5.31.2010

Israel Intercepts Gaza Flotilla; Violence Reported

JERUSALEM — The Israeli Navy made its first contact with a flotilla carrying hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists and thousands of tons of supplies for Gaza shortly before midnight on Sunday, surprising the boats in international waters, according to activists on one vessel.

Israel has vowed not to let the flotilla reach the shores of Gaza, where the Islamic militant group Hamas holds sway, putting the activists and the Israelis on a public relations collision course.

Named the Freedom Flotilla, and led by the pro-Palestinian Free Gaza Movement and a Turkish organization, Insani Yardim Vakfi, the convoy of six cargo and passenger boats is the most ambitious attempt yet to break Israel’s three-year blockade of Gaza.

Two television stations reported early Monday that Israeli warships had attacked the ships, killing at least two and wounding an unknown number of people on board, according to The Associated Press. The Israeli military refused to comment on the reports.

Three Israeli Navy missile boats left the Haifa naval base in northern Israel a few minutes after 9 p.m. Sunday, planning to intercept the flotilla.

Speaking by satellite phone early Sunday from the Challenger 1 boat, which has foreign legislators and other high-profile figures on board, a Free Gaza Movement leader, Huwaida Arraf, said: “We communicated to them clearly that we are unarmed civilians. We asked them not to use violence.”

Earlier Sunday, Ms. Arraf said the boats would keep trying to move forward “until they either disable our boats or jump on board.”

Organizers of the flotilla had said they expected to confront the Israelis on Monday morning, in an effort to avoid an encounter in the dark.

Raid Jeopardizes Turkey Relations

ISTANBUL — The Israeli commando raid Monday on an aid flotilla, which left at least nine people dead, has dragged relations between Israel and Turkey to a new low, political experts here say, threatening to derail diplomatic relations between two close American allies.


Turkey, a NATO member, has long been Israel’s closest friend in the Muslim world, with $3 billion in trade and strong ties between the countries’ militaries and governments. But relations began to deteriorate during Israel’s war in Gaza, when Turkey’s prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, publicly sparred with Israel’s president, Shimon Peres, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Monday’s raid prompted street protests in Turkey and a strong official reaction, with Ankara recalling its ambassador from Israel, summoning Israel’s ambassador and canceling planned joint military exercises. That was enough to raise alarms among analysts here, who said it could seriously jeopardize already battered diplomatic relations between the countries.

“This will be perceived as a kind of declaration of war on Turkey,” said Cengiz Candar, a columnist for Radikal, a Turkish daily. “Political dialogue will cease. It’s not possible to contain the deterioration in relations anymore.”

But it was not yet clear how broad the implications would be. As of Monday evening, Israel’s Ambassador to Turkey had not been asked to leave the country, and Turkey’s foreign minister spoke by phone to Israel’s defense minister — evidence that, at least at some level, diplomatic channels remained open. The leaders of the two countries’ militaries also spoke by telephone, the Turkish military said.

A senior Turkish official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter, said it was possible that Turkey would cut off diplomatic relations, but that it would depend on Israel’s next steps. Turkey expects the immediate release of the activists, the official said, as well as a strong apology from the Israeli government. Neither have been forthcoming, and there were reports late Monday that Israel had arrested some people from the ship.

A senior Israeli official said that it had tried for two weeks to persuade Turkey to stop the flotilla, but that Turkey said it was a non-governmental action that it was powerless to stop. Israel’s ambassador in Turkey, Gabi Levy, did not return a call for comment.

One wild card is Mr. Erdogan, a strong-willed former Islamist who is the driving force behind Turkey’s criticism of Israel and its policy toward the Palestinians. He has pushed a new foreign policy that has taken a more active role in the region, serving as mediator between Israel and Syria. But not all his efforts have been appreciated by the United States, like his recent attempt with Brazil to broker a nuclear deal with Iran.

In a press conference in Santiago, Chile, where he cut short a trip to return to Turkey, he called the raid “inhumane state terrorism,” and said that Israel’s contentions that there had been weapons on the ship were “lies.”

