Turkish drinks and food recipes

[jj]

Just love kebaps Jules, used to always get one on the way back after a night out in Marmaris....yummy

[The March Hare]

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Sutlac

6 cups of milk,
1 cup of sugar,
1/2 cup rice,
1 tablesthingy of rice flour or corn starch,
3 - 4 teasthingys of vanilla extract,

Wash the rice.Bring 3 cups of water to boil and add rice to water, when rice is cooked, drain it. Place rice and milk on heat when mixture begins to boil add sugar and stir slightly turn the heat down. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Make a paste of the rice flour with a little amount of water and stir into milk mixture and continue stirring.Simmer some more.Turn off heat and add vanilla extract. Pour pudding in individual bowls and let cool. Sprinkle with cinamon serve cold

[The March Hare]

Turkish Meatballs (Kofta)
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Turkish Meatballs (Kofta)

These are the well-known Turkish Kofta, delicious little meat balls or patties. You can make them with beef, but lamb is traditional and makes them very special.
1 cup fine fresh breadcrumbs
1 lb lean ground lamb
1/2 teasthingy salt
1/2 teasthingy pepper
1 teasthingy ground cumin
1/2 teasthingy allspice
1 teasthingy dried mint
2 cloves garlic
2 tablesthingys parsley
1 egg
1 tablesthingy olive oil

[The March Hare]

Traditional Turkish drinks
Raki
When one thinks of Turkey or Turks, one is reminded of Raki. Although it is not known where or when this drink was invented, it is certain that the history of raki does not go as far back as wine or beer. There are many proverbs on raki which is the traditional Turkish drink. Raki is made from different fruits in different regions, but grapes, figs and plums are the main ones.

In the Near and Middle East countries the drink is known by different names such as Araka, Araki, Ariki which obviously come from the same origin. Some claim that it is called Iraqi (from Iraq) because it was first made in this country and spread to other regions. Others say it got its name from the razaki grapes used in producing it. Both theories are acceptable. Another theory is that arak in Arabic means "sweat" and araki " that which makes one sweat." If one drinks too much raki one does sweat and when raki is being distilled it falls drop by drop like sweat, so the name could have come from Arabic. In neighboring countries different kinds of raki have different names. In Greece gum is added to it and the drink is called "Mastika". Duziko which comes from the slavic word "Duz" means raki with aniseed. In Turkey, raki made from grape residue used to be called Düz Raki or Hay Raki. Zahle raki has taken this name because it is made in the city of Zahle in Lebanon. Raki is not a fermentation drink like wine and beer but a distillation drink, so more technical knowledge and equipment are necessary for its production. Encyclopedias write that in "Eastern India a drink produced by distilling fermented sugar cane juice is called "arak" and the same name is given Ceylon and Malesia to an alcoholic drink made by the distillation of the juice of the palm tree. It is also noted that in Iran the drink made in the same way from grapes and dates is also called arak.

The history is going back 300 years. The art of distillation which started in the Arab world and spread to the neighboring countries was implemented when people thought of making use of the sugar in the residue of wine processing. With the addition of aniseed, raki took on its Turkish characteristic. The famous Turkish traveler Evliya Celebi listed the artisans of Istanbul in the first volume of his book on his voyages which he wrote in 1630. Among the artisans he also mentioned the arak makers. While writing that arak was made from all kinds of plants, he also mentioned the word raki and said that drinking even one drop of this intoxicating drink was sinful. It is known that at that time in Istanbul 300 people in 100 workshop were occupied in the production and sale of this drink. Evliya Celebi spoke of tavern-keepers as "accursed, ill omened, blame worthy" and said there were taverns all over Istanbul but especially in Samatya, Kumkapi, Balikpazari, Unkapani, Fener, Balat (last three are on the Golden Horn)and the two shores of the Bosphorus and added "Galata means Taverns". Evliya Celebi recorded the small wine shops and the kinds of wine they sold and also mentioned the taverns that sold raki, all kinds of raki, like raki wine, banana raki, mustard raki, linden raki, cinnamon raki, clove raki, pomegranate raki, hay raki, aniseed raki, etc.

