Borek(Turkish Pastry)

BOREK

Borek is one of the most popular dishes in Turkish cuisine.You can put anything inside for filling;like cheese,potatoe,spinach or minced meat..

Ingredients:

3 thin pastry sheets(it is called “yufka”in Turkish)
½ lb minced meat
1 large onion
2 tomatoes
1 bunch of dill
1 cup of vegetable oil
1 cup of milk
1 egg
2 teaspoons of nigella seed
Salt
Pepper

Preparation:

Put ¼ of the vegetable oil into a pan. Add finely chopped onions and lightly brown them. Add chopped tomatoes, minced meat, chopped dill, salt and pepper. Cook for 10 minutes on medium heat.
Split egg white and yolk.Take the rest of the vegetable oil into a cup, add egg white and milk and mix them with a fork.
Brush a frying pan(12-14 inches in diameter) with some vegetable oil.Lay one sheet of pastry into the pan.Spread 2-3 tablespoons of the milk mixture.Put another layer of the pastry(if it is too big for the pan,you can cut it half),spreading milk mixture on each layer.Put your cooked filling(minced meat) in between the layers.After you are done,spread your remaining milk mixture on top of it.Spread the yolk with a brush and spread nigella seed on top of everything.Cook on the stove for 20 minutes,and turn upside down.Cook another 20 minutes on medium heat or until the bottom is golden brown..

Turkish Tart with Feta Cheese

Ingredients:

½ cup of butter
8 full spoons of flour
1 spoon of plain yogurt
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1 bunch of dill
1 bunch of mint leaves
4-5 black olives(without pit)
1 egg
½ cup of milk

Preparation:

Melt the butter,mix well with flour,yogurt and baking powder with your hands and make a smooth dough.Take an oven safe baking pan(around 10 inches) and spread the dough into the pan with your hands.
Chop the dill and mint leaves;cut the olives into small circles and mix with chopped feta cheese.Spread the mixture on top of the dough.
In another cup,whip egg and milk with fork and pour it on top of the pan.Preheat the oven 350 Fahrenheit and bake it for 45 minutes..

Okra with Ground Meat..

Okra with Ground Meat

Ingredients:

¾ pound okra

½ pound ground meat

1 large onion

2 tomatoes

2 tablespoons of corn oil

Salt

½ lemon juice

Directions:

Trim the caps of the okra conically . Wash them.

Chop the onion and the tomatoes , brown them in the oil.Add ground meat and salt and stir occasionally.Add okra,1 cup of hot water and lemon juice.Cover and cook on medium heat for 15 minutes.

*Okra is a very healthy green vegetable with highest levels of anti-oxidants and it is largely used in Turkish cuisine.It is very low in calories and the pods contain healthy amounts of vitamin A,vitamin C,vitamin K and minerals such as iron,calcium,magnesium and manganese.

Ayran : Turkish Yogurt Drink

Ayran is a very popular and traditional drink in Turkey . It can be served with any meal, or just as a quick snack drink. It is probably the ancient version of the modern energy drinks and very refreshing.

 

 Ingredients :

• 1 pt. of  plain yogurt, whole milk (no fat free or skim milk yogurt)
• 1 1/3 cups cold water
• salt to taste

Preperation:

Mix yogurt and water in blender until well blended. Add salt if desired. Start off with an 1/8 teaspoon salt and work your way up.
Serve in ice filled glasses.

Squash Croquettes

Ingredients:
4 medium size squash
1 bunch of green onions
1 bunch of dill
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
7-8 tablespoons of flour

Directions:
Peel the squash.Wash and grate them.Add chopped onions,chopped dill,salt,pepper,egg and flour.Mix well.Heat some vegetable oil in a frying pan.Put in tablespoonful amounts of the mixture(5-6 at a time,depends on the size of the frying pan) and fry both sides.Serve at once.

Small Tip:
If you put one grated potato into the mixture,you can have more crunchy taste.

Bon Appetite!

Chicken with Bechamel Sauce

I like this recipe because it is easy to prepare and you can use leftover chicken or remaining turkey from Thanksgiving dinner.

Ingredients:

5-6 pieces of chicken (it can be any type of chicken; leg , breast, leftover chicken..)

4 tablespoons of flour

2 tablespoons of butter

1 cup of milk

1 cup of finely shredded mozzarella cheese

Salt

Directions:

Boil the chicken in salty water until it is tender. Separate the bones and tear the chicken into small pieces with your hands.

In a small saucepan melt the butter , add the flour and stirring constantly add the milk very slowly. Continue stirring until you have a smooth creamy sauce.

Put the chicken into an oven pan with some of the chicken broth that you obtained when you boiled the chicken. Put the béchamel sauce on top of it and sprinkle the cheese. Cook it in the oven until the top gets brown.

Bon Appetite!

Turkish Dolma ( stuffed grape leaves )

1- Take the grape leaves out of their jar and gently pull them apart. They are very thin and break easily, so be careful.

2- Remove the stems of the leaves with a sharp knife.

3-Place the leaves in a pot of boiling water. Let them boil for approximately 15 minutes. This both removes the salty brine from the leaves and makes them more durable.

4 -Cut the lemons into thin, circular slices.

Making the Filling:

1-Soak the rice in hot water with a pinch of salt for 20 to 25 minutes. It should be softer, but not soft enough to eat.

2-Use the oil to sauté the garlic, onion and parsley. 

3-Add the drained rice, allspice, red pepper and black pepper to the sauté pan. Mix the ingredients thoroughly for about 10 minutes.Remove from heat.