“This attack has clearly shown that Israeli government has no desire for peace in the region,” he said in remarks that were broadcast on Turkish television. But he also called for calm, saying that Jews in Turkey “are our citizens,” and adding that “I want my people to be very sensitive about this.”

The situation is difficult for the United States, which has close relations with both countries and is now in the awkward position of crafting a reaction that avoids alienating either side. Both the United States and Israel use Turkish air space for military exercises. The United States supplies the majority of its Iraq effort from a military base in southern Turkey.

Asli Aydintasbas, a columnist at the Turkish Daily Milliyet, argues that the episode was a dramatic failure in diplomacy, for both the United States and Turkey. The new foreign policy pursued by Turkey’s government has given it a confidence that sometimes results in overreaching. For example, Turkey believed it could change Israeli policies towards Gaza.

“This was a disaster waiting to happen,” said Ms. Aydintasbas. “Both Turkish and American officials could have stopped the boats from moving forward. It’s clear they didn’t try hard enough.”

Mr. Erdogan is seen favorably by many in Turkey’s small Jewish community. He encouraged the relationship with Israel, visiting in 2005 with a group of Turkish businessmen and becoming the first Turkish prime minister to visit the office of Turkey’s chief rabbi after a synagogue was bombed in 2003.

But when it comes to Hamas, which controls Gaza, they disagree. Israel views it as a terrorist group and focuses on its doctrinal commitment to destroy the Zionist state. Mr. Erdogan sees other aspects: Hamas began as a grass-roots Islamic movement, and like his own Justice and Development party, also Islamic-inspired, was democratically elected against overwhelming odds.

One Turkish tactic will be to try to garner international condemnation in order to change Israel policies toward Gaza, namely its blockade, Turkish analysts said. Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, flew to New York to spearhead Turkey’s efforts to call for a vote on the matter in the United Nations. Turkey became a member of the Security Council last year.

Mr. Candar views the future of relations grimly. The raid provoked outrage among the Turkish public, who thronged Istanbul’s Taksim square and the Israeli consulate, sentiment that Mr. Erdogan could capitalize on in national elections next year. The current governments in Israel and Turkey seem stuck in a cycle of hostility, and Mr. Candar does not see that changing.

“As long as this government is in power and the one in Israel is in power, it will be a hostile relationship, not even a neutral one,” Mr. Candar said.

5.29.2010

3 Great Flat Stomach Workouts You Should Try Out

It is not enough to lose the fat around your abdominal region. You also need to make sure the muscles around your stomach and every part of the body are toned and firmed. What I am trying to pass across to you is that rather than concentrate on flattening your tummy from the surface, you should make effort to give your inner muscles the works.

To do this you need the three great flat stomach workouts, I have chosen to discuss in this article. If there are any workouts that should help you develop the core muscles in your mid region, here they are.

1. Scissor kicks - This is a routine workout that involves the person doing the exercise raising and lowering his or her legs one after the other. The individual must be in a sleeping position with is back to the ground and their face looking up. The hands must be properly secured under the buttocks to make the exercise effective.

2. Torso toning - This workout is performed with the individual hands and knees on the floor. Just as in a crawling position. The stomach should be held backwards as if reaching to the spine from the inside. This means the tummy should not be allowed to relax. While in this position, stretched out your left hand and your right leg to opposite direction. Your hand to the front and you leg to the back. Repeat this process by giving the other hand and leg a similar treatment.

3. Crunches - For many people this workout is simple while for other it is difficult. If you ask me, I will say it is one of the simplest workouts you can ever engage in. The exercise is mostly done in order to burn stomach fat while the performer is laying on the ground, with the stomach to the floor. Once you are in that position, the next thing to do is to calm your body and attempt to move the button of your tummy inwards towards your spine. It is the lower abdominal muscles that should do this. Remain in this position for fifteen minutes and release yourself from the position if your muscles can no longer hold.

These are simple flat stomach workouts, six pack stomach that should cost you nothing but the will and determination to learn more about them and perform them properly as it should be. You owe yourself the duty to stick to any flat stomach exercise regimen you decide on and how to get a flat tummy.

