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Spiced Bulgur balls with leafy greens, peppers, onions-Bulgurlu Kofte

By Ozlem Warren on June 11, 2020 in Regional Signature Dishes; Mains, Sides and Desserts 4

Merhaba Dear All,

I hope this note finds you all well. We have been enjoying this delicious vegan bulgur balls, Bulgur Koftesi, with sautéed greens, onions, peppers, and I wanted to share with you too. Bulgur is a main staple in southern Turkish cuisine and enjoyed in multiple ways –such as in salads as in Kisir, Spicy Bulgur Wheat Salad in bulgur patties as in Oruk, our version of baked kibbeh, in pilafs and more. This delicious bulgur kofte is from southern Turkey; in Antakya, the sauce is mainly made with spinach or pazi, similar to Swiss chard and garlic. In my version, I included sautéed onions and peppers to the mix too; their natural sweetness really complemented the cumin spiced bulgur balls, along with the greens. Spinach, Swiss chard or spring greens would work well here as alternatives. With the freshness from squeeze of lemon and a delicious heat from pul biber or red pepper flakes, it is a lovely meal. You can serve as meze or as a main with cucumber and yoghurt dip aside. These Baked potatoes with olives, peppers and red onions can be a nice accompaniment too. If you prefer not to use red pepper paste, you can use concentrated tomato paste, though the red pepper paste does add a deliciously rich flavor.

I have been experimenting with the bulgur balls and added semolina in the mixture recently. It worked really well; semolina not only helps making the bulgur balls moist but also binds the bulgur dough. You can enjoy them over the sauteed leafy greens, with Shepherd’s Salad with sumac. Garlicky yoghurt (or plant based alternative) complements these bulgur balls, bulgur koftesi very well too, for a delicious, satisfying meal.

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Spiced Bulgur balls with leafy greens, peppers, onions - Bulgurlu Kofte

I hope you enjoy this delicious vegan bulgur balls, Bulgur Koftesi, with sautéed leafy greens, onions, peppers, from my southern Turkish roots. in Antakya, the sauce is mainly made with spinach or pazi, similar to Swiss chard and garlic. In my version, I included sautéed onions and red peppers to the mix too; their natural sweetness really complemented the cumin spiced bulgur balls, along with the greens. Spinach, Swiss chard or spring greens would work well here as alternatives. With the freshness from squeeze of lemon and a delicious heat from pul biber or red pepper flakes, it is a lovely meal. You can serve as mezze or as a main with cucumber and yoghurt dip aside. I recently experimented with adding semolina to the bulgur ball mixture - it worked great, making the bulgur balls moist and also binds the bulgur dough.

Author: Ozlem Warren

Recipe type: Vegan, Bulgur Balls

Cuisine: Turkish cuisine

Serves: 4-6 generously

Ingredients

For the bulgur balls:
340g/12oz fine (koftelik) bulgur
140g/5oz semolina
30ml/2 tbsp all - purpose plain flour
15ml /1 tbsp Turkish red pepper paste / biber salcasi
45ml/3 tbsp double concentrated tomato paste
15m/1 tbsp ground cumin
325ml/11 fl oz hot water (for the bulgur)
115ml/ 4fl oz hot water (while kneading the bulgur and semolina dough later)
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Bowl of lukewarm water with a drizzle of olive oil to shape the bulgur balls
30ml/2tbsp plain flour spread on a wide tray (to coat the bulgur balls)
For the pul biber and tomato paste sauce:
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
45ml/3tbsp olive oil
30ml/2 tbsp double concentrated tomato paste
Handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped
10ml/2tsp pul biber or red pepper flakes (add more if you like more spicy)
For the vegetable sauce:
2 tbsp/ 30ml olive oil
1 small onion, quartered and thinly sliced
310gr/ 11oz Swiss chard, spinach or spring greens, coarsely chopped (please remove any hard stalks)
1 red pepper, deseeded, quartered and thinly sliced
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
½ teaspoon of pul biber, Turkish red pepper flakes – optional-
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Wedges of lemon to serve (optional)
Garlicky yoghurt (or plant based substitute) to serve (optional):
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped and crushed with salt
225g/8oz natural plain yoghurt (or plant based alternative)

