Recieps and Gift Ideas before you leave Turkey

Recipes

Chickpea Salad (Nohut Salatasi)

• 1 can chickpeas (540 ml), rinsed
• 14-15 tomato wedges
• 1/4 red onion, sliced
• 100g white cheese, cut into small cubes 8-10 black olives

Dressing:

• 50m1 olive oil
• 1-2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2tsp dry mint
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• Pepper to taste

Put all ingredients in a salad bowl. Whisk dressing ingredients and toss with salad.

Lentil Soup (Mercimek Corbasi)

• 1 cup red lentils, washed and drained
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 small carrot, chopped
• 1/2 cubes vegetable stock
• 3 cups water
• 1 tbsp butter
• Red pepper flakes

Place all the main ingredients in a medium-sized pot. Cook for about 20 minutes on a medium to low heat. Then mix thoroughly with a blender. If it is too thick, add hot water. Pour into soup bowls. Melt the butter in a small pan and add the peppers. When it starts bubbling, pour over the soup. Serve the soup while it is still hot with fresh bread and a wedge of lemon.

Cacik

• 1 clove of garlic, minced with salt
• 1 cup cucumber, diced
• 1^1/2 cups plain yoghurt
• 1 cup water
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Fresh dill, chopped

Blend the garlic, yoghurt and water in a medium sized bowl. Add diced cucumber and mix again. Pour into small bowls and add 1 tbsp of olive oil on top of each. Garnish with fresh dill.

Gifts to take home Just a few suggestions

• Turkish Delight
• Local Olive Oil or Olive Soap
• Pestemals — the colourful Turkish Hamam Towels
• Locally made scarves or pashmina style shawls
• Turkish silver or gold jewellery
• Nazar Boncuk or Evil Eye
• Turkish Saffron
• Pomegranate Sauce (Nar Ekşili Sos)
• Turkish Raki
• Painted ceramics