Do You Think Burning Calories to Lose Weight is the Only Way?

A lot of people think that cutting calories to lose weight is the only reliable way in losing those unwanted fats on our body, or do you think there is still another way of losing weight which utilizes available biological studies. Diet like Atkin's Diet is proven to be effective to our body and because of that they gain the recognition they need on many well known individuals. Though, what other people failed to do was that they tended to lose a lot of weight because they are losing muscle tissues instead of fats which make it a dangerous and unhealthy diet.

One of the major problems in the world today is that we want to drink as many sweetened drinks as we can and we appreciate the much easier and less effort way on our life. But whatever drinking products available in the market today, there is still no product that can substitute eating at least 8 glasses of water per day. Extra calories can also be found on the sugar component of sweetened drinks and that is enough reason to avoid.

Following the scheduled time to eat your meal well help you prevent on becoming very hungry and you tend to eat more when you are very hungry which will make you gain the weight you loss then make your step back from the very beginning. That is the reason why we should not let ourselves get hungry before we eat to avoid wasting our time.

We need to burn calories to lose weight but not the extent that we will not eat adequate meals which help supply the needed nutrients for our body to work properly. We need to put in mind also that with regular exercise we will help our body to pick up the pace on losing weight.

Download Your Free Report Here. 7 Tips to Weight Loss. Learn what so-called health foods are making you gain weight!

Reduce Thigh Fat With Calorie Shifting

A great way to reduce thigh fat is through diet and exercise, but you already knew that and you probably felt like rolling your eyes when you read it. The truth is if your goal is to reduce thigh fat then you have likely tried diets and exercise programs with little success. Dieting for long periods of time means you set yourself up for long periods of deprivation. To stick with a low-calorie or low-carbohydrate you will have to give up all your favorite foods. But what if there was a better way? A way that you could learn very quickly that would allow you to drop pounds faster than you ever did before AND allow you to routinely eat your favorite treats? Well there is a better way and it is called calorie shifting. Read on to learn how it works to help you burn fat off your thighs faster.

Reduce thigh fat using calorie shifting diet strategies

Thigh fat is particularly tough to lose because your body has a propensity to deposit fat in this area of your body. The classic pear-shaped body naturally stores more fat in the hips, butt and thighs and that means this is the first place fat gets stored and the last place it burns off. Frustration!

Well, that is a reality, yet the good news is that the fat will burn off, you will just need to lose it all over your body and really that is what you want anyway, a slim, lean body.

Calorie shifting is a dieting strategy that is far from a fad...even if you have never heard of it before. It originated in doctor's offices for patients that were facing surgery. What the doctors knew was that patients that were overweight or obese would not recover as well and recovery time would be very long. So they wanted to create a way for patients to shed excess pounds quickly, before surgery. What they developed was calorie shifting and because it worked so well the concept moved into the public arena quite quickly.

The key to why calorie shifting works and why you would want to use it to reduce thigh fat is because it keeps your fat-burning metabolism high. The reason this is important is because your body has less of a chance of hitting a weight loss plateau.

You see, traditional diets had you cut calories and keep them low forever, what happened however, was that your body adapted to the low calorie intake by slowing the fat-burning metabolism. So you continued to suffer through your low-calorie days and your fat-burning ability got slower and slower. Ugh!

And now think about that, if thigh fat is the last place you lose, and traditional diets always cause fat loss to slow down...when will the fat burn off your thighs? The answer is never with traditional diet strategies; however, with calorie shifting diets you eat fewer calories for a few days and follow that up with high-calorie days that boost your metabolism and keep you satisfied.

The result is that people find calorie shifting much easier to stick with and you keep your fat-burning metabolism going so you are able to reduce thigh fat.

You now know that Calorie Shifting is an effective and livable way to reduce thigh fat but that is not the whole story. For information on the most in-demand Calorie Shifting diet and how you can lose up to 9 pounds in just 11 days visit Reduce Thigh Fat with Calorie Shifting.

The Secret New Way to Lose Weight

With all the "light" and fat free foods available, all the diet and exercise programs that you can find for free or cheap and all the support groups available, obesity is still on the rise. At the same time, we are told all you have to do to lose weight is eat right and exercise. Really? If it is so easy, why is it so hard for so many?

