Tag Archives | cookerybook

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.

5.0 from 1 reviews

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

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

Barbunya Pilaki; Borlotti (Cranberry) Beans Cooked with Vegetables

By Ozlem Warren on September 22, 2014 in Appetizers and Mezes, Vegetables Cooked in Olive Oil 31

Barbunya Pilaki; Borlotti (Cranberry) beans cooked with onions, tomatoe and carrots in olive oil

Barbunya Pilaki; Borlotti (Cranberry) beans cooked with onions, tomatoes and carrots in olive oil

Barbunya pilaki, borlotti beans cooked in olive oil with tomatoes, onions and carrots, is my father’s favorite Zeytinyagli, Vegetables cooked in olive oil, Turkish style. Pilaki is a style of Turkish mezze, where vegetables and beans are mainly cooked with onions, garlic, tomato in olive oil, with a little addition of sugar, to balance the flavors. We serve pilaki garnished with herbs and wedges of lemon; the tangy, refreshing lemon juice is really a must here and complements borlotti, barbunya means so well. Turkey’s much loved Barbunya Pilaki is served at room temperature or cold as a mezze or appetizer.

Fresh barbunya beans (in stripy pink) at Besiktas pazari, Istanbul

In Turkey, you can get the fresh barbunya beans (in stripy pink) or borlotti beans in abundance in summer, at the farmers markets, Pazar. It was my dad’s job at my parent’s home in Istanbul to pod them ready to be cooked and whoever is around joins in this therapeutic podding exercise. My dear belated father, Orhan, absolutely loved barbunya Pilaki; his face would lit up even the mention of it.

If you can’t get hold of fresh barbunya beans, try the dried borlotti (or cranberry beans, as they are called in the US) beans, like I have used here. They are easy to cook, wholesome and delicious. Dried or fresh borlotti beans work best in this dish.

Dried barbunya or borlotti or cranberry beans

A variety of kidney beans, borlotti beans are a large plump bean that is pinkish-brown in color with reddish-brown streaks. They are packed with goodness, rich source of cholesterol-lowering fiber and Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. If you are using dried beans, they need to be soaked and rehydrated in warm water for at least 8 hours or overnight. If you are pressed with time or can’t get the dried or fresh borlotti beans, try a good quality canned borlotti beans in this recipe; it will still be a nutritious, delicious meal.If you are using canned precooked borlotti beans, rinse the beans and set aside. Cook the vegetables first as per the recipe, for 20 minutes, and then gently combine the cooked beans into the pot and simmer further 10 minutes.

Dried barbunya or borlotti or cranberry beans need to be soaked and rehydrated in warm water for at least 8 hours or overnight.

Traditional Barbunya Pilaki is quite a plain but delicious meal, mainly consisting of the beans, onions and tomatoes. I like adding carrots here, as their sweetness and texture goes well with barbunya. Our family loves Barbunya Pilaki therefore I tend to make a bit batch. It stays well in the fridge for good 3 days and as the flavors settle, tastes even better the next day. You can serve as part of a mezze spread, a delicious vegetarian and vegan course. We also enjoy Barbunya Pilaki next to grilled fish, meat and vegetables. If you choose to serve next to main courses, I suggest serving Barbunya Pilaki warm.

Barbunya Pilaki; borlotti or cranberry beans cooked with onions, tomatoes and carrots in olive oil.

I hope you enjoy this easy, delicious and wholesome Barbunya Pilaki.

Afiyet Olsun,

Ozlem

I am passionate about my homeland’s delicious, healthy Turkish cuisine; this recipe and over 90 authentic Turkish recipes are included at my cookery book, Ozlem’s Turkish Table, Recipes from My Homeland; Signed hardback copies are now 20 % OFF here, and delivered worldwide.

If you live in the US, Canada or Mexico, you can order a hardback copy with lower delivery rates here.

Afiyet Olsun.

5.0 from 4 reviews

Barbunya Pilaki; Borlotti (Cranberry) Beans Cooked with Vegetables

Barbunya pilaki, borlotti (or cranberry) beans cooked in olive oil with tomatoes, onions and carrots, is a much loved Zeytinyagli, Vegetables cooked in olive oil, Turkish style. Pilaki is a style of Turkish mezze, where vegetables and beans are mainly cooked with onions, garlic, tomato in olive oil, with a little addition of sugar, to balance the flavors. This vegetarian and vegan dish is easy, delicious and packed with goodness. Serve as part of mezze spread or accompany grills.

Author: Ozlem Warren

Recipe type: Vegetables and beans Cooked in Olive oil, Pilaki

Cuisine: Turkish Cuisine

Serves: 6

Ingredients

350 gr/12 oz./2 cups dried borlotti beans (or cranberry beans), soaked in warm water overnight
1 medium to large onion, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, quartered and chopped in small cubes,
400 gr/ 1 can of good quality canned chopped tomatoes
Handful of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
10 ml/ 2 tsp sugar
45ml/3 tbsp. olive oil
16 fl. oz./2 cups water
1 lemon, cut in wedges
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

Soak the dried borlotti (or cranberry) beans overnight or for at least 8 hours.
Then drain the beans, rinse and transfer to a pot, filled with plenty of cold water.
Bring the pot to the boil, partially cover the pot and simmer for about 30 – 35 minutes. Make sure the beans become tender, but not soft or mushy, they should still have a bite to them.
Drain and rinse the cooked beans under cold water and set them aside.
Heat the olive oil in the pot and stir in the onions, sauté for 2 – 3 minutes, until they start to soften.
Add the carrots, combine well and sauté for another 2 minutes.
Stir in the canned tomatoes and sugar, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Combine well.
Add the beans to the pot and give it a good mix. Then pour in the water, combine well.
Bring the pot to the boil; then turn the heat to low, cover the pan partially.
Simmer for 30 to 35 minutes, until the beans are cooked (but not mushy). Check the seasoning and add a little more salt or ground black pepper if needed.
Serve Barbunya Pilaki at room temperature or cold as part of a mezze spread or appetizer, garnished with chopped parsley and wedges of lemon by the side to squeeze over. If you choose to serve next to main courses, I suggest serving Barbunya Pilaki warm.