Turkish Asparagus Stir-Fry – Zeytinyağlı Kuşkonmaz

As a curious child I ear-witnessed a chat about a vegetable named in Turkish “Kuşkonmaz”. This means translated from a child: “the birds don’t land on it or the birds dismiss it”. Thus I was sitting there and thinking, what is it about this vegetable? Why are the birds dismissing it? Why don’t they like it? Needless to say, that my fantasies about this vegetable were either horrible or funny. When I first tasted the lovely asparagus I had to dismiss and reboot my fantasies about this vegetable. Now during season I cook so often dishes with asparagus, that my family is happy to wait another year for this vegetable. My easy Turkish stir-fry is great for any kind of noodles, gnocchi, rice or just bread. Enjoy it! Afiyet olsun!

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Posted in Dairy free, Gluten free, Turkish Food, Vegetarian | Leave a comment

The Weeping Cake – Ağlayan Kek

“Screaming aubergines and weeping cakes” – these names are only possible in Turkey!

A few weeks ago I baked this cake for my birthday, another year older and there is no cure in sight, just getting older each minute :( I could cry, instead I baked this delicious chocolate cake and let it weep huge chocolate tears running down it’s cheeks. I assure you,  I forgot my age with the first bite and was just happy :)

A few years ago, my sister surprised us with this weeping cake. Instantly I fell in love with the name ;)

My sister is a great fan of Oktay Usta, who is a TV Chef in Turkey. The original recipe and idea is from him. He bakes a chocolate cake, pours milk over the warm cake for moisture and covers the cake with creme Chantilly. We bake a different but easy chocolate cake and cover the cake simply with whipped creme and melted dark chocolate. It’s delicious. Enjoy it and be happy! Afiyet olsun! Continue reading

Posted in Pastries, Sweets, Turkish Food | 8 Comments

Noodle Salad with Vegetables and Eggs – Yumurlatı ve Sebzeli Makarna Salatası

Noodle salad is one of the favourite salads in Germany! Normally it is with mayonnaise or with sausages and eggs. I like noodle salad in summer but a little different than these varieties :)

So here is my German-Turkish cooperation noodle salad. As you may know, we love to eat our meze and fried vegetables at room temperature. So I fried the vegetables in olive oil and mixed them with fresh herbs, noodles and eggs.

What are you waiting for: have a picnic with this salad :) just enjoy it and be happy! Enjoy your meal! Afiyet olsun! Continue reading

Posted in German, Mediterranean, Vegetarian | 2 Comments

Veggie Burger with Courgette Patties – Mücverli Ekmek Arası

It’s lovely here: the sun is shining, plants blossoming and me taking over my favourite office on the terrace :) Everything feels so fresh and light, so I had to make some fresh and light veggie burgers. The decision was made when I saw the fresh courgettes at the market. In Turkey we have a meze called “Mücver” those are simple courgette patties. Today I made the patties with courgette, bulgur and ground almonds, yummy! I half the buns and fill them with lettuce, cucumber and tomato slices, the patties and a fresh yogurt and carrot salad. The burger tastes fresh and simply delicious. Enjoy it! Afiyet olsun!

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Posted in Mediterranean, Turkish Food, Vegetarian | 6 Comments

Thoughts regarding Protein Bread – Low Carb Bread

Recently a friend asked me about my thoughts regarding “protein bread – low carb bread.” At first I was a bit surprised because I hadn’t yet tried a ” protein – low carb bread.” I bake mainly wholemeal bread with seeds. So I thought that this “protein bread” may be just a trend again, with lots of nuts and dairy or soy products. So I started my research: what is behind this “protein bread”?

One can find many recipes and articles on the net about this topic. The protein bread is recommended particularly for dinner because it is rich in proteins and low in carbohydrates. When I read the ingredients list, I was very surprised because the ingredient list sounded like a recipe for gluten-free cookies! It is definitely not an enriched whole grain bread with proteins. Far from it, the bread consists mainly nuts and seeds, and very little flour, if at all! In my opinion, the bread tastes very interesting, but best eaten alone, because it is already rich in fats ;) For me, nothing beats a good wholemeal bread with many seeds and now and then with nuts. I like to knead the dough with yogurt, quark, buttermilk or milk – my very own protein bread :)
I would be happy to hear your thoughts on this topic :)

Posted in Pastries, Vegetarian | 4 Comments

Sweet Semolina Bake

At my first visit in the canteen at the university on a Friday a surprise was already waiting for me. I had to choose for lunch between fish or a sweet as a main dish! Until then sweets were pudding and dessert for me, but my new friends explained, that Bavarian ate either fish or a sweet as a main dish for Friday lunch/dinner. It was easy for me to adapt to this tradition. Since then I cook sweets on Fridays :) This semolina bake is very easy to prepare and we enjoy preserved fruits from mums kitchen to go with it. Delicious! Enjoy it! Afiyet olsun!

Every time I bake this dish it rises beautifully. But as soon as I take it out of the oven and place it on the table it falls in itself ;( therefore I posted both photos. Do you know how to avoid this ???

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Posted in German, Sweets, Vegetarian | 3 Comments

Spaghetti with Wild Garlic Pesto

There are many weekly markets in Stuttgart where farmers sell local products. I really enjoy going there and buying apples and vegetables. At the last market farmers also brought wild garlic leaves from Rems – about 80 km east of Stuttgart. Luck was on my side this day, and a farmer still had two beautiful bunches of wild garlic leaves there waiting for me. Of course I bought them and cooked  spaghetti with fresh wild garlic pesto for dinner :) Delicious! Enjoy it! Afiyet olsun!

and what do you cook with wild garlic leaves?

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Posted in Italian Food, Vegetarian | 2 Comments

Turkish Cabbage Bake – Fırında Beyaz Lahana

I have to hurry up to post this dish. Winter is nearly over ;) I have to admit, cabbage is not my favourite vegetable, but I do like it for a couple of dishes I know. This is a good start for even not cabbage lovers. It is very easy to prepare and really delicious. You don’t notice the cabbage at all :) Enjoy it! Afiyet olsun!

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Bulgur with Lentils and Courgettes – Mercimekli Bulgur Pilavı ve Yumurtalı Kabak

The vegetable display in the markets are as colourful as the nations around Mediterranean Sea: white and red radishes, peppers in beautiful colours and my lovely courgettes and aubergines, which nestle together, as they don’t want to be separated. I can’t resist at this sight. But what I see there! At the edge of the shelf  a pack of lentils from BADEN WÜRTTEMBERG! I didn’t know that lentils were grown here. The shop owner is happy to tell me that earlier lentils were grown and harvested in South Germany. The lentils were considered as food for the poor people. Well nowadays this organic lentils  are sold as a protein source for vegetarian cuisine and to other prices than earlier. But I had my dinner plan ready at that moment: bulgur with lentils like my grandmother did it with courgettes and eggs. The food was ready on the table just after 25 minutes, thus right for a hungry lot. Enjoy it! Afiyet olsun!

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Posted in Turkish Food, Vegetarian | 6 Comments

(Deutsch) Ankündigung

Im Rahmen der Veranstaltungsreihe “Orte für Worte” in Bad Wimpfen werde ich am 12. April 2013 im Rahmen eines Menüabends aus “Afiyet olsun! Die wunderbaren Rezepte meiner türkischen Familie” lesen und mehr :) Bin schon ganz aufgeregt ;) Freue mich auf euch!

Kartenreservierung unter 07063-932304, Beginn: 19:00 Uhr, Veranstaltungsort: Cafe Birkensee, Neutorstrasse 10, 74206 Bad Wimpfen.

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