This is a big secret that many in the food and drug industry do not want you to know. Health gurus do not need it because they are some of the few that have been able to overcome the obstacles that you do not know about.

The truth is that not everyone can just eat right and exercise. We have become a world of convenience foods, fast foods and processed foods with a desire for instant gratification. When we try to eat right, most are overcome by the intense desire for the foods they enjoy. It is very much like an addiction. And you do not have to be obese or a compulsive eater to experience this.

Instant gratification is not a result you will get from eating right and exercising. In fact, results are slow to the point of seeming like your hard work is not paying off. Eating right may give you some sense of feeling better or more energy, but these alternate with mood swings, cravings and crankiness because we miss our food.

There are real, physical reasons why this is happening. Our foods are full of chemicals; some mimic hormones so throw our natural ones off balance, some are known to inhibit thyroid, and some interfere with our natural appetite controls. The imbalance in hormones along with excessive toxin burden on the body creates unexplained weight gain, inability to lose weight and sluggish metabolism.

At the same time, the fat free revolution has caused a majority of people who are trying to lose weight to become deficient in the healthy fats that are necessary. These fats are needed so your body can metabolize and eliminate bad fats. These healthy fats maintain happy and healthy moods and ward off food cravings. These fats help our digestion, nourish our brain, keep cholesterol low, and protect our hearts and arteries.

With all this going on, it is no wonder we are having a hard time. When you add all of the above together and put that burden on one person, which is not uncommon, you will find it hard to eat right because your appetite control is out of whack, your cravings are physically addictions and you probably feel overworked, overstressed and just too darn tired to exercise. So how do you overcome all of these obstacles?

There is one answer that will help with all of these issues mentioned; a whole body cleanse. If you find a good body cleansing program, you will learn what foods can help your body's natural cleansing process.

A whole body cleanse also uses herbs that can chelate, or remove, toxins from your body including those from the environment and processed foods. Other supplements are designed to help your body get the waste out faster, which means more balance for you.

When done right, a whole body cleanse can help you eliminate food cravings so you can stay on track for your weight loss goals. When you get the junk out of your body, you have more energy to live. A huge side-effect of cleansing that people report is the ability to deal with stress better.

If you decide to try a program like this, do your homework and use common sense. Most programs will work if you follow them. You cannot cleanse your body if you eat junk food, no matter what anyone tells you. A fast will work but you have to do it right. So, again, no matter which body cleanse you choose, read, research and learn so you can take care of your body and lose weight safely.

5.18.2010

Sultan's Jello Turkish Dessert

4 cups orange juice, no pulp
1/3 cup corn starch
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp sesame, roasted

Melt the corn starch in 1 cup of orange juice. Then add the sugar and 3 cups orange juice and put in a medium-sized pot. Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly. When you see bubbles on the surface, cook for one more minute. Then pour into small cups. Let them cool. Sprinkle the roasted sesame on top. Put them in the fridge and serve when cold.

If the orange juice is sweet, you don't need as much sugar. If you use orange juice sold in stores, don't add sugar.

roasted turkey recipe

roasted turkey recipe below. thanks.

Ingredients
1 young turkey
1 glass of water
5 tablespoons of margarine
1 big carrot
2 medium onions
3 cloves of garlic
salt


Preparation :
Choose a good quality, quick roasting bird. Peel the onions and carrot, and cut them into 4 pieces each.

Put the Turkey in a pan with the onios, carrot, margarine, peeled garlic and water. Cover and put on heat. When the water starts boiling, remove the pan from heat and put in a hot oven. Some time later, turn the turkey over and cook until it becomes tender. When the turkey is tender remove the cover. Baste the turkey occasionaly.