Raki was first produced from the residue of grapes left over from wine making. When a shortage of residue started, spirits from abroad were imported and processed with aniseed. This went on till the First World War when, for want of raw materials raisins were used in the production of raki and sometimes even dried figs and mulberries. For good quality raki, seedless raisins and aniseed in Cesme (Izmir) were preferred. As the raki industry developed, aniseed agriculture grew and developed with it. When alcoholic beverages were prohibited at one time, underhand producers lost no time in taking steps. The administrative authorities, especially in small towns, turned a blind eye to the illegal production of raki so long as it was made in accordance with the technical rules. In many houses meat grinders were used for mincing the raisin, large basins formerly used for daily washing were now used for fermenting the grapes and oil cans were converted into distilling apparatus. The raki which was usually without aniseed and which often contained materials harmful to health were distributed to by children, in the evenings, when the streets were no longer crowded.

Today in Istanbul, drinking raki has its own traditional rituals. Most important is what it is to be partaken with. White cheese is the main and unchangeable "meze" of raki. Raki is usually drunk with cold dishes like tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce and seafood. Fish is also a favorite, especially mullet and mackerel. Due to the aniseed it contains, raki changes color and becomes a milky white when water is added and a glass of pure water to go with it gives a distinct pleasant taste.

Istanbul used to have many tiny taverns but nowadays if you want to drink raki and eat dishes that go well with it the best places are Kumkapi, the Bosphorus and the flower market in Galatasaray. The favorite mezes of raki drinkers, roasted chickpeas and freshly salted almonds, can be found in almost all taverns.

Those who have been drinkers of raki for years and years, point out that this drink affects one according to his/hers mood. Sometimes one is tipsy after a glass or two; while sometimes even a huge bottle gives only a feeling of well being and enjoyment.



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Boza (Fermented Bulgur Refreshment)
Ingredients Measure Amount
Bulgur 2 1/6 cups 325 grams
Water 20 2/3 cups 4150 grams
Flour 2 tablesthingys 12 grams
Sugar 2 ½ tablesthingys 450 grams
Yogurt ½ cup 50 grams
Dry yeast ¾ teasthingy 5 grams
Vanilla 2 ½ teasthingy 25 grams
Cinnamon 4 ½ teasthingy 45 grams
Servings: 12
Preparation:
Wash the bulgur, drain and place in a large pot, add 12 cups water, cover and let stand overnight at room temperature. Cook over low heat for about 2 hours. Place in blender and process and then pass through a strainer and refrigerate. Return the bulgur which is left in the strainer to the pot, add 7 ¾ cups of water and cook for another hour over low heat. Pass through the strainer and place in the refrigerate.

Place the flour in a small saucepan and add 2/3 cups of water and cook over low heat until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, add 2 tablesthingys sugar and blend until the sugar melts. When cooled, add the yogurt. Melt the yeast in a cup of water, let stand for 5 minutes and add to the yogurt mixture. Let stand in warm environment for 30 minutes. Add the mixture with yeast to the creamy bulgur and let stand at room temperature for 1-2 days, stirring occasionally. Add the vanilla and the remaining sugar and stir well until they are wholly dissolved. Serve, sprinkled with cinnamon. This refreshment can be kept in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Nutritional Value (in approximately one serving) :
Energy 242 cal, Protein 3.5 g, Fat 0.5 g, Carbohydrates 57.5 g, Calcium 29 mg, Iron 1.3 mg, Phosphorus 97 mg, Zinc 1 mg, Sodium 1 mg, Vitamin A 6.9 iu, Thiamine 0.09 mg, Riboflavin 0.05 mg,
Niacin 1.16 mg, Vitamin C - mg, Cholesterol 1 mg.

Notes :
Instead of bulgur, it can be prepared with millet or barley or a millet and bulgur combination. A traditional refreshment, with a history which goes back to very early times. Boza is mainly consumed during winter months. Best place to buy and drink Boza in Istanbul is "Vefa Bozacisi".