Instructions

First prepare your bulgur balls. Rinse the bulgur over a sieve and press gently to get rid of the excess moisture then place in a large mixing bowl. Pour in 325ml/11 fl oz hot water over the bulgur, stir and let the bulgur to absorb the hot water for 8-10 minutes.
Then stir in the semolina, plain flour, pepper paste, tomato paste, ground cumin, season with salt and ground black pepper. Slowly pour in 115ml/ 4fl oz hot water in two batches and knead the mixture with your hands for 5 minutes, until it resembles a soft, smooth dough. Check the seasoning and add more salt or black pepper to your taste.
Have the lukewarm water bowl with a drizzle of olive oil near you. Dampen your hands and take a large cherry size bulgur dough and shape as a little ball. Have a wide tray scattered with 2 tbsp plain flour near you. Place the bulgur balls you have made on the tray. Shake the tray so that the bulgur balls coat with the flour gently,
Pour in boiling water in a large pot, stir in a pinch of salt. Gently drop the bulgur balls in to the pan and let it cook, uncovered, on a medium heat, for 8 minutes or so. Once cooked, you will see bulgur balls rise to the top of the pan. Take out the cooked bulgur balls with a slotted spoon and place on a large bowl. Drizzle about 2 tablespoons olive oil over them and gently shake the bowl so that they would have a nice olive oil coating and don't stick together. Set aside until the tomato paste & pul biber sauce and vegetable sauce is ready (you can make your bulgur balls ahead of time and keep in the fridge too).
For the vegetable sauce; pour in 2 tbsp olive oil on a wide pan. Stir in the sliced onions and peppers and saute over medium to high heat for about 4-5 minutes. Stir in the chopped leafy greens (please remove the hard stalk for the Swiss chard and spring greens) and garlic and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring often. Season with salt and ground pepper to your taste. If you like, sprinkle Turkish red pepper flakes, pul biber and combine well.
For the pul biber and tomato paste sauce; pour in the olive oil over a wide pan. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste and pul biber and saute for 2 minutes over medium heat. Season with salt and ground black pepper. Stir in the chopped parsley, combine well. Gently stir in the cooked bulgur balls over this sauce and combine well for 1-2 minutes. Turn the heat off.
For the garlicky yoghurt; combine the crushed, finely chopped garlic with yoghurt (or plant based alternative), set aside.
Serve the bulgur balls over the vegetable mixture or at a side, with wedges of lemon by the side to squeeze over. Garlicky yoghurt (or plant based alternative) complement these bulgur balls, bulgurlu kofte very well.
Afiyet Olsun.

I hope you enjoy the post and it inspires. Signed hardback copies of Ozlem’s Turkish Table cookery book is now 20 % off at this link, for a limited time, and delivered worldwide, if you like to get a copy. If you live in the USA, Canada or Mexico, you can now get a hardback copy with lower delivery rates here.

Stay well, Afiyet Olsun,

Ozlem

Baklava, Revani, Kunefe and More; Desserts for the End of Ramadan

By Ozlem Warren on May 20, 2020 in Cakes and Desserts, Turkish Festive Dishes 2

The end of Ramadan is celebrated with a three-day Ramazan Bayrami or Seker Bayrami in Turkey (also named Eid al-Fitr in the Islamic World, Festival of Fast-Breaking), starting 24 May 2020.

The Blue Mosque, Istanbul; a special place to visit during and end of Ramadan

Ramadan is a time of spiritual reflection, improvement, charity, as well as increased devotion and worship. Ramadan is also a wonderful opportunity to give back to the community, share what you have and visit one another. With the Covid 19, unfortunately visiting one another will be a virtual one for most of us; still the food we prepare and share with friends, neighbours even by the door and give back to charities will be special.

Baklava, is one of the ultimate treats of end of Ramadan gatherings

Below are some of the special desserts being prepared for Ramazan Bayrami in our family. I hope they may inspire to recreate for your family too.

Desserts spread from Ozlem’s Turkish Table cookery book; image credit: Sian Irvine Food Photography

Desserts play an important role in Turkish culture and are the center piece at religious festivals, weddings and family celebrations. My cookery book, Ozlem’s Turkish Table, Recipes from My Homeland is packed with delicious dessert recipes from Baklava to Kadayifi, fruit based desserts to Turkish Delight – Lokum and more. Signed copies now 30 % OFF at this link, and delivered worldwide including US.