When cooked, take the turkey out of the oven, put in on a serving dish and separate the different sections (breasts, legs, wings etc.) Puree the sauce remaining in the saucepan and serve the roasted turkey either topped with the sauce, or serve the sauce separately

Turkish goose stew recipe

Goose stew with tomatoe is very delicious and special food. You will like it. recipes

Ingredients
1 goose (2 kg.)
10 ripe tomatoes
1 large onion.
30 gibsons (small onios)
20 small fresh potatoes
4 tablespoons of buter
3 tablespoons of flour
salt to taste
black pepper
1 glass stock


Preparation :
Cut the goose into sections. Put into a saucepan with enough water to cover and boil. Strain and set the goose aside. Chop the onion and tomatoes. Pell the gibsons. Peel the potatoes and fry in 2 tablespoons of butter. Put the goose and onions in the saucepan. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and saute, constantly stirring untill the onions turn golden. Sift some flour into the saucepan and fry the goose over a moderate heat. Put the tomatoes and a glass of stock into a saucepan and boil, then simmer lightly. Add the tomatoes and stock to the goose with the gibsons. Season to taste. Stew and check occasionaly with a fork. Add the potatoes 2-3 minutes berfore cooking is over.

Chicken with beans recipe

chicken with beans recipe

Posted on 4:04 AM under turkish recipes | Be the first to comment · edit

this is another delicious taste .. nice and easy to prepare food:
1 lb. Dry beans (Soaked in water overnight)
7 1/2 oz Chicken breast
3 tablespoons margarin or butter
2 medium size onions (chopped)
2 medium size tomatoes (chopped)
1 tablespoon salt
3 cups chicken stock

Preparation :
Cut the chicken breast in cubes. Boil the beans for 30 minutes. Drain the water and let it cool. In a deep sauce pan melt the butter. Saute the chicken breast for 5 minutes, then add chopped onions. Saute the onions for another 5 minutes with chicken, then add the chopped tomatoes and continue sauteing until tomatoes are soft. Add the salt and the chicken stock to the saute pan. Boil everything for about 15 minutes. Transfer everything with the cooled beans to a casserole dish. Bake in a preheated oven until the beans are soft. 350F for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Serve with rice.

Turkish Airlines

Facts & Figures

* Number of aircraft: 131
* Number of employees: 12,397
* Passengers per year: 26.5 million
* Sales Revenue (in US$): 3.09 billion
* Number of scheduled destinations: 159
* Daily departures: 460
* Date of entry: April 2008
* Frequent flyer programme: Miles & Smiles
* Hubs: Istanbul, Ankara
* Aircraft types: A340-300, A330, A321, A320, A319, B737-400, B737-800, B777-300ER

Turkish Airlines aircraft

Turkish Airlines, Turkey’s national flag carrier, was founded in Ankara on 20 May 1933 as “State Airlines Administration,” under the direction of the Ministry of Defence. In 1955, it was restructured into “Turkish Airlines.” 25% of the company was sold via an SPO under a privatisation programme in 2005, and today, 50.9% of the company shares are public, while the rest remain state-owned.

In 2008, Turkish Airlines has kept his position ranked as one of the fastest-growing airlines among European Carriers in terms of capacity and traffic growth. When considering the economical crisis affecting many European Carriers and leading them to decrease their operations; TK has increased its annual passenger and the Available Seat Kilometer’S (ASK s ) by 15% and 11,3% respectively. TK is also proud of conserving its position by handling fewest pieces of lost luggage in 2008. With its fleet of 127 aircraft, last year THY carried 22,5 million passengers and the number of transit passengers has increased by 41,3 % across a network comprised of 112 International and 36 domestic destinations.

Turkish Airlines exhibited a similar success in cargo transport. Taking first place with 8.1% growth in freight ton kilometres (FTK) in the AEA group, it nudged out its closest competitor by a scant 0.1%. Turkish Airlines Cargo sustained its growth by carrying some 200,000 tons of cargo during the year.

Turkish Airlines continues to offer more services and destinations to its passengers by joining the Star Alliance team.

