Keßkül (Almond Cream)

Preparation time: 10 minutes (plus 1 hour chilling time)
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• ½ cup blanched almonds
• 2 cups  milk
• 1/8 cup  rice flour
• ½ cup  sugar
• 1 tbsp. coconut
• 1 tbsp. finely chopped pistachios

Direction:

1. In a food processor or blender, grind almonds until fine. 
2. Add 2 tablespoons of milk and blend to a smooth paste. 
3. In a small bowl, combine rice flour with 1 tablespoon of milk and stir to a pastelike consistency. 
4. Pour remaining milk and sugar into a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. 
5. Turn heat down to a simmer. 
6. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of hot milk to rice flour mixture and mix well. 
7. Scrape all of the rice flour mixture into the milk in saucepan, stirring to combine. 
8. Add almond paste to saucepan and stir constantly. 
9. Simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens. 
10. Divide into individual dessert dishes, garnish with coconut and pistachios, and chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

Sütlâç (Burnt Rice Pudding)

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 1 to 1¼ hour
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 13/4 cup water
• ½ cup uncooked short-grain rice
• 4 cups  milk
• 1 cup  sugar
• 1/8 cup  rice flour
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. cinnamon

Direction:

1. In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil. 
2. Stir in rice, cover pan, and lower heat to a simmer. 
3. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes, or until almost all water is absorbed. 
4. Meanwhile, combine milk and sugar in a medium saucepan. 
5. Cook over low heat and stir until sugar dissolves. 
6. In a small bowl, combine rice flour with 2 or 3 tablespoons of the warm milk, stirring to make a thick paste. 
7. Add cooked rice to warmed milk and bring to a boil over medium heat. 
8. Add rice flour paste to rice and milk mixture, stirring constantly. 
9. Lower heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring often. 
10. Turn off heat and stir in vanilla. 
11. Divide pudding into four ovenproof serving bowls and sprinkle with cinnamon. 
12. Preheat broiler for 5 minutes. 
13. Broil bowls of pudding for 5 to 10 minutes, or until browned on top. 
14. Serve warm.

Ïmam Bayıldı (Eggplant with Onion and Tomatoes)

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 1½ hours
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 medium eggplants
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 4 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped 
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
• ¼ cup  fresh dill, chopped
• ¼ cup  fresh basil, chopped
• ½ cup  olive oil
• ¼ cup  water
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Direction:

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. 
2. Wash each eggplant, cut off tops, and slice in half lengthwise. 
3. Arrange halves in a medium-sized roasting pan, flesh side up. 
4. In a large bowl, combine salt with onion, tomatoes, garlic, parsley, dill, and basil. 
5. Stir in 2 tablespoons of oil. 
6. Spoon mixture over eggplant halves, piling as much on top of them as possible. 
7. Combine remaining olive oil with water and sugar in same bowl. Pour over eggplant halves. 
8. Bake in oven for 1½ hours, pressing tomato mixture into eggplant flesh once or twice as eggplant halves bake. 
9. Eggplant is ready when it is very soft. 
10. Remove from oven and transfer eggplant halves to a serving dish. 
11. Pour oil mixture from bottom of pan over eggplant halves. 
12. Serve with lemon slices.

Mantı (Dumplings with Yogurt)

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 1½ hours
Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:

• 7 oz. ground lamb or beef
• 3 medium onions, chopped
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. pepper
• 1 package wonton wrappers*
• 6 cups  water or vegetable stock
• ¼ cup butter
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 13/4 cup  plain yogurt

Direction:

