Sultan's Kitchen

[RAKASA 0]

And these are some appetizers I threw together recently. Belgian endives topped with home made hummus, tuna mixed with sweet curry powder and topped with a calamata olive. Don't use the first 4 or 5 leaves from the endives, as they're a bit too bitter

very pretty Rahma - and they look tasty too! I've also made some (non-fried) lentil patties recently that I learned in a Turkish cooking class and they are delicious (& super easy)! The recipe make a LOT though, so I would probably 1/2 it next time. Red lentils, bulghar wheat, & parsley were the main ingredients. I'll post it later.

[RAKASA 0]

Wow - I just made whole wheat pita bread & it is yummy! I've made lots of bread in the past couple of years, but never pita. It was easy. I know there is a recipe in the Sultan's Kitchen cookbook, but I had wanted to try this one:

http://www.bigoven.com/161058-Arabic-Bread...ee)-recipe.html

I couldn't sleep last night and decided to surf Big Oven on my iPhone and found this recipe. We've also tried a Harira recipe on here and it is one of the best we've ever made.

[UmmSqueakster 54]

Ooo, post lots of turkish recipes, and any turkish cookboos that they recommend! I'll have to put turkish cooking on my list. I'm cooking my way around the world, country by country. I'm currently doing India, and then next is either Vietnam or the Carribean.

[RAKASA 0]

Ooo, post lots of turkish recipes, and any turkish cookboos that they recommend! I'll have to put turkish cooking on my list. I'm cooking my way around the world, country by country. I'm currently doing India, and then next is either Vietnam or the Carribean.

I've taken 3 classes w/ them so far, learning 3 recipes in each class. I'll have to get them typed up and posted. They've all gone over well so far and one of the desserts I've made several times - it's easy & delicious!

[UmmSqueakster 54]

Great, I'll be looking forward to them. If you take another class, could you ask your teachers for a good cookbook recommendation? They offer a few cooking classes here through the public school, but the husband said I could buy more cookbooks instead of taking the classes. Hmmm, telling a book horder they can buy more books, I wonder what I'll do

[RAKASA 0]

Great, I'll be looking forward to them. If you take another class, could you ask your teachers for a good cookbook recommendation? They offer a few cooking classes here through the public school, but the husband said I could buy more cookbooks instead of taking the classes. Hmmm, telling a book horder they can buy more books, I wonder what I'll do

You know, cookbooks are great, but there is something to be said for watching them do it and then having them supervise you doing it as opposed to just reading about it. I'm a "hands on" learner for sure! Besides, the classes they've been offering are only $5/class and we get to feast after on what we made.

[UmmSqueakster 54]

Ah, here's they're more in the $40-$50 range. That could buy alotta books

[RAKASA 0]

Some Turkish recipes from my classes:

Kisir (wheat salad)

1 C bulghur (cracked wheat)

1 C hot water

1 T tomato paste (I like it spicier, so I used chili paste instead)

2 T veg oil

1/2 chopped green onion

1-2 chopped tomatoes

4 large lettuce leaves (optional - I'd leave them out & add to individual servings or use lettuce leaves to serve salad in)

Salt, Lemon juice, dry mint, black & read pepper

**we also added chopped (seeded & peeled) cucumber & chopped parsley and/or cilantro

Pour hot water on to the bulghur & cover; let sit 10 min. Chop onion, lettuce & tomatoes. Add oil & tomato paste into bulghur and mix. Let bulghur absorb oil & tomato paste. Add salt, spice, salad mixture, lemon juice & mix. Kisir is ready to serve and eat.

*This makes a lot! If you have leftovers & there is lettuce in there, it will be soggy and not so good later. That's why I suggest either omitting it or adding it individually.

Kadayif (shredded dough dessert)

***This is one of my faves - really easy & delicous, makes a nice presentation too!

1 pkg Kadayif (Kataifi) (shredded dough - found in most Int'l mkts where you'd find Phyllo)

2 C chopped walnuts (I've also used pecans and think pistachios would be good too)

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter

Syrup:

1 T lemon juice (I like it lemony, so I use the juice of one lemon)

2 C sugar

2 1/2 C water

To prepare the syrup: place the water & sugar in a medium sized pot. Bring to a boil and continue boiling for 5 min. Then simmer for 15 min & turn heat off. Add lemon juice and set aside.

