Imam bayıldı (imam bayildi); it’s one of those dishes – along with shepherd’s salad – that we always loved to eat when we first moved to Turkey. And then, for some reason, it released itself from our radar. Hello Again, Imam Bayıldı Well all that has now changed, mercifully. Thanks to many requests for an …
This time of year is abundant with spring fruits and vegetables, making trips to Fethiye market and Çalış market all the more pleasurable. And now, it is the season for the delightful loquat fruit… If you read this blog regularly, you’ll know we love to eat and cook seasonally. It’s really not hard to do …
March 2nd 2020. We were stood in our hotel room in Kaleiçi, Antalya, saying goodbye to some friends who were heading back to Istanbul. “We need to find you another half marathon asap,” our friend said. Even then, it flitted through my mind, “I can’t see that there’s gonna be a half marathon or other …
Pure plated indulgence. That’s our description for this oh-so-tasty dish; ali nazik kebab. If you like ‘cooking light’ then look away now. A Gaziantep ali nazik kebab is spicy, rich and buttery. At the same time, the aubergine and yoghurt bed that the meat is laid on is smooth, smoky and creamy. From The City …
It’s easily done. A simple – yet rightly much-loved – Turkish salad, like shepherd’s salad, can easily fall off the radar. But do you know what the best bit about that is? It’s when you suddenly remember one day, for no reason, that you haven’t had shepherd salad in such a long time. So then …
We love cacık! It’s so refreshing. Since 5,000 BC. That’s how long natural yoghurt is said to have been a part of people’s lives; at least in the region of ancient Mesopotamia, that is. And that includes parts of modern day Turkey. If you know Turkey, you’ll know there’s a whole raft of meze dishes …
Go into any lokanta in Turkey and you will be most unfortunate if you don’t see karnıyarık as one of the choices in the bain marie. Along with imam bayıldı, it’s a classic Turkish stuffed aubergine recipe. Aubergines are a major ingredient in Turkish cuisine and there are many famous aubergine recipes. They are paired …
We love this Izmir Köfte recipe. It’s Turkish meatballs in tomato sauce with potatoes and peppers. It’s been a long time coming this recipe. A regular evening meal for us, especially through winter. Whenever Barry makes it, I post a photo to our Instagram Stories. And we always get the request, “Can we have your …
Why make a spinach stem salad, you ask? Let’s keep things simple: Most traditional Turkish food is as food should be – you take your ingredients, you make your dish. And if there is anything you have discarded while making your dish, you don’t discard it; you make another dish from it. Well, it makes …
Have you ever tried Turkish coffee (Türk Kahvesi)? For many, it’s an acquired taste. Unlike filter or instant coffee, Türk Kahvesi is unfiltered; grounds and all stay in the cup. As a result of that, a thick, muddy residue will rest on the bottom of the cup. Deeply unpleasant for those that are not in …