Recipe: Menemen (Scrambled eggs with vegetables)
Menemen (men-EH-men) is a traditional Turkish dish of eggs, tomato, green peppers, and spices such as ground black pepper, red pepper flakes and salt. This light, scrambled dish is perfect for breakfast or a light lunch. Ingredients Serves 4 8 eggs 2 green peppers, cut into small chunks 4 large ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped […]
Recipe: Tavuk Sote (Sautéed Chicken)
This easy sautéed chicken is super easy to make; healthy and wholesome and it can be made ahead and ready to eat at a moment’s notice. Ingredients 3 tbsp olive oil 600 g chicken thigh filet (or breast), cut into 2 cm cubes 1 medium onion, roughly chopped 2 Turkish green peppers or ½ green […]
Winter Warmers: Moroccan Spiced Cauliflower Soup
This cauliflower soup recipe is vegan and full of spices like ginger and turmeric. It’s a healthy soup that’s easy and delicious. Ingredients Cauliflower (large or 8 cups of florets) 6 garlic cloves (medium) 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (divided, plus additional for garnish) 1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt (divided) 1 onion (large) 1 carrot 1.6 litres vegetable broth 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin 1 1/2 teaspoons coriander 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon turmeric 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon black pepper Onion tops (Sliced […]
Recipe: Yağlı Patlıcan (aubergine with tomato sauce)
Yağlı patlıcan is a traditional homemade dish that is not very common in restaurants. The aubergines are fried making this dish quite oily. Roasting the aubergine instead makes the dish healthier. Can be served hot or cold with crispy pitta bread. Yağlı Patlıcan ( aubergine with tomato sauce) Ingredients 1 kg. fresh aubergines 4-5 green peppers […]
Şanlıurfa and the Pool of Sacred Fish
About 180 kilometres (110 miles) west of Kızıltepe, in South Eastern Anatolia, lies the venerable old town of Şanlıurfa The southeastern province was once one of the oldest settlements in Mesopotamia. Formerly known as “Urfa,” the city took the title “Şanlı” – meaning glorious, dignified – in 1984 in memory of the achievement of its people in […]
Rumkale, Halfeti, and the black rose
Home to many civilizations throughout history, Rumkale is on the 13 most magnificent fortresses in Turkey list of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Rumkale Rumkale, meaning Roman Castle, was a powerful fortress on the river Euphrates, 50 km west of Şanlıurfa. Located between Turkey’s southeastern cities of Gaziantep and Şanlıurfa, Rumkale bears the traces of Urartian, […]
A trip to Yeşil Göl and Uçarsu Şelalesi near Gömbe, Akdağ
This post contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you. Mick Scarsbrook (Mick Amca) reveals the mountain lake of Yeşil Göl (Green Lake) and hidden waterfall Uçarsu Şelalesi (Flying Water Waterfall) near the town of Gömbe, 93km east of Fethiye. […]
Recipe: Burned Milk Pudding (Kazandibi)
This delicate Ottoman milk pudding has a burned bottom layer that adds a toasted marshmallow, caramel-like flavour reminiscent of crème brûlée. Legend has it that one day the pudding was burnt by mistake. When the makers realised it was delicious, they burnt it deliberately. It takes patience and some stovetop skill to make this traditional […]
Turkish Bananas: where size isn’t everything
One of the wonderful things about living in Turkey is the continuous supply of fresh, flavoursome fruit and vegetables and at this time of year, the markets are full of Turkish bananas or muz. Sweet and delicate Turkish bananas are smaller than their European counterparts but what they lack in size they more than make up […]
Turkey’s colourful food – with colourful names
Turks love food. They write love songs, ballads and poems about it. Turkish cuisine produces a great variety of mouthwatering dishes, mostly of Ottoman heritage. In fact, Turkish food is some of the tastiest in the Mediterranean. Turks have fun with food too! Some of the names of the dishes are just as colourful and […]