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Sahlep
Ingredients:
4 cups milk
1 cup sugar
1 Teasthingy sahlep powder (also sold in supermarkets)
Preparation:
Mix sugar and sahlep powder (dried powdered roots of a mountain orchid - Orchis Latifolia or Orchis Anatolica in Latin) in a pan. Add the cold milk and some sugar stirring constantly. Heat the mixture until it boils again stirring constantly. Let it boil for 2-3 minutes and remove from heat. Serve it warm and garnished with powdered cinnamon.

Tips:
The thicker the sahlep is, the better it gets, it's a hot and creamy drink. Sometimes addition of a little bit of starch might help to get the desired consistency. It is a remedy for sore throats and colds, therefore it's mainly consumed in the winter months for cold climate. Because the real sahlep powder is expensive, on the streets they make it with more cornstarch than the real thing, that's why it would be better to do it at home or go to reputable pudding shops in Beyoglu district or along the Bosphorus for example.

Usually the mountain orchids have tuberous roots rich of starch-like substance. These tubers are gathered while the plant is in flower, then washed, boiled in water or milk and then dried. These dry tubers are grinded. This grinded powder is called sahlep.

Sahlep can also be added to ice-creams in the city of Kahramanmaras, it's the famous Maras Ice-Cream. In Maras ice-creams, sahlep gives its great taste and strong mixture with goat milk being the first and the most important element of Maras ice-cream, and the second one is real goat milk.



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Ayran
Ayran (yoghurt drink) has been one of the most popular drinks of the Turks since the discovery of Yogurt among the Turkish tribes in Central Asia. It is simply made by diluting yogurt with water. Some salt is added to taste. Best served chilled.

It not only accompanies any meal but is drunk as a refreshing drink by itself especially during summer months. It is common among all regions of the country only the slight variation being its thickness. Especially in the south, for example, thicker ayran is preferred. But the best of this unusual but simple drink is made in Susurluk, near Balikesir, who are so proud of their bubbled ayran that they have a local festival for it in the beginning of September.





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Salgam
Ingredients: Water, violet carrot, turnip, salt, pounded wheat or bulgur flour.

A traditional Turkish drink (pronounced shal-gum) made from dark turnips and violet carrots and sira. It's served cold with pickles and available in Hot and Mild formulas. It's a very traditional drink in Adana province and in the GAP and South Eastern Anatolia, especially served with Kebab dishes. Some people drink it with Raki saying that it removes or softens the effects of alcohol. It has a dark red or purple color and a very strong soar taste.

Because it's a juice full of minerals and vitamin C, it's one of the most preferred drinks in the winter time for colder climates. It also contains Thiamin (B1) and Riboflavin (B2) vitamins, and is rich in Calcium, Potassium and iron.

Preparation:
it's made of the essence of violet carrots. First, bulgur rice flour is left for lactic acid fermentation for a week until it gets very soar, than put in wooden barrels made of mulberry tree. After well cleaning and boiling violet carrots, it's put in these barrels together with dark turnips (Brassica Napus in Latin). After another week in these barrels salt is added. When Salgam gets mature in these barrels like a wine does, at the end the fermentation period it's filtered and ready to drink. For people who prefer it hot and spicy, hot sauce obtained from red paprika is added in as well. The total processing time to prepare it is between 2-4 weeks.

[The March Hare]

TURKISH DRINKS

Volumes have been written about Turkish Coffee; its history, significance in social life and the ambiance of the ubiquitous coffee houses. Without some understanding of its background, it is easy to be disappointed by the tiny brew with the annoying grounds, which an uninitiated traveler (like Mark Twain) may accidently end up chewing. A few words of caution will have to suffice for the purposes of this brief primer. First, the grounds are not to be swallowed; so, sip the coffee gingerly. Secondly, don't expect a caffeine surge with one shot of Turkish coffee, it is not "strong", just thick. Third, remember that it is the setting and the company that matters - the coffee is just an excuse for the occasion...

