Traditional mezes 2
Bulgur Salad (Kisir)
Ingredients
Measure Amount
Bulgur (fine grain) 2 ‡ cups
375 grams
Water (hot)
2 ‡ cups 500 grams
Tomatoes
4 medium size 500 grams
Romine lettuce
‡
150 grams
Green pepper
4 medium size 60 grams
Spring onions
10
200 grams
Parsley
1 large bunch 100 grams
Fresh mint
4 sprigs
10 grams
Tomato paste
9 tablespoons 90 grams
Red pepper paste 1 tablespoon
10 grams
Olive oil
‡ cup
100 grams
Lemon juice
‡ cup
100 grams
Salt
4 teaspoon
24 grams
Red pepper
1 teaspoon
2 grams
Black pepper
‡ teaspoon
1 gram
Servings: 6
Preparation :
Place the bulgur in a large dish. Sprinkle with water, cover and leave
for 15 minutes. Wash the vegetables, remove the stem and seeds of the green
peppers, clean off the surplus from onions, parsley and the mint. Chop
all the vegetables except the romaine lettuce finely and add to the bulgur.
Add the tomato paste, oil, lemon juice, salt and the other seasonings and
mix well. Arrange lettuce leaves around the sides of a serving dish and
place the bulgur salad in the center.
Nutritional Value (in approximately one serving) :
Protein 9.1 g, Energy 430 cal, Fat 17.9 g, Carbohydrates 62.0 g, Calcium
82 mg, Iron 5.35 mg, Phosphorus 249 mg, Zinc 2 mg, Sodium 1538 mg, Vitamin
A 2952 iu, Thiamine 0.31 mg, Riboflavin 0.31 mg, Niacin 4.10 mg, Vitamin
C 68 mg, Cholesterol 0 mg.
Notes :
This recipe is from the Mediterranean
region. Today, it is known almost all over the country. It is known
as "iç" (filling) in Kilis, nearby Gaziantep,
where it is prepared without any vegetables and is given color with tomato
paste only, and instead of lettuce leaves wrapped in scalded vine leaves.
In Adana it is known as "çig Kisir içi" (raw bulgur
filling) and is served with romaine lettuce or boiled cabbage. Its "Pismis
Kisir" (cooked Kisir) version is prepared just as bulgur pilaf. Instead
of lemon juice, the sour juice of unripe grapes, plums or pomegranate
can also be used.
Humus (Mashed Chick Peas with Tahin)
Ingredients
Measure
Amount
Chick peas
1 æ cups
300 grams
Water
3 cups
600 grams
Garlic
3 cloves
10 grams
Olive oil
2/3 cup
130 grams
Tahin (sesame paste) ‡ cup
100 grams
Lemon juice
2 tablespoons 20 grams
Salt
2 teaspoons 12 grams
Red pepper
1 teaspoon
2 grams
Parsley
1/6 teaspoon 10 grams
Sumac
‡ teaspoon
1 gram
Cummins
‡ teaspoon
1 gram
Servings: 6
Preparation :
Wash the chickpeas and soak overnight in 2 cups of water. Add 1 more
cup of water and cook in pressure cooker for about 1 hour, until the chickpeas
are very soft. Remove from cooking liquid, mash and pass through a sieve.
Peel the garlic, wash and crush, add it to the chickpeas together with
‡ cup olive oil, tahin, lemon juice, salt and ‡ teaspoon red pepper. Add
º cup of the cooking liquid and mix. Place on a serving dish. Wash the
parsley and separate the leaves and use them to decorate the dish, sprinkling
sumac and cumin among the leaves. Heat the remaining oil in the pan,
add the remaining red pepper and stir a couple of times, turn off the heat
and slowly pour over the paste.
Nutritional Value (in approximately one serving) :
Energy 478 cal, Protein 14.1 g, Fat 32.9 g, Carbohydrates 33.3 g, Calcium
96 mg, Iron 5.24 mg, Phosphorus 173 mg, Zinc 2 mg, Sodium 807 mg, Vitamin
A 201 iu, Thiamine 0.31 mg, Riboflavin 0.09 mg, Niacin 1.80 mg, Vitamin
C 3 mg, Cholesterol 0 mg.
Notes :
A popular dish from the southern provinces.
It is mostly served as an appetizer (meze) at cocktail and tea parties.
In some regions boiled potatoes are used instead
of chickpeas and is known as the "Potato Humus".
Cacik (Cucumber - Yogurt Salad)
Ingredients
Measure
Amount
Cucumbers
3 medium size 400 grams
Dill
3-4 sprigs
10 grams
Yogurt
3 ‡ cups
770 grams
Salt
2 teaspoons 12 grams
Water
1 º cups
250 grams
Olive oil
2 tablespoons 20 grams
Garlic
3 cloves
9 grams
Servings: 6
Preparation :
Wash, peel and coarsely grate the cucumbers. Wash and weed out the dill
and chop finely. Whisk the yogurt, add salt, water, garlic and the cucumbers
and mix well. Pour the mixture into individual dishes and sprinkle with
olive oil and dill.
Nutritional Value (in approximately one serving) :
Energy 99 cal, Protein 4.5 g, Fat 5.5 g, Carbohydrates 8.3 g, Calcium
157 mg, Iron 0.22 mg, Phosphorus 126 mg, Zinc 1 mg, Sodium 816 mg, Vitamin
A 178 iu, Thiamine 0.07 mg, Riboflavin 0.24 mg, Niacin 0.25 mg, Vitamin
C 9 mg, Cholesterol 16 mg.
Notes :
It is a frequently served dish in every region.
In winter months it can be prepared with lettuce in spring with romaine
lettuce, pennyroyal and parslane. It is served at lunch and dinner as a
third course particularly after rice or börek
(pastry).