Ramazan Bayraminiz kutlu olsun, Eid Mubarak to all celebrating and best wishes,

Ozlem

Baklava with Walnuts and Pistachios

Home made baklava; delicious, easy and lighter

An Ottoman legacy, baklava is regarded as one of the greatest creations from the pastry chefs at the Topkapi Palace. Generally, baklava is enjoyed as a mid-morning sweet snack with a cup of Turkish coffee, or as a mid-afternoon treat with a glass of tea or after lunch or dinner. Baklava is also one of the favorite desserts marking the end of Ramadan. The real thing shouldn’t be very sweet and heavy; on the contrary it should be light enough to tempt you to eat a small plateful. Here is my home made baklava recipe; my version is lighter and fragrant with lemon, hope you enjoy it. How to make Baklava is also now on Ozlem’s Turkish Table You Tube channel below.

Gullac

Delicious and light Gullac dessert is ideal for warm summer days.

One of our favorite dessert for this time of the year is the traditional dessert, Gullac. This lovely, light dessert is prepared with Gullac wafers which is made with corn starch and wheat flour. You can find Gullac wafers at specialty or Middle Eastern stores, or at Turkish online shops.

Güllaç dessert contains walnuts or almonds between the layers which are soaked in milk. It is a light and wonderful dessert for warm summer days. You can decorate Gullac with pomegranate seeds in winter or dried fruits like apricots in summer; crushed pistachios are also wonderful over gullac. Here is my Gullac recipe.

Kunefe; Kadayifi; a very festive dessert

Kunefe, Kadayifi – a glorious dessert that would make any day special.

This glorious syrup soaked, cheese filled pastry strands, Kunefe, Kadayifi, is one of the signature dishes of my hometown, Antakya and it appears on our table in almost every special occasion.

The Master at work in Long Market, Antakya. The dough is pushed through a sieve to form delicate strands, called Tel Kadayif.

Tel kadayif is a dough, pushed through a sieve to form delicate strands, which looks like vermicelli and when soaked in butter and baked, resembles golden shredded wheat. It is the basis for many desserts but this is the most impressive. The hot cheese should ooze out giving an interesting contrast to the syrup soaked, crunchy casing. Any unsalted cheese which melts easily can be used – fresh mozzarella works well. I also like to add a little clotted cream; my mother would add the wonderfully thick cream we get in Turkey, called Kaymak. Kunefe can be baked in one big pan or smaller ones as individual portions and it instantly makes any day special. Here is my Kunefe recipe, if you’d like to give it a go.

Revani; Semolina Sponge Cake with Syrup

Revani; a deliciously moist semolina sponge cake in syrup

Revani has been a popular dessert with us Turks since the Ottoman Period; it is believed that the name Revani is given when the Ottomans conquered the city of Yerevan in today’s Armenia. Revani has many versions and been enjoyed in various cuisines especially in the Eastern Mediterranean countries, as well as in Turkey. I have seen the addition of rose water, orange flower water and orange zest to Revani, all sounds delicious. We love semolina’s grainy, nutty texture, the goodness from yoghurt and the refreshing lemony flavor in Revani. Here’s my Revani recipe; it is lighter but still packed with a lot of flavor.

Here is also my Revani YouTube video – Afiyet Olsun.

Kaymakli Ekmek Kadayifi; Turkish Bread Pudding in Syrup

Ekmek Kadayifi; Turkish bread pudding soaked in syrup

Ekmek Kadayifi, a specialty from Antakya, is a delicious and very popular dessert in Turkey, made with the special (dehydrated) bread soaked in syrup. Topped with the thick Turkish clotted cream, kaymak, it is a heavenly and a very satisfying dessert. Unfortunately it is difficult get this dehydrated bread abroad. Middle Eastern shops, Turkish shops and online Turkish stores may carry them, worth checking. I have also seen crumpets being used as an alternative to this dehydrated bread abroad. If using crumpets, you’ll need to adjust the syrup quantity. Here is my Ekmek Kadayifi recipe.

Afiyet Olsun,

Ozlem

Lockdown Cooking Ideas from Ozlem’s Turkish Table (Signed copies now 30 % Off)

By Ozlem Warren on May 1, 2020 in Gluten-free recipes, Ozlem’s Turkish Table Cookery Book, Turkish Menu Ideas, Uncategorised, youtube videos 12

Merhaba dear all,

Semolina sponge cake in syrup; Revani

I hope this note finds you all well. We have been doing lots of home cooking and baking with the children and preparing food for the homeless and folks in self isolation, during the lockdown. There is a great comfort in home cooking, especially wholesome Turkish cooking – not only takes your mind off things, but a great activity to do with kids at home in between home schooling. If you are on social media, I do live videos at my Ozlem’s Turkish Table instagram and facebook pages too. Here is my Revani, Semolina sponge cake recipe we baked with my daughter, as well my Revani you tube video here.

