Kalamar Tava with Tarator
TasteAtlas recently named kalamar tava as Turkey’s best-rated dish, and the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. This recipe recreates the crisp, golden fried calamari that still reminds me of a memorable meal in Akyaka on Turkey’s southwest coast. Fresh squid, a quick beer soak and a bowl of creamy almond tarator make this surprisingly easy to prepare at home and every bit as delicious as the meyhane versions I remember.
Chilli-Roast Cauliflower with Sumac Dressing
Inspired by the chilli-roast cauliflower at Oklava, this salad has been a favourite in my kitchen for years. Cauliflower is coated in sweet and hot pepper paste, roasted until soft and lightly charred, then topped with crisp red onion, pistachios, parsley and a tangy sumac dressing. I roast the cauliflower longer than the original recipe, which makes it easier to digest and gives the dish a softer, more mellow texture that my family loves.
Köy Ekmeği (Turkish Village Bread) from Karakılçık
Some cookbooks quietly become part of your kitchen routine, and Karakılçık was one of those books for me. When it was first published, I baked from it constantly. Then, for a long time, it went completely out of print and disappeared from bookstore shelves. Over the years I received so many messages asking about recipes from the book, especially from people who had missed the first edition. So when I heard a second edition was finally coming, I immediately wanted to revisit o
Broad Beans, Pods and All
It took us four years to grow these broad beans. Every year before this, they were taken over by blackfly, but this time, with kale and broccoli flowering nearby, the bees arrived and everything changed. I cooked them the way I grew up eating them in Turkey, young and whole, pods and all. They took much longer than expected to soften, but the flavour was worth the wait, simple, lemony and finished with dill.
Sütlaç (Turkish Rice Pudding) with a Caramelised Top
Turkish rice pudding (sütlaç) baked for a caramelised top. An Istanbul-inspired recipe, perfected at home with a creamy, balanced texture.
Spinach & Borlotti Bean Soup with Yogurt and Mint Chilli Butter
Spinach and borlotti bean soup with garlic butter, a yogurt base, and mint chilli drizzle. Simple, comforting, and full of flavour.
Miso butter broccoli & eggs
A simple way to build a balanced plate with broccoli, eggs and miso butter that feels satisfying and steady for hours.
Soft Roasted Aubergine with Yoghurt and Tomato
Soft roasted aubergine layered over garlicky yoghurt and topped with a fresh tomato dressing. Simple, bold and full of flavour.
Cooking with Flowering Cavolo Nero
When cavolo nero starts flowering, don’t pull it out. The tender shoots make a quick pasta and a Sevilla-inspired spinach with chickpeas.
Sourdough Ramazan Pidesi
(made with a stiff sourdough starter) This pide is made with a stiff sourdough starter, which gives the bread a beautiful flavour and soft crumb. While joining an instagram weekend challenge, I went back to my very first posts on Instagram and found the photos from when I started my sourdough starter in 2014. It was one of the earliest things I ever shared there, and it made me smile to see that the same starter is still alive and baking with me today. For this pide, I used a
