September 22, 2023
The word “karnabahar” in Turkish literally means “spring blossoms for stomach”. I searched the dictionary further, it might also mean “flowering cabbage”. Either way it is […]
August 25, 2023
Stuffed zucchini is similar to stuffed eggplants, yet the taste is quite unique. This is a tasty yet very light dish. Original recipe calls for briefly […]
August 8, 2023
This is the kind of pilaf you could use for lunch or dinner bowls with chicken, beef or tofu. It is not only a very healthy […]
May 31, 2023
Do you want a light dessert that is easy to prepare, yet tastes amazingly delicious? This one is for you. Apples poached with raisins, cinnamon sticks […]
April 15, 2023
Ingredients: 1 15 oz can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed ¼ cup olive oil ¼ cup water 3 table spoons tahini (sesame paste) 1 clove garlic, […]
August 31, 2022
May 14, 2018
Here’s a sinfully decadent vegan dessert that is healthy at the same time. Looks delicious and is always a party favorite as an appetizer. It is very […]
July 2, 2016
Here’s a perfect example of an Aegean-California fusion dish, if there is such a thing. Although the Mediterranean climate is perfect for growing avocados, they are […]
January 10, 2015
Carrots and onions sautéed in olive oil is a simple dish. Easy to prepare and takes less than 15 minutes to cook. Typically a […]
December 12, 2014
Quinoa Pilaf with Garbanzo Beans (Nohutlu Kinoa Pilavı) OK, I admit I did not know what quinoa was until just a few years ago. But then, […]
December 2, 2014
Hummus with Red Beets Ingredients: 1 small-medium beet (1 cup) 2 cups of water 1 15 oz can chickpeas, drained 2 table spoons tahini (sesame paste) […]
November 14, 2014
Green Lentil Salad with Herbs My friend Zinnur, ever so busy, somehow always finds time to get the friends together at her house. This salad was […]
November 8, 2014
Tarator is a garlic-olive oil based sauce that is commonly used in summer salads in Western Turkey. Cooked long string beans (börülce), zucchini, peppers of all […]
October 30, 2014
Eggplants, Peppers & Tomatoes in Olive Oil Literally meaning “peasant fries”, Kirli Kizartmasi is a local dish from Aydin province in the Aegean region of Turkey. […]
May 26, 2014
Red Beet Green Apple Salad I don’t believe there are any Turkish recipes that use raw beets. Typically in Turkish Cuisine, beets are cooked before they […]
May 22, 2014
Cauliflower Tabule (Tabbouleh) Salad – Karnıbahar Kısırı Tabule (Tabbouleh) is a traditional Lebanese salad made with fine bulgur, finely chopped herbs, seasoned with olive oil and […]
March 7, 2014
Kale Salad with Tahini Dressing Ingredients: 6 cups baby kale 1 medium green apple, sliced 1 medium orange, peeled 1 small avocado, diced 2 Tbsp hemp […]
February 14, 2014
Baked Spinach Rolls – Ispanaklı Kol Böreği Borek is typically a baked or fried pastry with cheese, minced meat or vegetable fillings. It is made with […]
February 4, 2014
Barley Salad with Pomegranate Seeds I make a quinoa salad similar to this. I was having my friends for lunch and I planned to cook […]
January 31, 2014
Collard Greens Soup with Corn and Beans My friend Nur is is a master chef in the kitchen. She is from the Black Sea region of […]
January 28, 2014
Freekeh Pilaf with Garbanzo Beans Firik (freekeh) pilaf is from the Southeastern part of Turkey. It is an ancient dish originated around 2300 BC in the Middle […]
October 19, 2012
Spinach and Mushrooms in Olive Oil – Zeytinyağlı Mantarlı Ispanak Ingredients: ¼ cup olive oil 1 small or 1/2 medium onion, sliced 1 lb baby spinach […]
October 16, 2012
Cauliflower-Broccoli Salad – Karnıbahar-Brokoli Salatası Ingredients: 1 medium cauliflower 1 lb broccoli juice of 1 lemon 1/2 cup olive oil 1/2 teaspoon mustard salt and pepper […]
October 5, 2012
Eggplants Stuffed with Onions and Garlic in Olive Oil – Imam Bayıldı The name of this famous dish “Imam Bayıldı“ means “Priest Fainted”, supposedly with pleasure […]
August 21, 2012
Plum Preserves At the peak of summer, local farmers markets are bursting with colorful fruits and vegetables. I bought two different kinds of plums. One had […]
July 18, 2012
Shepherd’s Salad – Çoban Salatası Especially popular during summer, Shepherd’s Salad (Çoban Salatası) is light, refreshing and easy to make. It is a combination of finely […]
June 26, 2012
Garbanzo Bean Dip with Cumin and Dills This is a dip similar to hummus, except that it does not have tahini (sesame paste) in it. Not […]
May 28, 2012
Pickled Beets Another easy, healthy recipe. Like other colorful root vegetables, beets are very good for you. Beets are rich in folic acid, calcium, iron and […]
May 22, 2012
Quinoa Salad with Artichokes and Sun Dried Tomatoes This is a simple summer salad that I make with Quinoa and other grains. You can use cooked […]
May 20, 2012