On the other hand, Turkish Tea is the main source of caffeine for the Turks. It is prepared in a special way, brewed over boiling water and served in delicate, small, clear glasses to show the deep red color and to keep it hot. Tea drinking is such an essential part of a working day, that any disruption of the constant supply of fresh tea is a sure way to sacrifice productivity.

Once upon a time, so the story goes, a lion escaped from the Ankara Zoo and took up residence in the basement of an office building. It began devouring public servants and executives. It even ate up a few ministers of state and nobody took any notice. However, a group was immediately formed when the lion caught and ate the "tea-man", the person responsible for the supply of fresh tea!

A park without tea and coffee is inconceivable in Turkey. Thus, every spot with a view has a teahouse or tea-garden. These places may be under a simple tree looking into the village or town square, on top of hills with majestic views of a valley or the sea, by the harbour, in the market, on a road-side with a scenic overview or in the woods. Among the typical tea-gardens in Istanbul are: the Emirgan on the European side, Camlica on the Anatolian side of the Bosphorus, the famous Pierre Loti cafe, and the tea-garden in Uskudar. But the traditional teahouses are beginning to disappear from the more tourist-oriented seaside locations, in favour of "pubs" and "Biergarden". Among the beverages worth mentioning are excellent bottled fruit juices.

However, perhaps the most interesting drink is "boza", traditionally sold in neighborhood streets by mobile vendors on a winter night. This is a thick, fermentated drink made of wheat berries, enjoyed with a dash of cinnamon and handful of roasted chick-peas. Boza can also be found year round at certain cafes or dessert shops. Finally, "sahlep" is a hot drink made with milk and sahlep powder. It is a delicious remedy for sore throats and colds too

[The March Hare]

Adana Kebab -- simple, spicy, scrumptious
-- --
(Preparation time 10 minutes, cooking time 10 minutes.)


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Ingredients -- Per serving
200 gr of fresh lamb meat
20 gr of lamb tail fat
plenty of black pepper
salt, to taste
spicy green peppers
tomatoes, quartered
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Preparation
Chop the lamb meat by hand -- to a coarsely 'ground' texture. Chop the tail fat the same way and knead it into the meat, adding the black pepper.
Mould the resulting mixture onto a metal skewer, making a long flat strip, about 2.5 cm (~ one inch) wide. Grill it over a charcoal flame, together with the tomato quarters and green peppers. At the last cooking stage,
add the salt to the meat surfaces.
Serve the grilled meat, tomato, and green peppers on an oblong platter surrounded by chopped parsley and fine onion slivers seasoned with sumac. If you like your meal extra spicy, sprinkle on some pul biber (hot red pepper flakes). If you'd like to cool it down, have some yogurt handy. And don't forget the lavas or pide (pita) bread, always at the ready

[The March Hare]

Cizbiz Köfte

Sizzling grilled meatballs

These meatballs get their name from the sizzling sound they make as the melting fat drips from the meat on to the hot embers of the barbecue. Make sure the embers are hot and brush the grill generously with oil before cooking.

Serves 4-6

Preparation time - 20 minutes

Cooking time - 10 minutes


2 slices of stale bread, soaked in water and squeezed dry

450g/1lb minced beef or lamb

1 medium onion, grated

2 garlic cloves, crushed with salt

1 teasthingy ground cumin

2 teasthingy salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 teasthingy bicarbonate of soda

parsley to garnish

Discard the crusts of the bread and crumble the rest into a bowl. Add all the other ingredients and knead well until the mixture resembles a soft dough.

With wet hands take a piece the size of a walnut, roll into a ball and then slightly flatten. Continue until all the mixture is used. They can now be covered and stored in the fridge until required.

Grill until brown on both sides.

Serve garnished with parsley

[The March Hare]

Sarimsakli Yogurtlu Havuç Sote
Grated Carrot Sauté with Garlic Yogurt


From our favorite chef's secret recipe stash --
a very tasty, simple and elegant side-dish...