Stuffing the Leaves:

1-Place a grape leaf on a cutting board or clean countertop, with the cut-off stem end facing you. Add about 2 tablespoons of the mixture to the leaf near where the stem used to be. Fold in the left and right sides of the leaf and then roll it up. Repeat until all but 20 leaves are stuffed.

2-Use the remaining leaves to line the bottom of a large pot.

3-Arrange the stuffed leaves in the pot as tightly as possible, placing slices of lemon between each layer of leaves.

4-Pour in the water.

5-Place a heat-proof dish on the leaves to keep them from coming loose.

6-Simmer until the leaves are soft and the rice mixture is tender--usually about 1/2 hour.

Ingredients:

• 1 (32 oz.) jar of grape leaves
• 1 quart boiling water
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 2 cups warm water
• 1 cup white, long grain rice
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 1/2 large, finely chopped onions
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tbsp. fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1/4 tsp. ground allspice
• 1/8 tsp. black pepper
• 1/4-1/8 tsp. finely ground red pepper
• 2 cups of water 
• 2 lemons
• Cutting board or flat work surface
• Large saute pan
• Large cooking pot

Serve cold with a little bit lemon juice. Bon appetite !

Thanksgiving History - Turkey and Country Turkey

The wild turkey (Meleagris gallopa) is native to North America and was a staple in the Native American diet. It was imported to Europe in the early part of the 16th century by the Spaniards via Turkey (the country.) It was confused in those early times with the Guinea fowl which also arrived via Turkey, and both birds were called turkeys in those days. When it was assigned its latin name in the 18th century, the name turkey still stuck. Native Americans called it peru with no reference to the country of the same name. 

Turkey was introduced to the early Pilgrim settlers by the Native American Wampanoag tribe after the Pilgrims arrived in 1620. The first year for the settlers was bleak, with many dying from the journey. Their seeds, aside from barley, did not produce any usable crops. The Indians assisted the settlers, introducing them to native foods such as corn and squash and showed them how to hunt and fish. The first Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1621 at the behest of Governor William Bradford, and the Native Americans were invited guests of honor. 

Thanksgiving became an official holiday in the United States on October 3, 1863 via proclamation issued by President Abraham Lincoln. This was largely due to the lobbying efforts of Sarah Josepha Hale, editor of Godey's Lady's Magazine who had lobbied for 17 years for the holiday. The proclamation declared the last Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day. 

By 1916, Thanksgiving was referred to in writings as Turkey Day due to the popularity of the bird at the traditional feast. 

Interestingly enough, in 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt attempted to move the official Thanksgiving date to earlier in November in order encourage a longer Christmas shopping season as a Depression recovery strategy. His idea was shut down by Congress, and the official date was declared permanently as the fourth Thursday in November via Public Law #379. 

The popularity of wild turkeys nearly wiped them out. The federal government stepped in with protection in 1991, and they are now found in 49 states. 

Turkey was most-associated with Thanksgiving and Christmas, making winter the prime season for turkey farmers. In 1935, the per capita consumption of turkey was only 1.7 pounds. 

Today, turkey has been recognized as a lean substitute for red meat. Aggressive marketing by turkey farmers by advertising and availability of parts rather than the necessity of cooking a whole bird has increased consumption to 20 pounds per person per year, with 74 percent of the consumption being in sliced turkey sandwiches. 

And, of course, who can resist drying the wishbone from the breast of the turkey to make a wish?

Fortune Telling over a cup of Turkish Coffee..

In Turkey it's very popular trying to see your fortune by looking inside the cup that you drink your coffee.

 
After drinking ,we turn over our coffee cups,wait for a while and after the cup gets cool down we turn it back and try to understand our fortune.Some people are really experts on this subject and they can tell you lots stories only by looking at the shapes inside the cup.Also people use this as an excuse to share a conversation about their hopes and dreams for the future.

If you would like to try,here are some symbols to understand your future:

Bird                              : a visitor is on his/her way to you with quite exciting news
Cat                               : be careful about that person, think if she/he is good for you
Clover with four leaves   : luck
Crown                          : achievement
Dog                             : the one you love is so truthful to you
Elephant                       : you will receive financial support from a wealthy person
Envelope                      : you will receive good news
Fish                             : a chunk of money is waiting for you
Horse                           : singles will get married, married ones will buy a new house
Key                              : open all doors and eliminate obstacles
Long lines                    : you will travel
Pomegranate                : prosperity
Snake                          : watch for the silent enemy
Turtle                          : 1.you will meet someone that you will share your house with
                                     2. longevity / luck

How to prepare Turkish Coffee..

Turkish Coffee                                                       

Ingredients

Very fine powder Turkish Coffee-1 full teaspoon for each cup

Water-one coffee cup of water for each person

         Sugar-optional (if used,one teaspoon per person)

        

Directions

1.    Time required:about 3-5 minutes

2.    Items needed:small coffee cups like espresso cups and a long handled pot

3.    Put one coffee cup of water and one full teaspoon of coffee for each person into the pot

4.    The amount of sugar must be determined before you begin.If you like it with sugar you need to put it in the pot before you cook it;one teaspoon of sugar for each person.Or if you like it without sugar,you simply skip the sugar.

5.    Put everything into the pot and stir well.

6.    Use low heat and bring the coffee slowly to boil.

7.    As it boils,the froth forms on top.Just before it overflows,remove the pot from the heat and divide the froth into the coffee cups.

8.    Bring the rest of the coffee to boil again and pour equally into the cups.

9.    You can now serve you coffee and Bon Appetit!