Flexibility is the key especially at challenging times like this, so by all means experiment with the ingredients you have and substitute when needed; I try to give options at my recipes and at my you tube videos, like at my Baked Meatballs and vegetables casserole video here (courgettes, runner beans, peas all would work here as an option)

Signed hardback copies of Ozlem’s Turkish Table cookery book, now 30 % OFF

I got this lovely note from Claire, she says “My Christmas present from my brother and Turkish sister-in-law was your fabulous cook book. It turns out that my local corner shop is stocked full of Turkish food, so I’ve been having a great time trying out your recipes! There’s generally something in the book for anything in my veg box (other than parsnips!), and it’s all turned out delicious. Now that I’ve got the pastry, I might brave trying kunefe this weekend, if I can get the right cheese. Thank you for keeping me so well-fed in lockdown”. Thank you dear Claire and all folks who kindly sent notes on how much they have been enjoying the recipes, especially during the lockdown period. I am very happy to hear recipes enjoyed and bring some joy and comfort.

Signed copies of Ozlem’s Turkish Table now 30 % OFF via my publisher GBPublishing at this link and it is delivered promptly worldwide, including US and Canada. We hope this would help with delicous wholesome Turkish home cooking during lockdown. It can also be a lovely gift to a foodie, with Mother’s Day approaching.

Lockdown Cooking and Happy Ramadan – Ramadan Mubarak – wholesome, easy meal ideas

Spicy bulgur and lentil soup, Ezo Gelin Corbasi

Happy Ramadan, Ramadan Mubarak, Hayirli Ramazanlar to all observing. Turkish food offers plenty healthy, convenient choices at this special time in Muslim calendar. Our iftar meals would traditionally start with a wholesome soup, such as this Spicy bulgur and lentil soup, Ezo Gelin Corbasi – one of our favourites; make a big batch as it freezes very well.

Vegetarian Pide, from Ozlem’s Turkish Table

Many of my readers have been doing a lot of baking especially during the lockdown and this Vegetarian Pide, Turkish oval flat breads with cheese and vegetables, have been very popular – easier than you think! Here’s my recipe link; you can use any veg you have at home that needs using. You can bake the pide ahead of time and give a gentle reheat before you eat. Once it is cooked, it freezes well too, as a whole or in slices, wrapped in foil.

Turkish bean salad with sumac onions, olive and eggs – Fasulye Piyazi

We have been eating a lot of cupboard staples such as tinned chickpeas and beans; they are a great source of protein, healthy and convenient. You can flavour beans beautifully as in this Turkish bean salad with sumac onions, olive and eggs – tangy sumac adds a lot of flavour to the onions. It makes a wonderful lunch or can be a part of Ramadan iftar meals with grills aside too; you can substitute beans with chickpeas in this salad too. Here’s also my You Tube video link for this delicious Turkish bean salad.

Baked aubergine kebab with chicken – Patlicanli Kebap

Baked eggplant kebab with chicken, onions, peppers; Patlicanli Tepsi Kebabi

How about this yoghurt and spices marinated Baked aubegine kebab with chicken, Patlicanli Kebap? An impressive dish to serve, easy to make too. Aubergines here are double baked, which intensify its flavour; you can marinate the chicken ahead of time – leftovers freeze very well too.

Green (runner) beans cooked in olive oil – Taze Fasulye

Turkish cuisine is based on seasonal produce and we love vegetables. This green beans cooked in olive oil with onions, garlic, tomatoes, Taze Fasulye, is a national favourite. Also gluten-free and vegan, it is best to prepare ahead of time and let the flavours develop, it tastes even better the next day. French beans, dwarf beans would all be good for substutition – a delicious, healthy choice for Ramadan too.

Istanbul; we will meet again..

Glorious Hagia Sophia, Istanbul – hope to see you again soon

I have meant to fly to Istanbul end April, to see my mother, family and also run my Turkish cookery classes and events in Fethiye and Kalkan. With the current pandemic, it was not meant to be. I am hopeful that we will meet again and see our loved ones soon, fingers crossed. Until then, we will keep on bringing a bit of home with our food and reconnect with family, friends and share our food virtually. We baked this Turkish bread rings with sesame seeds, Simit, our popular street food with the children the other day. It certainly brought a huge dose of home and smiles; here is my recipe link, I do hope you enjoy it too.

Stay well, keep cooking, afiyet olsun,

Ozlem