Stuffed Eggplant with Herbs and Prawns (Optional)

Stuffed Eggplant with Herbs and Prawns (Optional) 

For the stuffed Eggplants
8 small size Eggplants
1/2 cup Rice washed, soaked and half boiled

1/4 cup small Prawns chopped (Optional)
1 Garlic cloves chopped
1 tbsp Coriander leaves chopped
1 tbsp Chives chopped
1 tbsp Dill chopped

1 tbsp Dried Parsley

1/2 tbsp Olive Oil 

Salt to taste
1/4 tsp of each  (cinnamon, nutmeg, cumin, chilli flakes and pepper powder)
1 cup Hot water 

Method 

Slice off the tops of the eggplant and scoop the flesh out of the eggplants, leaving at least 1/2  cm Wall of the eggplant intact. Keep aside the scooped  flesh of the eggplant. Take garlic, all the chopped herbs, salt, olive oil, rice and  prawns. Mix the stuffing. Arrange the eggplants in a baking dish, hollow end facing up. Spoon the filling into the hollowed eggplants. Pour hot water into each eggplant, up to the top. Pour another 2 cm of hot water into the bottom of the dish. Cover the tray with foil and put into the oven to bake. Bake at 200 degrees celcius for 60 minutes, till the eggplants are cooked and the rice looks fluffy..

For the Sauce:

Scooped flesh of the Eggplants
1/2 cup Yogurt 

 Mixed chopped Herbs ( 1/4 cup Coriander leaves, 2 tbsp Chives, 2 tbsp Dill, 1 tbsp dried Parsley)

1/2  tbsp Olive oil
Salt to taste

Method

Take a pan. Add oil. Heat the oil. Add the eggplant flesh into a frying pan and stir fry. Once it starts to stick, pour some water into the pan and cover. Cook the eggplant flesh until soft.  Dry of the water from the eggplant and stir till brown. Mix the cooked eggplant with yogurt , chopped herbs  and salt to taste.  Serve the sauce alongside the eggplants.            

Turkish Manti (Dumplings) and Hadari (Garlicky Yogurt Dip)

Turkish Manti (Dumplings)

      Manti is a part of Turkish cuisine. It is also known as Tatar Boregi. It is a 13th century Dish introduces by the migrating Turks traveling back from Mongolia. It was made popular by nomads. In 15th century, art infiltrated the culture and cuisine of Turkey and one began to see the presentations of food coming out of the palaces. Over the past couple of centuries varieties of manti can be found throughout the region. It is served with yogurt dip. The preparation of this dish is quite simple but does require patience.

Information from the net....

For the filling

Ingredients

250 grams Chicken keema

1 Onion chopped

1 Egg

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp Pepper powder

1/4 cup Coriander Parsley chopped

Method

Mix all the ingredients together. Keep it aside.

For the Dumplings

Ingredients

Ready made Chinese Spring roll wrappers cut them into 1.5 inch. squares around 20 squares needed

1 Egg white

Chicken filling

2 cubes of Butter

1 cup of Chicken stock or water

Method

Arrange the sheets on a flat platform. Keep a small portion of the filling on the sheets. Take the egg white. Brush the egg whites on 2 ends, leaving the other 2 ends. Fold the dumplings. The top portion of the dumpling will be open for the filling to be seen. Cover the dumplings before it dries out. Once all the dumplings are sealed then place them on a round greased baking tray. Bake at 180 degrees for 15 minutes in a preheated oven. Remove from the oven add cubes of butter and a cup of chicken stock or water, put back into the oven for another 15 minutes. After the second baking,the edges of the dumplings should turn crispy golden brown. Serve the dumplings with a garlicky yogurt dip called Hadari.

Hadari ( Garlicky Yogurt Dip)

Ingredients

1/ 4 cup hung Yogurt

1 Garlic cloves crushed

1/2 tsp Dried Mint or 1 tbsp fresh Mint finely chopped

1/2 tbsp fresh Dill finely chopped

Olive oil to drizzle

1/4 tsp Lemon juice

1/4 tsp chilli flakes

Salt to taste

1tbsp grated Feta(optional)

1 tbsp chopped Walnuts

Method

Combine all the ingredients except Olive oil and chilli flakes. Refrigerate until required.Drizzle with a little olive oil. Garnish it  with a sprig of fresh mint or dill, and sprinkle with just a little chilli flakes.