Ingredients:

6 carrots
half cup of olive oil
half cup of yogurt
two garlic cloves
half teasthingy of salt


Preparation Steps:

1. Mash the garlic cloves, mix thoroughly with the yogurt.
2. Grate the carrots, sauté them in olive oil.
3. Add the salt and garlic yogurt to the sautéed carrots, mix thoroughly and serve cold -- garnished with minced parsley on top. Serves four

[The March Hare]

Ok. that's enough exquisite torture.
The rest of the recipes will be in English...

Sucuk -- Spicy Turkish Sausage

This recipe comes from our local butcher, Musa Bey, who makes his own. He doesn't have much equipment to automate the process and the recipe reflects that...

Ingredients:

15 kilograms of medium fat ground beef
(if possible include some ground beef from the shoulder of the animal, for flavor)
3 kg of animal fat
250 grams ground sweet red pepper (paprika?)
150 grams ground hot red pepper (cayenne pepper?)
350 grams ground cumin
400 grams salt
120 grams ground garlic
120 grams ground black pepper
sufficient animal intestine sausage casing

Preparation Steps:

1. Knead the mixture very thoroughly by hand.
2. After kneading, let it rest for 2-3 hours in open air.
3. Use the mixture to fill sausage casing made from animal intestines (pack tightly, avoid air bubbles in the casing -- otherwise the casing may later pop open).
4. Stack the cased sausages in a suitably large container and cover it tightly. Let the container stand in the open air for 5-6 hours to allow the sausage to 'sweat'.
5. Remove the sausage from the container and hang it out to dry in fresh air for 7-8 hours.
6. Place the dried sausage in refrigerator (not in freezer) and allow to rest for 5 or 6 days.
7. Sausage is now ready for eating/selling -- or giving (and remember that this is our butcher's recipe, so it makes 'a bunch' of sucuk!)

[The March Hare]

Fish soup

Ingredients: 500 cal (5 servings)

1000 gr. flesh fish
2 small celeriac
1 onion
4 carrots
4 big potatoes
1 bunch of parsley
2 eggs
12 glasses of water
1/5 glass lemon juice
1/2 glass rice
salt and black pepper to taste
Cut the fins off the fish and scrape off the scales. Remove the gills and the gut. Wash the fish thorougly under running water. Grate the onion. Chop the parsley. Scrape and grate the carrots. Cut the peeled celeriac and potatoes into small pieces. Wash the rice.
Put the fish in a wide saucepan, put the grated onion and chopped parsley on top of it, and add salt as desired. Pour the water into the saucepan and place it over a moderate heat. Boil the fish until it becomes tender. Take fish out of the saucepan with a skimmer and put aside. Put the carrots and potatoes into the saucepan. Add the rice to the saucepan and let it boil until the soup becomes somewhat jelly-like. In the meantime take the skin and bones off the cooked fish and cut the fish into big pieces. When the vegetables and rice are thorougly cooked, strain them and put them in a seperate saucepan. Heat the saucepan containing the soup and add salt if necessary. When the jelly-like soup begins to boil, put the fish into the saucepan and let it simmer for 5 minutes.

Just before removing saucepan from heat, whip the lemon juice and eggs in a bowl. Take sthingyfuls of the soup and add it to this sauce while stirring constantly. When the bowl is full, pour it back into the saucepan while stirring the soup. Remove saucepan from heat, pour it into a serving bowl, add some black pepper according to taste and serve.

Another way of cooking fish soup: Dice the vegetables into pieces of about 1/2 cm., grate two peeled and cleaned tomatoes, chop some celery and boil them all with the fish. So that the fish and the vegetables will not be broken into pieces, this should not be strained.

If you would prefer a more original and personal recipe, you can prepare one of your own by adding shrimps, mussels, mushrooms, different herbs and spices as desired

[The March Hare]

Ezo Gelin Çorbasi

Daughter-in-law’s soup

Tradition demands the new bride should live up to her mother in law’s approval. Much depends on her abilities as a good cook and this soup is the test. Named after the bride ‘Ezo’ who managed to impress her in-laws, it can be made with rice, but in more rural areas it is traditionally made with bulgur wheat.