Swiss Chard Rolls with Bulgur Stuffing Ingredients: 2 bunches of Swiss Chards (about 12 leaves) 3 cups boiling water 1 ½ cup No1(fine) or No 2 […]
April 12, 2012
White Beans over Rice – Kurufasulye – Pilav is one of the most basic, traditional, comforting dishes in the Turkish Cuisine. If you go to a […]
April 9, 2012
Fruit Salad with Nuts Ingredients: 1 cup blueberries 1 mango, cubed 1 orange, cubed 3 small mandarin oranges 1 cup strawberries, cut in quarters 1 cup […]
March 22, 2012
Poached Pears with Walnuts, Apricots and Currants Ingredients: Poached Pears 1 bottle of red wine 1 + 1/2 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 […]
March 18, 2012
Orzo Pilaf with Bellpeppers Orzo is most commonly used in soups in Turkish Cuisine. Growing up, when we had a cold, mom used to make chicken […]
March 14, 2012
Müceddere – Bulgur Pilaf with Green Lentils Ingredients: 1 cup green lentils soaked in water 3+ 2 cups water 1 cup size 3 bulgur ( cracked […]
March 14, 2012
Mung Bean Salad – Maş Fasulyesi Piyazi Piyaz in general is a bean salad with chopped onions and herbs in an olive oil – vinegar dressing. […]
March 9, 2012
Red Cabbage Salad In the summer of 2009, we went on a 3 day bus trip with our friends from high school to Amasra, a small […]
March 5, 2012
Black Eyed Peas & Peppers in Olive Oil Here’s a simple dish that could be eaten hot or cold, either by itself or as a side […]
February 14, 2012
Pumpkin Glace, a heavenly dessert I thought for Valentine’s Day, I should post something sweet. This is one of my favorite non-chocolate desserts, one that is […]
February 10, 2012
Black Eyed Peas Salad – Borulce Piyazi Piyaz is a kind of salad or meze that is made from some kind of dry beans, onions, parsley, […]
February 3, 2012
Quince is a funny looking, lumpy shaped fruit that is not very easy to eat. When mature, they get sweeter, but they are never very sweet. […]
January 28, 2012
Green Lentils with Carrots in Olive Oil In Turkish cuisine, like throughout the Middle East, both red and green lentils are used quite often, especially […]
January 18, 2012
In the Aegean region, when artichokes are in season, the most common way people cook them is to stuff whole heads of fresh artichokes with seasoned […]
January 12, 2012
Ingredients: As I mentioned before, there’s supposed to be 41 different eggplant dishes in Turkish cuisine. This is one of the simplest ones. Though it is […]
January 4, 2012
I grew up in a small town called Atca in the Aegean region of Turkey. I was lucky to be born in a beautiful place with […]
January 4, 2012
Sautéed Mushrooms in Olive Oil This is one of the rare olive oil dishes from my kitchen that the directions does not start with “sauté onions […]
December 18, 2011
Ezogelin Soup – Red Lentil Soup with Bulgur Ezogelin Soup Red lentils uncooked When cooking red lentils, first they turn yellow but keep their shape As […]
December 18, 2011
Celery Roots Braised in Olive Oil Ingredients: 2 celery roots 1 medium onion ½ cup olive oil 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 can organic garbanzo […]
December 17, 2011
Holiday Quinoa Salad Quinoa Salad with Red & Green Peppers Ingredients: · 1 cup organic quinoa · ½ cup olive oil · 1 medium onion · […]
December 11, 2011
Black Bean Salad I have to admit that there’s nothing Turkish about this recipe. Practically no one has heard of black beans, cilantro or quinoa in […]
December 9, 2011
Roasted Eggplant Salad When people see me buying eggplants at the supermarket, sometimes they ask “how do you cook them?, do you steam or stir […]
December 5, 2011
Green Beans Braised in Olive Oil There are several kinds of green beans in Turkey. Some are broad, some not. Fresh form of black eye beans […]
July 11, 2011
Potato Rollups This is one of my “California meets Turkey” recipes. Boiled, mashed potatoes are used as filling for many Turkish savory pastries along with cheese […]
July 1, 2011
This is a recipe from my sister Nuvit’s friend Ahu who lives in Istanbul. Ingredients: 1 cup dry green lentils ½ cup rice ¼ cup […]
July 1, 2011
Cabbage Salad I had this salad at my friend Vega’s house first. Her husband Haluk is the king of salads. I came home and tried to […]
June 11, 2011
Bulgur pilaf with sautéd mushrooms Bulgur pilaf with peas Bulgur Pilaf Traditionally bulgur(cracked wheat) is commonly used in Turkey. However, it is considered as the “poor […]
June 11, 2011
Ingredients: 2 lbs leeks 2 medium carrots 5-6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons coarse size #4 bulgur (cracked wheat) 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 […]
June 11, 2011
Japan meets Turkey! Many vegetable dishes are cooked with olive oil and onions in Turkey, and most of the Mediterranean countries like Italy, Greece, Spain, France […]
June 11, 2011
MUHAMMARA – Spicy Walnut Dip from Antep, Southeastern Turkey Muhammara with pita bread This recipe is from my mother-in-law Nevzat Ari, a retired art teacher. She […]