Salata & Meze
Mixed Pickles (Karışık Turşu)
If the salt ratio is wrong the pickles go soft. One tablespoon of rock salt per litre, no negotiation.
Salata & Meze
Fried Aubergine with Yoghurt (Yoğurtlu Patlıcan Kızartması)
The aubergine is soaked in salted water and then dried. Those two steps halve how much oil it takes up.
Salata & Meze
Green Lentil Salad (Yeşil Mercimek Salatası)
The lentils are cooked just enough to stay firm. A minute more turns the salad into purée.
Salata & Meze
Celeriac and Apple Salad (Elmalı Kereviz Salatası)
The celeriac is grated raw and dropped into acidulated water. Left waiting it browns and the salad comes out…
Salata & Meze
Patlıcan Söğürme
Aubergine charred over a flame and chopped by hand. Use a processor and it is not söğürme but a purée.
Salata & Meze
Broccoli Salad with Yoghurt (Yoğurtlu Brokoli Salatası)
Three minutes in boiling water, then iced water. Those two steps decide the colour and the texture.
Salata & Meze
Haydari
A meze ready in 15 minutes with strained yoghurt, garlic and mint. No hob involved, and the only real job is…
Salata & Meze
Green Salad (Mevsim Salata)
The leaves must not stay wet. Undried lettuce will not hold the dressing and the salad goes watery.
Salata & Meze
Gavurdağı Salad
The southeastern version of a shepherd’s salad: walnuts, pomegranate molasses and a very fine dice.
Salata & Meze
Shepherd’s Salad (Çoban Salatası)
The size of the dice decides everything. Cut large, a shepherd’s salad does not go watery and the pieces stay…
Salata & Meze
Kısır
Soaking the bulgur in warm rather than boiling water is what keeps the grains separate.
Salata & Meze
Purslane Salad with Yoghurt (Semizotu Salatası)
With yoghurt and garlic. If the thick stalks are not picked out, they stay stringy in the mouth.
Salata & Meze
Rocket Salad (Roka Salatası)
The sharpness of rocket balanced with parmesan and lemon. Three ingredients, five minutes.
Salata & Meze
Borlotti Bean Pilaki (Barbunya Pilaki)
A pulse dish cooked in olive oil and served cold. The sugar does not sweeten, it balances.
Salata & Meze
Piyaz
The Antalya version with tahini dressing. The beans being warm is what lets them take up the dressing.
Salata & Meze
Red Lentil Köfte (Mercimek Köftesi)
The ratio of lentils to bulgur decides the texture. The bulgur binds by taking up the lentil liquid.
Salata & Meze
Green Beans in Olive Oil (Zeytinyağlı Taze Fasulye)
The olive oil counterpart of the version with lamb. The tomato goes in later, or the beans will not soften.
Salata & Meze
Artichokes in Olive Oil (Zeytinyağlı Enginar)
Holding the artichokes in acidulated water while you trim them stops them browning. That step is half the…
Salata & Meze
Leeks in Olive Oil (Zeytinyağlı Pırasa)
Leek and carrot in lemony olive oil. Rice gives the body and it is served cold.
Salata & Meze
Aubergine Salad with Yoghurt (Patlıcan Salatası)
Charred aubergine with yoghurt and garlic. Draining it stops the salad going runny.
Salata & Meze
Broad Beans in Olive Oil (Zeytinyağlı Bakla)
Podded broad beans with dill. Leave the skins on and they stay tough in the mouth.
Salata & Meze
Celeriac in Olive Oil (Zeytinyağlı Kereviz)
Celeriac must go into acidulated water the moment it is peeled. Five minutes and it browns.
Salata & Meze
Şakşuka
Aubergine, courgette and pepper are fried separately. Fried together they all end up sitting in oil.
Salata & Meze
Acılı Ezme
Every ingredient is chopped very fine with a knife. A processor turns ezme into purée.