ASHURE (ASURE)

Ashure (in Turkish: Aşure) or Noah's Pudding is a Turkish dessert that is made of a mixture consisting of grains, fruits and nuts. Ashure is a part of the culinary tradition of Turkey as well as many of the surrounding countries.
Its anecdotal history it is claimed that when Noah's Ark came to rest on Mount Ararat in northeastern Turkey, Noah's family celebrated with a special dish. Since their supplies were nearly exhausted, what was left (primarily grains, dried fruits and the like) was cooked together to form a pudding, what is now call Ashure. However, traditionally, this mixture is prepared on the Day of Ashura, which marks the end of the Battle of Karbala. Hence, Noah's involvement in this mixture can be disputed.
Traditionally, Ashure is made in large quantities to commemorate the ark's landing and is distributed to friends, relatives, neighbors, colleagues, classmates, etc. without regard to the recipient's religion or belief system as an offering of peace and love. Ashure was traditionally made and eaten during the colder months of the year as it is calorie rich fare, but now it is enjoyed year-round.
 


ASHURE RECIPE:
1 cup white beans
1/2 cup filberts, toasted
1 cup garbanzos
1/2 cup walnut pieces
1 cup barley
ground walnuts for topping
1 cup dried apricots, cut up
1 cup raisins, cut up
1/2 cup figs, cut up
1 cup sugar, or to taste
water to make about four quarts

TULUMBA DESSERT

Tulumba (Turkish: tulumba,Greek: τουλούμπα Cypriot Greek: πόμπα (pomba), meaning pump, [[Cyrillic: τулумба) is a dessert in Ottoman cuisine consisting of fried batter soaked in syrup.
It is made from unleavened dough lump (about 10 cm long) given a small ovoid shape with ridges along it using an 'icing' bag with a special nozzle. It is first deep-fried to golden color and then sugar-sweet syrup poured over it when still hot. It is eaten cold. This dessert is consumed throughout the Balkans and Anatolia.




TULUMBA DESSERT RECIPE:
For dough:
2 eggs
150 gr water
100 gr all purpose flour
3 gr salt
15 gr butter
For syrup:
1 cup water
2 cups sugar
10 drops lemon juice

MANTI (TURKISH STYLE RAVIOLI)

Manti, also manty, mantu, mantou, or manties (Turkish: mantı; , Kazakh: мәнті, pronounced [mæntɘ́]; Kyrgyz: манты, [mɑntɯ́]; Uzbek: manti, [mantɨ́]; Persian: منتو, Tajik: манту), are a type ofdumpling in Turkish and various Central Asian and Northwest China and Caucasian cuisines, closely related to the east Asian mantou, baozi, and mandu. Manti dumplings archetypically consist of a spiced meat mixture, usually lamb or ground beef, in a dough wrapper, either boiled or steamed. 'Manti' indicates either singular or plural.Manti were carried across Central Asia to Anatolia by migrating Turks in the Chingizid-Timurid periods.^[1] According to Holly Chase, "Turkic and Mongol horsemen on the move are supposed to have carried frozen or dried manti, which could be quickly boiled over a camp-fire".^[2] In Turkey it is also called Tatar böregi (Tatar bureks), which indicates its relation to nomadic peoples. A mid-15th century Ottoman recipe survives, with the manti filled with pounded lamb and crushed chickpeas, steamed, and served topped with yogurt mixed with crushed garlic and sprinkled with sumac.^[3] Manti are popular throughout the former Soviet Union, where the dish spread from the Central Asian republics.




MANTI RECIPE:
For dough:
500 GR all purpose flour
2 eggs 
1 teaspoon salt 
warm water
For filling:
400 gr ground beef
4 onion 
1 teaspoon salt 
1 teaspoon black pepper 

BAKLAVA

Baklava (Ottoman Turkish: باقلوا) is a rich, sweet pastry made of layers of filo pastry filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with syrup or honey. It is characteristic of the cuisines of the former Ottoman Empire and much of central and southwest Asia.The history of baklava is not well documented. It has been claimed by many ethnic groups, but there is strong evidence that it is of Central Asian Turkicorigin, with its current form being developed in the imperial kitchens of the Topkapı Palace.





BAKLAVA RECIPE:
40 phyllo dough layers
1 package unsalted butter
400 gr pistachios or walnuts (chopped)
FOR SYRUP 
1 cup water 
1.5 cup sugar
10 drops lemon juice

SIMIT (Turkish Style Sesame Bagel)

Turkish Gold Rings
A simit (Turkish), Aramaic qeluro/qelora, koulouri (Greek: κουλούρι), đevrek (Serbian: ђеврек), gjevrek (Macedonian: ѓеврек) or gevrek (Bulgarian:геврек) (the last three, from "gevrek" in Turkish, meaning "crisp", which is, in some parts of Turkey, colloquial to "simit") is a circular bread with sesame seeds, very common in Turkey, as well as in Greece, Serbia, Bulgaria and other parts of the Balkans and Middle East such as Lebanon. Simit's size, crunchiness/chewiness, and other characteristics vary slightly by region. In the city of İzmir, simit is known as "gevrek," (literally, 'crisp' in Turkish) although it is very similar to the Istanbul variety. Simits in Ankara, which is the capital of Turkey, are smaller and more crispier than the ones in other cities. Simits inDevrekare made with molasses.

Drinking Turkish tea with simit is the traditional way in Turkish culture. You can see many simit pedlers on the street. Those pedlers usually carry their simit trays on their heads. Simit is generally served plain, or for breakfast to tea with jelly, jam or cheese.

Simit and koulouri are often sold by street vendors, who either have a simit trolley or carry the simit in a tray on their head. Street merchants generally advertise simit as fresh ("Taze simit!"/"Taze gevrek!") since they are baked throughout the day.

Simit is also known as "Turkish bagel" in the USA.

           
    
























SIMIT RECIPE:

1 kg all purpose flour

10 gr active dry yeast

10 gr salt

500 gr water
grape molasses
white sesame seeds