Serves 4-6

Preparation time - 5 minutes

Cooking time - 40 minutes

½ cup red lentils, rinsed and drained

1 onion, finely chopped

4 cups/1 litre meat stock (stock cubes can be used)

2 tablesthingys rice/bulgur wheat, rinsed and drained

2 tablesthingys tomato paste

4 tablesthingys butter

salt and pepper to taste

1 teasthingy dried mint

1 teasthingy paprika flakes

Put the lentils, onion, rice, water, tomato puree and butter together in a pan. Bring to the boil and then on a low heat simmer, stirring occasionally for about 30 minutes until the lentils and rice are tender and the soup has a creamy consistency. Add more water if required and season with salt and pepper. Add the paprika and mint and simmer for a further 5 minutes.

Serve hot with fresh crusty bread.

[The March Hare]

Dawn soup
Ingredients:

500 gr. tomatoes
4 glasses of meat broth
2 tablesthingys flour
2 tablesthingys margarine
4 egg yolks
1 glass of milk
salt to taste
Put margarine and flour into a saucepan and place saucepan on heat. Saute flour until it becomes golden. Peel the tomatoes and chop them. Put tomatoes, the broth and salt into the saucepan. Almost 35 minutes later, when the tomatoes are cooked, pour the soup into another saucepan straining it at the same time. Bring to the boil. Blend the yolks of aggs together with the milk in a bowl. Add this mixture to the saucepan and serve the soup

[The March Hare]

Rice soup with tomatoes

Ingredients: 105 cal (6 servings)

6 glasses of meat broth
1/3 glass of rice
1/2 kg. tomates
parsley
salt to taste
1 tablesthingy margarine
Wash the rice and put it into a saucepan with the margarine, salt and the meat broth. Place the saucepan on heat. Put one of the tomatoes aside and grate the rest. Add the grated tomatoes to the saucepan. Peel the remaining tomato and cube. Put the tomato in a saucepan and let the soup cook for 15 more minutes until the rice softens. Remove saucepan from heat and serve the soup after topping it with chopped parsley

[juicyjude]

I love the elma cay (apple tea) but it has to be hot. We have done many a bargaining session whilst sipping elma cay!

[The March Hare]

Wedding soup

(vegetable soup with broth)
Ingredients: (6 servings)


8 glasses of meat broth
250 gr. mutton
500 gr. mutton bones
2 tablesthingys of margarine
2 tablesthingys flour
1 carrot
1 onion salt
Sauce:
2 egg yolks
1/2 lemon (the juice only)
Dressing:
2 tablesthingys margarine
1 tablesthingy red pepper
Cut the meat into small pieces. Scrape the carrot and peel the onion. Put the meat, the bones, the carrot and the onion into a saucepan with the meat broth and let it cook for 3 hours. The meat will get tender and split into pieces while cooking. Remove the bubbles occasionally with a skimmer. When the meat is cooked, strain the broth and strain into another saucepan. Cut the meat into very small pieces and put it in the broth.
Put the flour and margarine in a saucepan and saute. Stir the flour and margarine with a wooden sthingy until they blend well. Pour the meat broth into this saucepan graduallly, add the salt, stir it, and bring to the boil.

Sauce:

Whip the egg yolks and lemon juice together in a chine bowl. Take some soup from the saucepan, mix it with the egg yolk and lemon juice, stir rapidly and pour it back into the saucepan.

Dressing:

Saute the red pepper with margarine in a pan. Pour soup into a serving bowl, put the dressing on top of and serve.

