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Collard Greens Soup with Borlotti Beans; Karalahana Çorbası

Karalahana Çorbası image, from SEBZE; taken during photo shoots with Sam A Harris

The autumn/fall season is in the air and we started to turn to wholesome, nourishing soups.

This Hearty Karalahana Çorbası, Collard Greens Soup with Borlotti Beans and Sweetcorn, from my new book SEBZE, Vegetarian recipes from my Turkish kitchen, encapsulates the staple ingredients in Black Sea cuisine, with many variations within the region. This version is inspired by my travels; I was served it at Sümer restaurant on the way to Maçka, near Trabzon. Made with the region’s delicious butter, the sweetness of the corn is a delightful match to the slightly bitter greens (karalahana). You can enjoy this chunky, good-value soup with Corn Bead, Mısır Ekmeği (at  SEBZE, page 50,) as the locals do.

SEBZE, Vegetarian Recipes From My Turkish Kitchen

SEBZE, Vegetarian Recipes From My Turkish Kitchen

We have many gluten-free recipes in Turkish cuisine, like this soup, and many of them featured in my new book SEBZE (or ideas to turn recipes to gluten-free, when applicable).  You can make this soup ahead of time – the flavours settle and taste even better the next day.

Quicker option: This soup is best made with dried borlotti beans. If pressed for time, you can use 2 x 400 g (14 oz) cans of good-quality, pre-cooked and rinsed beans instead. Fold the beans into the soup before adding the maize/corn flour to the pot.

I am delighted to share this delicious soup with you here, from SEBZE cookery book. You can get a copy here, world wide.

Afiyet Olsun,

Ozlem

5.0 from 1 reviews
Collard Greens Soup with Borlotti Beans; Karalahana Çorbası
 
Hearty Karalahana Çorbası encapsulates the staple ingredients in Black Sea cuisine, with many variations within the region. This version, from my new cookery book SEBZE, Vegetarian recipes from my Turkish kitchen, is inspired by my travels; I was served it at Sümer restaurant on the way to Maçka, near Trabzon. Made with the region’s delicious butter, the sweetness of the corn is a delightful match to the slightly bitter greens (karalahana). You can enjoy this chunky, good-value soup with Corn Bead, Mısır Ekmeği (from SEBZE, page 50) as the locals do. Quicker option: This soup is best made with dried borlotti beans. If pressed for time, you can use 2 x 400 g (14 oz) cans of good-quality, pre-cooked and rinsed beans instead. Fold the beans into the soup before adding the maize/corn flour to the pot.
Author:
Recipe type: Vegetarian recipes
Cuisine: Turkish Cuisine
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 170 g (6 oz/generous ¾ cup) dried borlotti beans
  • 2 tablespoons melted butter (or olive oil for a vegan option)
  • 2 medium onions, finely chopped
  • 85 g (3 oz/1/3 cup) double concentrated tomato paste
  • 225 g (8 oz/generous 1 cup) sweetcorn kernels (cut from 2 medium cobs)
  • 225 g (8 oz) collard greens, washed, rough stems removed and coarsely chopped
  • 1.475 litres (52 fl oz/6 cups) hot water
  • 30 g (1 oz/¼ cup) fine cornmeal or maize flour (also known as corn flour – not cornflour/cornstarch)
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • For the pul biber sauce
  • 3 tablespoons melted butter (or olive oil)
  • 1 tablespoon pul biber / Aleppo pepper (use less or more to your taste)
Instructions
  1. Soak the dried borlotti beans overnight or for 8 hours in plenty of cold water.
  2. The next day, drain the beans, place in a large saucepan and cover with hot water. Bring to the boil, then cook over a medium heat for 20 minutes. Stir often and skim off any foam forming on the top with a spoon. Drain in a colander and refresh under cold running water (to retain colour and texture) and set aside in a bowl. They will be partially cooked and still firm, with a bite to them.
  3. Heat the butter (or olive oil) in a large pan over a medium–high heat, add the onions and sauté for 7 minutes, stirring often to soften. Stir in the tomato paste, sweetcorn and the beans, and combine well. Add the collard greens and the measured hot water and bring to the boil. Gently mix – the collard greens will start to wilt. Season with salt and pepper, then cover, reduce the heat to medium–low and cook for 15 minutes, gently mixing a few times.
  4. Place the fine cornmeal/maize flour in a small bowl and add 3 ladlefuls of the soup liquid. Mix with a spoon until the flour is dissolved and the mixture smooth. Pour into the pan and gently combine well. Cover and simmer for a further 10 minutes. This is a chunky soup but if it appears to be too thick for you, add a little more water and combine well.
  5. For the sauce, heat the butter (or olive oil) in a small pan and stir in the pul biber. Gently infuse for 30–45 seconds over a low heat.
  6. Pour the pul biber sauce over the soup and check the seasoning. Serve immediately while hot.
 

