Receta Culinary Adventures: Turkey
Welcome To Culinary Adventures~
Recipes Inspired From
Around the World~
Turkey
Turkey Buckwheat Zucchini Mucver (Fritters)
with Tzatziki Sauce
Serve with Raki~
Special Guest Today~ Eat With Me Istanbul
While I was researching facts about Turkey and looking for a recipe for zucchini fritters and tzatziki sauce I "stumbled" upon this wonderful blog called Eat With Me Istanbul.
Namie shares stories of exploring gastronomic inspirations by mixing East and West.
She also blogs about wine, her travels outside of Istanbul and her "dinner parties" where
She plans a menu, cooks for friends, enjoys their company, while eating the delicious meal she prepared. What a wonderful thing...
After reading more about Turkey and Turkish life, food is celebrated, very much enjoyed,
Lingered over and shared with family and friends.
Read about Namie's recent achievement: The Korean New Year Feast
I contacted Namie and asked her if I could use her recipe for Turkish Buckwheat Fritters.
As Namie says, "Life is too short to eat the same thing twice" and I definitely agree!
After reading that statement, I thought of something my grandma always said,
"Life's to short to eat crappy food," I agree.
I was amazed at the array of recipes that Namie had on her blog.
Recipes with ingredients I have heard of before but have never used.
Recipes such as:
Turkish Spicy Fish Kokorec and Smoky Eggplant Dip Lamb Curry and Yogurt Marinade
Roasted Jerusalem Artichoke and Quail with Saffron Risotto and a recipe I can't wait to try;
Plum Cardamom Upside Down Cake. I love plums, so when I saw this recipe I was thrilled.
Personally, I think plums are the "forgotten" fruit. A fruit that isn't used often enough in cooking.
Where I live, plums are considered a seasonal fruit.
It's very difficult to find a "good" plum even when they are in season.
I now use canned whole plums with excellent results.
Whenever I see canned whole plums at the grocery store, I stock up.
Namie had a post on her blog that also caught my attention: Turmeric Tea and Winter Defender
I love spices but I'm unfamiliar with turmeric.
This wonderful spice has many medicinal uses along with its use in culinary dishes.
If your traveling to Turkey, here are a few things to remember...
1. What is a "must" when visiting?
A: When you enter a Turkish home, you have to take off your shoes.
Even if you are coming from next door.
2. What do the bride, the groom and all their female relations do the night before the wedding?
A: They gather at the bride's house and burn henna on their hands.
Also known as "Henna Night," takes place at the bride's house.
Women carry candles in their hands and preform traditional dances.
3. What would be the appropriate time to leave when you are invited to dinner?
A: Not before midnight. Leaving any earlier would mean they are not good hosts.
Turkish people love to visit and children's bedtimes are overlooked for the evening.
More often than not, you will be invited to stay the night.
4.What should you definitely do if your neighbor is ill at home?
A: Bring them a bowl of hot soup.
5. What would a traditional Turkish breakfast consist of?
A: Cheese, honey, black olives, butter, tomatoes, cucumbers, bread and tea.
6. Any Turkish host will continue to fill your tea glass unless you do what?
A: Leave your teaspoon lying on the tea glass.
7. Your neighbor has brought you a plate/bowl of "Asure" (a sweet pudding)
What should you do with the plate/bowl?
A: Fill it with any kind of food you have prepared yourself and then return it.
Showing off your culinary skills is a must. Never send a plate/bowl back empty.
8. What is the weather like in Turkey?
A: It is said that all of the four seasons exist in Turkey. The sea stretching on three sides of the country, the location of the mountains and the variety of geographical formations have led to this diversity.
Turkish cuisine is renowned as one of the World's Best.
I decided on this recipe for a number of reasons:
1. I wanted to use up the rest of my summer zucchini crop
2. I had some buckwheat flour I needed to use up
3. I've always wanted to make a "savory" fritter and
4. My Mr.H loves tzatziki sauce...he even puts it on a hot dog.
- Serve Zucchini Fritters with Tzatziki Sauce and Raki~
- Raki is an unsweetened, anise-flavored drink~
- Buckwheat Zucchini Fritters~
- 2 medium zucchini, coarsely grated
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 1 egg, whisked
- 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/3 cup buckwheat flour
- 1 t cornstarch
- 1 t dill
- 1 t chili flakes
- 1 t each salt and pepper
- 1 t cumin
- vegetable oil for frying
- Lightly salt zucchini
- Let sit 10 minutes
- Squeeze out excess liquid
- Mix all ingredients together
- Heat oil in a deep cast iron skillet to 375°
- Form zucchini mixture patties
- Drop mixture into hot oil
- Fry 4 minutes per side
- Drain well on paper towels
- Season with salt and pepper
- Serve with Tzatziki Sauce~
- Tzatziki Sauce~
- 1 (16 oz) container low-fat plain yogurt, strained*
- 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and grated
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 T shredded red onion
- 1 T chopped fresh parsley
- 1 T chopped fresh mint
- 1 T fresh lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients together
Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours
*Directions: Kitchen Tip: How to Strain Yogurt
Recipes inspired from Eat With Me Istanbul~
A wonderful experience in the exotic flavors of Istanbul, with an added splash of Korean Cuisine~
Thank you for the wonderful recipes~