[The March Hare]

Kadinbudu Köfte -- a 'shapely' ground-meat patty
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
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Köfte ingredients -- Serves 5
half-cup rice
1 tablesthingy margarine
2 onions (finely minced)
500 gr. lean ground beef
half-teasthingy salt
half-teasthingy black pepper

Frying ingredients:
4 tablesthingys flour
3 eggs
1 cup refined vegetable oil



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Preparation:
Clean the rice and cook in vigorously boiling water
for 20 minutes, then strain.
Lightly brown the onion in a tablesthingy of vegetable oil.
Add half the ground beef and cook with the onion for 5 minutes.
When cool, put this mixture on a tray and
blend-in remaining ground beef --
and the salt, black pepper and rice.
Divide the resulting köfte mixture into
20 egg-shaped pieces. Lightly press and flatten each one.
Dip each köfte first in flour, then in egg.
In a frying pan, cook köfte in vegetable oil,
turning each piece repeatedly until all are golden brown.
Serve next to pan-fried potatoes, onion and tomato.

[The March Hare]

Adana soup
Ingredients: 118 cal (6 servings)

5 glasses of meat broth
150 gr. ground meat
50 gr. chick peas
1 large tomato or 1 tablesthingy salt-free tomato paste
2 tablesthingys vinegar
2 tablesthingys thyme
1 tablesthingy salt black pepper
Soak the chick peas in water overnight and boil them next morning. If you are going to use a tomato in the soup, peel and grate the tomato. Put the chick peas, the meat broth, the grated tomato or the tomato paste and 1/2 teasthingy of salt into the saucepan and boil. Add 1/2 teasthingy of salt and black pepper to the ground meat and knead it. Make small meatballs of almost hazelnut size and put them in the boiling soup. Let soup simmer for 20 minutes more. Remove saucepan from heat, add vinegar and, if desired, thyme, and stir before serving.

[The March Hare]

Yoghurt and cucumber salad

Ingredients:
1 kg. natural yoghurt (unsweetened and unflavoured)
4 large cucumbers
1/2 glass water
1/2 bunch fresh mint or 1 tablesthingy dried mint
6 cloves of garlic
3 tablesthingys vinegar
4 tablesthingys olive oil
6 small ice cubes
1 teasthingy salt
Peel and dice the cucumbers. Put the cucumners in a bowl. Pound the garlic cloves in a mortar with 1 teasthingy of salt. While whipping the yoghurt with a fork or whisk, pour in 1/2 glass of water gradually and mix with yoghurt. Add the cucumbers and garlic to the yoghurt abd mix again. Put the olive oil, vinegar and ice cubes into the bowl. Decorate the salad with chopped fresh mint leaves or dried mint.

[The March Hare]

Brain salad

Ingredients:
3 sheep brains
6 glasses of water
1 1/2 teasthingys salt
2 medium size tomatoes
2 lettuce leaves
10 black olives (Mediterranean)
4 tablesthingys lemon juice
2 1/2 tablesthingys olive oil
Hold the brains under running water and remove the thin skin. Boil 6 glasses of water with 1 teasthingy of salt in a saucepan. Put the brains into this saucepan and boil for 15 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and allow it to stand for half an hour. Then, remove the brains and cut them vertically. Put brains in a serving dish. Place olives between brains. Garnish the sides of dish with sliced tomatoes and lettuce. Mix the lemon juice, olive oil and 1/2 teasthingy of salt together in a bowl. Pour dressing over as desired and serve.

[The March Hare]

Eggplant salad with yogurt dressing

Ingredients:
1 kg. eggplants
4 tablesthingys olive oil
250 gr. natural yoghurt (unsweetened and unflavoured)
10 green pepperones
5 cloves of garlic
1/2 lemon
2 teasthingys salt
Grill the eggplants under a hit grill. Turn them occasionally making sure that they are thoroughly cooked. Peel the cooked eggplants with a knife, then place into a bowl. Add the lemon juice, yoghurt, 1 teasthingy of salt and the olive oil to the eggplants. Mix and blend all ingredients well and set the bowl aside.
Grill the green pepperones. Peel them and put five into a mortar with garlic cloves. Add 1 teasthingy of salt and pound well. Add the pepperones and garlic to the eggplants and mix well together. The salad is now ready for serving. Put the salad into a bowl and place the remaining green pepperones on top.