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Antalya style bean salad with tahini sauce

Antalya style bean salad with tahini sauce – Tahinli piyaz. Photo by Sam A Harris from SEBZE cookery book

This Antalya style bean salad with tahini sauce, Tahinli piyaz, is one of my favourite recipes from my recent cookery book, SEBZE, Vegetarian recipes from my Turkish kitchen. It makes a substantial, delicious lunch or perfect aside to grills, pasta. I hope you enjoy my recipe here. You can get a copy of SEBZE cookery book worldwide at this link too.

SEBZE, Vegetarian Recipes From My Turkish Kitchen

SEBZE, Vegetarian Recipes From My Turkish Kitchen

Antalya style bean salad with tahini sauce
 
We have a variety of bean salads in Türkiye and this Tahinli Fasulye Piyazı is a specialty from the Antalya region, on the southwest coast of Türkiye. It makes a substantial, nutritious, great-value lunch with flatbreads to mop up the delicious sauce.
Author:
Recipe type: Vegetarian recipes
Cuisine: Turkish cuisine
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 2 x 400 g (14 oz) tins pre-cooked cannellini beans (or equivalent dried beans)
  • ½ small onion, quartered and thinly sliced
  • 1 medium ripe tomato, diced
  • handful of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • 45 g (1¾ oz/1/3 cup) Turkish or other good-quality black olives, pitted and halved
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • For the tahini sauce
  • 2 fat garlic cloves, crushed and finely chopped
  • juice of ½ lemon
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 tablespoons tahini
  • 1 tablespoon grape or cider vinegar
  • 60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) lukewarm water
  • To serve
  • 2 hard-boiled eggs, quartered
  • drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
  1. Drain and rinse the pre-cooked beans, then place in a large bowl (If you prefer to use dried beans, as it is traditional in Türkiye, you need to soak them in cold water overnight. Drain and put them in a pan with plenty of fresh water, and cook for about 1 hour, or until tender, adding salt towards the end of the cooking time. Drain and set aside in a bowl, to be used in this salad). Stir in the onions and gently combine.
  2. To make the tahini sauce, combine the garlic, lemon juice, ground cumin and a good pinch of salt with the tahini in a small bowl. Stir and combine well; you will notice the sauce will thicken. Pour in the vinegar and lukewarm water and combine well for 30 seconds. You will achieve a runny sauce at the end. Pour this sauce over the beans and gently combine well.
  3. Stir the tomatoes, parsley and olives into the salad and combine well, then check the seasoning and adjust to your taste.
  4. Transfer the salad to a serving plate, decorate with the quartered, hard-boiled eggs, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and serve.
 

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Sebzeli Bulgur Pilavı – Bulgur Pilaf with Aubergines, Peppers,Tomatoes

 

This is a really lovely dish, a meal in itself. Traditionally, aubergines (eggplant) and peppers are finely diced here, though I love their texture and keep them on the chunky side. I also prefer to bake them rather than frying – lighter and equally delicious. This is especially enjoyed during the summer at home, when the aubergine, peppers and tomatoes are in abundance. If you can get ripe tomatoes, you can dice them to use instead of tinned. The cooling cucumber and yoghurt dip, Cacık, complements this dish beautifully.

