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From fasting to feasting

This Eid, find inspiration for your dinner table in these Turkish classics that will leave your guests clamouring for more

Çoban Salad
Serves: 1
Prep time: 10 mins

Ingredients
300 gm tomato
35 gm cherry tomato
80 gm cucumber
20 gm red onion
15 gm green chilli pepper
5 gm parsley, chopped

For the dressing:
2 gm salt
15 gm lemon juice
20 gm olive oil

Method
Cut the tomatoes into quarters, dice the cucumbers, and slice the onions and chillis.
Mix all the ingredients for the dressing together and toss the salad with it.
Garnish the salad with chopped parsley and serve.

Kisir
Serves: 2
Prep time: 20 mins

Ingredients
500 gm bulgur rice fine or couscous
100 ml warm water
100 gm tomato, peeled, diced small
100 gm white onion, diced small
150 gm pepper paste
25 gm tomato paste
20 gm chilli flakes
250 ml olive oil
75 ml lemon juice
40 ml pomegranate juice
10 gm cumin
100 gm cucumber, diced small
30 gm sivri biber or large green chilli, diced small
100 gm spring onion, diced small
40 gm mint leaves
100 gm parsley
20 gm salt

Method
Mix bulgur with water, and set aside for 5 minutes.
Once the bulgur is soft, mix the tomato and onion with bulgur rice and add pepper paste and tomato paste together with the rest of the seasoning.
Finally, add the rest of the diced vegetables together with the chopped herbs. Mix well, then serve.

Lamb Kofte
Serves: 8-10
Prep time: 35 mins
Cook time: 8 mins

Ingredients
3 kg minced lamb
40 gm chilli flakes
20 gm salt
30 gm cumin
20 gm "yeni bahar" or all-spice mix
10 gm white pepper
1 tsp sugar
300 gm red capsicum
300 gm white onion
100 gm parsley

For the pilav rice:
1 kg Turkish rice or basmati rice, washed
3 L chicken stock or water with 1 chicken cube mix
150 gm Turkish butter or unsalted butter
40 gm salt
For the picked onion:
500 gm white onion, sliced thinly
Juice of 2 lemons
30 gm parsley, chopped
5 gm salt

Method
For the pickled onion, soak the onions in ice water. Then combine with the remaining ingredients and mix well.
For the pilav, heat butter in a pot pan on low heat. Add the rice and stir-fry in butter for about 4 mins.
Heat the chicken stock in another pot until it boils, and combine with the rice. Leave uncovered on high heat until it boils, then add salt.
Reduce the heat and cover with a lid. Cook for about 25 mins till done.
Mix all the ingredients, except the vegetables and parsley, together with the minced lamb.
Dice the capsicum, onion and parsley very small and mix well into the minced lamb mixture.
Form the kofte out of the mixture, making the desired shapes by hand. Cook on a grill or in an oven till done.
Serve with pilav rice and pickled onion.

Alinazik
Serves: 4
Prep time: 45 mins
Cook time: 7 mins

Ingredients
1 kg lamb loin
50 gm Turkish chilli flakes
40 gm oregano
10 gm salt
100 ml olive or sunflower oil

For the smoked aubergine paste:
4 large aubergines  

For the garlic yoghurt:
500 gm thick yoghurt
50 gm garlic

For the chilli butter sauce:
100 gm Turkish butter or unsalted butter  
10 gm paprika
20 gm Turkish chilli flakes

Method
Roast the aubergines in an oven for 30 minutes, then peel the skin off.  
Mix the yoghurt with the garlic in a blender.
Cut the lamb loin into small pieces, 2 cm thick. Marinate with the spices and oil and set aside for 4 hours.
Grill or roast the marinated lamb (5 pieces per portion). Cook as desired but medium is recommended.
Reheat the smoked aubergine paste on a pan, then add to a serving dish.
Lastly, heat butter for the sauce on a stove on low heat until melted. Add paprika and chilli flakes, and heat till it reaches boiling temperature.
Top the aubergines with garlic yoghurt, followed by the lamb and a dollop of chilli butter on top. Serve.