Yogurt Soup

Yogurt Soup

Yogurt soup  sometimes known as yayla çorbası, it is a meal of Turkish cuisine. This soup is cooked with a variety of herbs rice or chickpeas whatever is available... 

Ingredients 

2 tbsp Rice

5 cups Water

3/4 cups Yogurt

1 Egg 

1 tbsp All purpose Flour

1 tbsp Butter

2 tsp Dried Mint OR 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh Mint

1/2 tsp Red chilli flakes

Salt to taste

Ingredients

Boil rice in 5 cups of water with salt until very, very soft. In a bowl,add egg and flour and whisk it well, then add yogurt and whisk it again. Add 1-2 tbsp water lighten up this mixture. Put the yogurt mix in a pot, cook it on very low flame to above curdling. Cook on low heat for approximately 15 minutes and keep stirring. Slowly pour in rice along with water into the soup. Keep stirring. First let the soup boil on medium heat and then lower the flame, cook for another 10 minutes. Heat butter in a pan. Once it sizzles, add mint and chilli flakes, stir for few seconds. Pour it into the soup. Serve it hot. 

Garlic Cheese Bread

Garlic  Cheese  Bread

Ingredients 

2 cups of All purpose flour

1 1/2 tbsp of Dry yeast

1 tbsp Sugar

Salt to taste

1/2 cup of Luke warm water

1/2 cup Grated cheddar cheese 

1 tbsp Garlic Crushed 

1 tbsp Butter

1 tbsp Oil

Butter + Milk mix for brushing

1 tsp Dry Oregano for sprinkling 

Method 

Take a mixing bowl, add flour and salt. Take Luke warm water, sugar and yeast. Mix it, let it rise. Pour the yeast water in to the flour. Add more water if required to get a soft dough, add 1/2 tsp of oil and knead the dough well adding some more oil in between for 5 minutes. Cover the dough and  let it rise double in size. Sprinkle some flour on the platform, take the dough and knead it again. Divided the dough into 2 portions. Roll out one portion of the dough. Add 1/2 tbsp butter, 1/2 tbsp garlic crushed, spread it on the rolled dough. Sprinkle 1/2 the grated cheese. Fold the dough in to half. Lightly slit the dough into strips. Let it rise for 20 minutes. Brush with milk + butter. Sprinkle with dry oregano seasoning. Bake at 180 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or till brown in colour in a pre heated oven.  Brush with butter. Cool a bit and then take it out from the tray. 

Buns

Buns 

Ingredients 

2 1/2 cup All purpose flour 

1 1/2 tbsp Dry Yeast

2 tbsp Sugar 

1 Cup Lukewarm Milk

1 tbsp Melted Butter

Salt to taste

Egg wash / Milk wash + Butter wash

Method

Take a mixing bowl. Add flour and salt. Mix it. Make a well in the centre of the flour. Add sugar, yeast and 1/2 cup lukewarm milk. Stir the yeast, sugar and milk with out disturbing the surrounding flour. Cover and let it rise. After it rises. Start mixing the flour... Add the remaining milk little at a time to make a soft dough. Add 1/4 tbsp melted butter, Knead the dough for 5 minutes adding 1/4 tbsp melted butter in between. Rub some butter on top, cover and keep for rising double in size. Rub some butter on the palms. Sprinkle some flour on the platform, take the dough, punch it and knead it again for sometime. Divide the dough into equal proportions. Grease the baking tray.  Rub some butter on the palms. Take one portion of the dough. Roll the dough giving it a round shape. Place each buns on the baking tray at some distance. Spray with water and cover with soft Malmal cloth till it rises double in size. Brush it with egg wash or milk + butter wash. Bake it in a pre heated oven at 190 degrees celcius for 25 minutes or till brown on top. Optional brush butter on top. Cool the buns a bit and remove it from the tray.