SEBZE, Vegetarian Recipes From My Turkish Kitchen

SEBZE, Vegetarian Recipes From My Turkish Kitchen

This Bulgur Pilaf with Aubergines, Peppers,Tomatoes, is one of the 85 delicious vegetarian Turkish recipes from my recent cookbook, SEBZE, Vegetarian recipes from my Turkish kitchen. Recipes with tips to prep ahead, freeze, and variations when applicable. I am very proud of this book, and I hope you enjoy it as much I loved writing. You can order a copy of SEBZE here, worldwide.

I hope you enjoy this delicious Sebzeli Bulgur Pilavı,

Afiyet Olsun,

Ozlem

Sebzeli Bulgur Pilavı - Bulgur Pilaf with Aubergines, Peppers,Tomatoes
 
This is a really lovely dish, a meal in itself. Traditionally, aubergines (eggplant) and peppers are finely diced here, though I love their texture and keep them on the chunky side. I also prefer to bake them rather than frying – lighter and equally delicious. This is especially enjoyed during the summer at home, when the aubergine, peppers and tomatoes are in abundance. If you can get ripe tomatoes, you can dice them to use instead of tinned. The cooling cucumber and yoghurt dip, Cacık, complements this dish beautifully.
Author:
Recipe type: Vegetarian recipes
Cuisine: Turkish recipes
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 2 medium aubergines (eggplant), trimmed
  • 6 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 green and 1 red (bell) pepper
  • 1 medium onion, finely sliced
  • 1 tablespoon double concentrated tomato paste
  • 400 g (14 oz) tin chopped tomatoes
  • 400 g (14 oz/2¼ cups) coarse bulgur, rinsed
  • 460 ml (16 fl oz/1¾ cups) hot water
  • 1 teaspoon pul biber
  • 1 teaspoon dried mint
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • For the cacık dip
  • 150 g (5 oz) cucumber, diced
  • 275 g (10 oz/generous 1 cup) plain yoghurt (or plant-based alternative)
  • dried mint, to sprinkle
  • sea salt, to taste
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C fan/220°C/425°F/gas 7.
  2. Cut the aubergine lengthways in quarters and then slice into 1 cm (½ in) pieces. Lay them on a baking sheet and sprinkle salt over them, and set aside for 10 minutes (salt will help the moisture and bitter juices come out of the aubergine).
  3. Dry the aubergines and baking sheet thoroughly with sturdy paper towels and spread the aubergines in one layer. Pour 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over and use your hands to coat well. Bake for 20 minutes.
  4. Cut the peppers in half, deseed and remove the hard stalk. Cut each half into 3 wedges and slice each wedge into 1 cm (½ in) chunks. When the aubergines have had 20 minutes in the oven, remove and stir in the chopped peppers. Pour over 2 tablespoons of olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and bake for a further 20 minutes until the vegetables start to char at the edges. Remove from the oven and set aside.
  5. Heat the remaining 1 tablespooon of oil in a large pan over a medium heat, add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the tomato paste and chopped tomatoes, and bring to a gentle boil. Stir in the rinsed bulgur and combine well, then pour in the hot water, season with pul biber, salt and pepper, and mix well. Cover and cook over a low heat for about 15 minutes, or until the bulgur has absorbed all the liquid. Turn the heat off, cover the pan with a clean dish towel and place the lid on firmly. Rest the pilaf for 10 minutes (the towel will absorb excess moisture).
  6. Gently combine the baked aubergine and peppers with the bulgur, stir in the dried mint and combine well.
  7. For the cacık dip, simply combine the diced cucumbers with the yoghurt in a bowl. Sprinkle over some dried mint, season with salt to taste and mix well. Serve on the side of the pilaf.
 

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