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. 
2. In a large bowl, combine meat, onion, salt, and pepper. 
3. Arrange wonton wrappers on a clean surface. 
4. Place ½ teaspoon of filling in the center of each wonton wrapper.
5.  Pull the corners of each square toward the center to cover meat. 
6. Pinch corners together to form a bundle. 
7. Transfer dumplings to a lightly buttered 11 7-inch baking dish. 
8. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown. 
9. Meanwhile, boil water or stock. 
10. Carefully take baking dish from oven and pour liquid over dumplings. 
11. Cover dish with foil. Bake for about 1 hour, or until most of water has been absorbed and dumplings are soft. 
12. Drain remaining water. 
13. Melt butter and pour half over top of dumplings. 
14. Add paprika to remaining butter. 
15. Set aside. 
16. In a small bowl, beat yogurt with a fork until it is thin and creamy and pour it over dumplings. 
17. Just before serving, pour melted butter with paprika over top. 
18. Serve warm.

Domatesli Pirinçli Piliç (Chicken with Rice, Tomatoes, Peppers, and Tarragon)

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 large onions, chopped fine
• 1 whole chicken, in pieces*
• 2 red or green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
• 1 or 2 jalapeño peppers, chopped fine
• 3 tbsp. fresh tarragon, chopped
• 2 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped 
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. black pepper
• 3 8-oz. cans low-fat chicken stock
• 2 c. short-grain rice, rinsed and drained

Direction:

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet and sauté onions for about 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. 
2. Using a slotted spoon, transfer onions to a small bowl and set aside. 
3. Add chicken pieces to skillet and cook over medium heat, turning until golden brown on all sides. 
4. Push chicken to one side of pan and add bell peppers, jalapeños, and tarragon.
5. Sauté for 1 minute. 
6. Add tomatoes, browned onions, salt, and pepper. 
7. Stir to combine sauce with chicken pieces. 
8. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. 
9. Meanwhile, in a separate saucepan, heat chicken stock. 
10. Transfer chicken to a clean plate and set aside. (Leave tomato mixture in skillet.) 
11. Add rice to tomato mixture and stir until thoroughly combined. 
12. Add warmed chicken stock to tomato and rice mixture. 
13. Raise heat to high and boil for 1 minute. 
14. Add remaining chicken pieces to pan. 
15. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until all of liquid is absorbed. 
16. Remove pan from heat, cover and let sit for 10 minutes. 
17. Stir and serve hot.

Etli Taze Fasulye (Green Beans with Minced Meat)

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1½ tbsp. olive oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 8 oz. (½ lb.) cubed lamb*
• 2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped, or
• 1 tbsp. tomato paste
• 3 cups plus 2 cups hot water
• 4 lb. fresh green beans, ends removed and sliced in half
• ½ green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• ½ tsp. salt

Direction:

1. In a medium skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. 
2. Sauté onions until slightly brown on edges. 
3. Add cubed meat and cook for 7 to 10 minutes longer. 
4. Add tomatoes or tomato paste and 3 cups hot water. 
5. Lower heat to a simmer. 
6. Cook until meat is tender, or about 30 minutes. 
7. Stir in beans and green pepper and cook for 10 minutes over medium heat. 
8. Add 2 cups of hot water and simmer until vegetables are tender, or about 5 minutes. 
9. Add salt to taste. Serve with rice.

Etli Taze Fasulye (Green Beans with Minced Meat)

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1½ tbsp. olive oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 8 oz. (½ lb.) cubed lamb*
• 2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped, or
• 1 tbsp. tomato paste
• 3 cups plus 2 cups hot water
• 4 lb. fresh green beans, ends removed and sliced in half
• ½ green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• ½ tsp. salt

Direction:

1. In a medium skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. 
2. Sauté onions until slightly brown on edges. 
3. Add cubed meat and cook for 7 to 10 minutes longer. 
4. Add tomatoes or tomato paste and 3 cups hot water. 
5. Lower heat to a simmer. 
6. Cook until meat is tender, or about 30 minutes. 
7. Stir in beans and green pepper and cook for 10 minutes over medium heat. 
8. Add 2 cups of hot water and simmer until vegetables are tender, or about 5 minutes. 
9. Add salt to taste. Serve with rice.