopped roasted vegetables with 15g minced garlic, 80g roughly chopped walnuts, 30g chopped parsley, and 15g chopped mint.
In a small bowl, whisk together 60ml extra virgin olive oil, 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses, 30ml lemon juice, 1 tsp salt, and 0.5 tsp cumin until emulsified.
Pour the dressing over the salad, toss gently to combine, and let rest at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld.

Serving: 280g

🍚

Side Dish

Fragrant Turkish rice pilaf with toasted vermicelli noodles, buttery hazelnuts, and aromatic bay leaves

traditionalcomfort-food

Ingredients

How to Make

Rinse 300g long grain rice in cold water 3-4 times until water runs clear, then soak in warm water for 20 minutes and drain thoroughly.
In a medium heavy-bottomed pot, melt 50g butter over medium heat until foaming, about 2 minutes.
Add 60g vermicelli noodles and 80g roughly chopped hazelnuts to the pot, stirring constantly for 4-5 minutes until vermicelli is golden brown and hazelnuts are toasted and fragrant.
Add the drained rice to the pot and stir gently for 2-3 minutes to coat each grain with butter and toast lightly.
Pour in 600ml hot chicken stock, add 2g bay leaves, 1.5 tsp salt, and 0.5 tsp black pepper, and stir once to combine.
Bring to a boil over high heat, then immediately reduce to the lowest heat, cover tightly with a lid, and cook undisturbed for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, turn off the heat, place a clean kitchen towel under the lid, and let the pilaf rest for 10 minutes to absorb remaining moisture.
Remove bay leaves, add remaining 20g butter on top, fluff the pilaf gently with a fork to separate grains, and serve hot.

Serving: 250g

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