Mix the melted butter w/ the shredded dough. Then place half of the shredded dough in a tray or casserole dish evenly and press it down w/ your palm. Spread the walnuts on top evenly. Then spread the 2nd half of the dough and again press down w/ your palm. Preheat oven to 375 F. Place pyrex dish on middle rack. Bake until the top takes a light golden color (20-35 min). Immediately pour the lukewarm syrup all over evenly. Enjoy!

Patatesli Sigara Boregi (Potato Cigarette Borek)

1 pkg spring roll wraps (25 sheets)

Filling:

5 medium sized potatoes, boiled & mashed or grated

2 medium sized onions, thinly sliced

1/2 C veg oil

1/2 t red pepper

salt, pepper

1T tomato paste (for spicier version, use chili paste)

For Frying:

Veg oil

Saute the onion w/ oil. Add in mashed potatoes & the rest of the filling ingredients, then mix.

Put 2 tsp of filling on each sheet. First close both ends, then roll it up. Soak the open end in water and close it up.

After you've rolled up all the sheets, heat up the oil on the stove in a skillet. Fry each borek equally over medium heat until they take a light golden color. Don't leave the stove as they fry very quickly. Place ones that are done on a paper towel to soak up extra oil.

Lentil Patties (these are some of my favorites!!! this makes a LOT of them)

1 C red lentils boiled in 2-3 C water

2 medium onions chopped fine

2 C bulghar (fine grain #1)

2 T chili pepper paste

2 T tomato paste

crushed pepper flakes

juice of 2 lemons

parsley - chopped

green onions - chopped

After lentils are cooked, add bulghar, let sit until moisture is absorbed. Add mixture of tomato paste & pepper paste and all other ingredients. Roll into patties (or logs) and enjoy!

There's more, but that's all for now b/c Hubby & I are heading out to do a little shopping! Back later.........

[UmmSqueakster 54]

Ooo, the borek looks awesome! I'll put that on my list to make next weekend inshaAllah. And the lentil patties look healthier than my fried ones

[Henia 11]

Lentil patties? Mmm sounds great, I am going to try this!

[tanyakaraman 0]

Here's one of my all-time favorite Turkish recipes. It's pretty time consuming, but soooo worth it!

I'm going to try to include pics....my measurements aren't exact (we kinda just wing it), so hopefully the pics will help. Sorry if they end up being really huge...I wish I knew how to make thumbnail pics on here!

Manti

1. Mix a heap of flour (maybe 3 or 4 cups), 3 eggs, ~2 or 3 Tbsp. salt, and enough water to make a soft pliable dough (add water slowly until dough is soft enough to work with but not sticky). Separate dough into fist-sized balls

2. In a separate bowl, mix together ~1/2 lb uncooked ground beef (or ground lamb), one finely chopped onion, salt, pepper and a fistful of parsley, chopped.

3. One at a time, roll dough balls out very thin (the thinner the better). With a pizza cutter, cut into squares ~1" x 1".

4. Place small wads of beef mixture in center of each dough square. Fold corners together at each end, then bring all 4 corners to meet in the middle. Pinch all edges closed. The finished manti will look kinda like a Hershey kiss, but in more of a 4-point star shape. Place manti in a flour lined pan while you work.

5. Boil manti in salted water for ~15 minutes or until soft.

6. While manti are cooking:

a. Make yoghurt sauce: Mix ~1 cup plain yoghurt, 4 cloves of minced garlic, salt to taste and maybe ~1 Tbsp. water.

b. Make red pepper sauce: Melt ~2 Tbsp butter in a small pan. Stir in 2 blobs (~1/3 to 1/2 cup) of Turkish red pepper paste (maybe harissa would be a good substitute). Cook and stir until hot and bubbly.

