Becca's Bistro

Kısır (A bulgur wheat salad dish)

Finally, I have come back to blogging.  So many excuses (work, a broken camera etc.) but I didn't want this blog to die so here I am.  

This dish is very easy and a tasty summer dish to serve with salads.  It is a staple on all Turkish salad bars. This is how I make it and my Turkish husband likes it so I guess the recipe must be fine.

Ingredients for kısır

1 large cup fine bulgur wheat
1 large cup hot water
1 dessertspoon tomato paste
1 dessertspoon chilli paste (if you can't get this in your country, add more tomato paste)
half tsp salt or to taste
a generous pinch black pepper
four spring onions cut finely
a handful of parsely cut finely
1 tsp dried mint leaves
red chilli flakes to taste
a drizzle of olive oil
juice of half a lemon

Put the hot water in a bowl and add the tomato and chilli pastes and stir until dissolved.  Add salt.  Put in the bulgur wheat and leave until all water is absorbed and fluff with a fork.  If the wheat is still not tender at this stage you can add more water but don't overdo it.

Once the bulgur is cold add the other ingredients and mix well with a fork, breaking up any lumps.

 

Sushi - California Rolls

I made sushi this weekend for the first time in several years.  It is actually very easy if you have access to the right ingredients, and I should do it more often.  For the filling, I stuck to something I could get easily in my local supermarket but there are many other possibilities such as minced crab sticks and avocado, strips of omlette and pickled radish.  I made the traditional rolls as pictured above, and the inside out rolls as pictured below:

You will need a bamboo rolling mat which can be bought at Asian stores and larger supermarkets.

 

Ingredients for simple California rolls - makes three rolls

1 large mug of white rice
water
1 dessertspoonful of rice vinegar or rice wine
half a teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar 
3 sheets of roasted seaweed lava
160g can tuna
a good dollop of mayonnaise
half a cucumber peeled and cut into 9 strips
Toasted sesame seeds to sprinkle 

Cook the rice by the absorbtion method, either follow the instructions on the pack or cover the rice with your thumb's depth of water and cook over a low heat until tender and all water is absorbed.  Leave to cool.

Mix the vinegar, salt and sugar until all dissolved then drizzle over the cooled rice and fork through.  This will make the rice sticky and glossy.

Drain the tuna and mash up with some mayonnaise.

Lay a sheet of seaweed on a bamboo rolling mat, lengthwise and rough side up.  Spread some rice over the the sheet but leave a 1.5cm strip across the top.  Don't spread the rice too thickly.  Spoon a stripe of tuna horizontally about 2 cm from the bottom from end to end.  Then above the tuna, lay 3 strips of cucumber end to end.

Start rolling the mat from the bottom.  Do one roll over the filling and squeeze firmly.  Then lift the edge of the mat slightly and continue rolling.  Wet your finger and wet the top edge of the seaweed before the final roll.  This will seal it.

Use a sharp knife to slice the roll, you may need to wet or oil it between slices to stop the rice sticking.

For inside out rolls:  Spread the rice over the seaweed but do not leave a gap at the top.  Flip over so the rice is now on the bamboo mat and the shiny side of the seaweed is facing upwards.  Place the filling on the roll as normal and then roll up.  Sprinkle sesame seeds on the rice.

Mercimek Köfte (lentil balls)

 

I really like these little vegetarian appetisers. I remember years ago at my local supermarket in England, I used to buy something called lentil pate in tubs. I now realise that this was mercimek köfte. I took this recipe and adapted it from another blog called Binnur's Turkish Cookbook.  They are very easy and seasoning can be adjusted to your own taste.  Lettuce leaves should be provided and wrapped around each köfte, and eaten that way.

Ingredients for Mercimek Köfte

1 cup red lentils
1 cup fine bulgur wheat
2 1/2 cups water
sunflower or olive oil for frying
1 grated onion
salt
pepper
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 tbsp chilli puree or 1 tsp chilli flakes 
juice of one lemon
1 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley.

Boil lentils slowly in the water until tender and just a little water remains.  Turn down the heat and add the bulgur and cook gently until all the water is absorbed.  Leave to cool.

Put the oil in a frying pan and fry the grated onion until clear but not brown.  Add the purees and the spices and salt and pepper.  Mix in the lentil mix and cook gently for a couple of minutes.  Leave until cool enough to handle, add lemon juice and then knead thoroughly in a big bowl.  When completely cool, add chopped parsley and knead again.  Form small balls or oval shapes with the mixture and serve.

 

Chestnut Meringues

 

I brought a can of French chestnut spread back from the UK a few months ago and it has been languishing in the back of my cupboard.  Now autumn is here, and chestnut sellers are everywhere, I remembered it and decided to make meringues.

Meringues are so simple to make, but remember that grease is the enemy of whipped egg white.  To ensure success, wipe out the bowl, which should me china or metallic (NEVER plastic), with a piece of kitchen paper dipped in vinegar.  You should also thoroughly wipe the whisks you are going to use in the same way.

Ingredients for Chestnut Meringues

3 egg whites
175 g caster sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar

Small can of chestnut spread or sweet chestnut puree
2 tbsp double cream

Pre-heat the oven to gas 2/150C/300F

Whisk the egg whites, starting on a slow speed, if using and electric beater, and gradually increasing until stiff.  Beat in the cream of tartar until incorporated then slowly add the sugar until stiff and glossy.

Spoon an even number of rounds onto a baking sheet lined with silicone paper.  Place in the oven and reduce the heat to gas 1/140C/275F.  Bake for about 40 minutes and check.  If the meringues lift easily from the paper, they are done. If not reduce the oven further to the lowest setting and leave to dry out for another half an hour.  Remember that ovens vary in temperature and it will depend a little on the size and depth of your meringues.  Be patient!

Mix the chestnut spread with the double cream to take the edge off the sweetness.  Add the cream gradually to get to the desired taste and consistency.

When meringues are cool, sandwich with the chestnut cream.