7. Strain manti and place in a bowl. Smother with yoghurt sauce then top with butter/red pepper sauce.

8. Eat it! This stuff is soooo good, I literally can't eat it with my eyes open! LOL.

Edited January 16, 2009 by tanyakaraman

[awaterlily 0]

ohhh, I love Kisir! My SIL was here last summer and taught me her recipe. We used fresh parsley, mint, double concentrated tomato paste and Turkish olive oil. Very easy to make!

Here's a pic of mine:

Some Turkish recipes from my classes:

Kisir (wheat salad)

1 C bulghur (cracked wheat)

1 C hot water

1 T tomato paste (I like it spicier, so I used chili paste instead)

2 T veg oil

1/2 chopped green onion

1-2 chopped tomatoes

4 large lettuce leaves (optional - I'd leave them out & add to individual servings or use lettuce leaves to serve salad in)

Salt, Lemon juice, dry mint, black & read pepper

**we also added chopped (seeded & peeled) cucumber & chopped parsley and/or cilantro

Pour hot water on to the bulghur & cover; let sit 10 min. Chop onion, lettuce & tomatoes. Add oil & tomato paste into bulghur and mix. Let bulghur absorb oil & tomato paste. Add salt, spice, salad mixture, lemon juice & mix. Kisir is ready to serve and eat.

*This makes a lot! If you have leftovers & there is lettuce in there, it will be soggy and not so good later. That's why I suggest either omitting it or adding it individually.

Edited January 16, 2009 by awaterlily

[tanyakaraman 0]

Ooooooh that looks delicious! I'll have to try it!

ohhh, I love Kisir! My SIL was here last summer and taught me her recipe. Very easy to make!

Here's a pic of mine:

Some Turkish recipes from my classes:

Kisir (wheat salad)

1 C bulghur (cracked wheat)

1 C hot water

1 T tomato paste (I like it spicier, so I used chili paste instead)

2 T veg oil

1/2 chopped green onion

1-2 chopped tomatoes

4 large lettuce leaves (optional - I'd leave them out & add to individual servings or use lettuce leaves to serve salad in)

Salt, Lemon juice, dry mint, black & read pepper

**we also added chopped (seeded & peeled) cucumber & chopped parsley and/or cilantro

Pour hot water on to the bulghur & cover; let sit 10 min. Chop onion, lettuce & tomatoes. Add oil & tomato paste into bulghur and mix. Let bulghur absorb oil & tomato paste. Add salt, spice, salad mixture, lemon juice & mix. Kisir is ready to serve and eat.

*This makes a lot! If you have leftovers & there is lettuce in there, it will be soggy and not so good later. That's why I suggest either omitting it or adding it individually.

[awaterlily 0]

i'm getting hungry, now! LOL

[RAKASA 0]

Yep! That looks like mine did too! It is *really* good. Tanya, I'm going to have to try the Manti. Thanks for the directions.

Ooooooh that looks delicious! I'll have to try it!

ohhh, I love Kisir! My SIL was here last summer and taught me her recipe. Very easy to make!

Here's a pic of mine:

Some Turkish recipes from my classes:

Kisir (wheat salad)

1 C bulghur (cracked wheat)

1 C hot water

1 T tomato paste (I like it spicier, so I used chili paste instead)

2 T veg oil

1/2 chopped green onion

1-2 chopped tomatoes

4 large lettuce leaves (optional - I'd leave them out & add to individual servings or use lettuce leaves to serve salad in)

Salt, Lemon juice, dry mint, black & read pepper

**we also added chopped (seeded & peeled) cucumber & chopped parsley and/or cilantro

Pour hot water on to the bulghur & cover; let sit 10 min. Chop onion, lettuce & tomatoes. Add oil & tomato paste into bulghur and mix. Let bulghur absorb oil & tomato paste. Add salt, spice, salad mixture, lemon juice & mix. Kisir is ready to serve and eat.

*This makes a lot! If you have leftovers & there is lettuce in there, it will be soggy and not so good later. That's why I suggest either omitting it or adding it individually.