Cheap Turkish Airlines Flights

if you are loking for cheap airline flight to go turkey it is here;

http://travel.kelkoo.co.uk/172201/a_Turkish+Airlines.html

Pilaf with Ground Beef Turkish

150 gr medium ground beef
1 small onion, sliced
2-3 tbsp crushed tomato, in can
1/2 cup rice, rinsed, drained
3/4 cup mixed vegetables (carrot, kernel corn, green beans, sweet beans), frozen
1/2 cup warm water or beef broth
1 tbsp butter
Salt
Pepper

Garlic Yogurt Sauce:
1/2 cup Yogurt, room temperature
1-2 garlic cloves, mashed with salt

Saute the onion, ground beef, salt and pepper in a medium sized skillet at medium heat until the colour of ground beef turns light brown. Add the rest of the ingredients, stir.
Turn the heat to low and put the lid on. Cook until the rice absorbs all the water.

Place the dish in a service plate and put a couple of spoons of Garlic Yogurt Sauce over the top.

2 servings.

Iskender Kebab with Meatballs

inergol kofte made from 500 gr medium ground veal

4 pieces of Asian Nan Pita bread or plain pide
or:
6 slice of Turkish or French bread, cut in bite size cubes

Garnish:
1 cup tomato paste, heated up with a few tbs of water
(or use canned crushed tomatoes)
2 tbsp butter
Turkish yogurt, plain, room temperature

First, fry the meatballs in a Teflon pan without oil. Then, place them over the pita or bread bread pieces. Pour the tomato sauce on top and place a few spoons of yogurt on the side. Lastly, melt the butter in a small pan. When it starts bubbling, pour over the tomato sauce.

Serve Iskender Kebab while still hot with roasted and peeled Cubanelle peppers by the side.

4 servings.

Shakshuka Turkish

1 medium size eggplant. peeled, diced
1 large potato, peeled, diced
1 cubanelle pepper, cut in bite size
1/2 cup sunflower oil
1 + 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves , mashed with salt
3 medium size tomato, peeled, diced

Garnish:
1/4 cup parsley, chopped

Soak the eggplants in a salty water for 20 minutes. Squeeze and dry with the paper towel. Pour 1/2 cup of sunflower oil into the pan, fry potato, green pepper and eggplants. Put them on a paper towel to soak extra oil.

Meantime, suttee the mashed garlic with 1 tbsp olive oil on medium heat until the smell of garlic comes out. Pour the tomatoes in it and cook for about 10 minutes on medium heat. Add the fried vegetables in it, cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Place Shakshuka in a service plate. Pour the rest of the olive oil (2 tbsp) and sprinkle fresh parsley all over it. Serve the dish at room temperature or chilled.

*You may also serve this dish with Yogurt Sauce with Garlic by the side.

Ricotta Cheese with Green Pepper

1 sweet or hot long green pepper or Cubanelle pepper, discard the seeds, sliced
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup salted Ricotta Cheese (Making Ricotta Cheese from Yogurt)

Soften the peppers with olive oil for about 2-3 minutes, do not over cook! Turn the heat off, put the ricotta cheese in it, toss.

Serve Peppered Ricotta Cheese as a breakfast with freshly baked Turkish bread, Turkish black olive and tomato slices.

Hoshmerim Turkish

500 gr ricotta cheese
2 egg yolk
1 tbsp flour, all purpose
2 tbsp semolina - I used Turkish semolina
2/3 cup sugar - first add 1/2 cup sugar, if you want more you can go up to a total of 2/3 cup of sugar
1 tbsp Thick Turkish Cream or English Devon Cream or very thick cream or %40 Double Cream-(President's Choice-Loblaws in Toronto)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Mix the egg yolks with ricotta cheese and place the mixture in a large pan. Cook at low heat until its juice is evaporated for about an hour. Stir occasionally.

Add the flour, semolina, sugar, vanilla extract, cream into the cheese. Cook until the sugar dissolves while stirring occasionally with low-medium heat. Turn the heat off. Cover it with the lid. Let it rest for about 10 minutes. Then, place in separate small bowls. Serve HoÅŸmerim while still warm.

4 servings.

Brussels Sprout

300 gr Brussels sprout, stem side cut off, remove few outer leaves
2 + 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
7-8 pearl onion, cut in half
1-2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tbsp crushed tomato, in can
1 tbsp red pepper paste
1 cubanelle pepper, cut in bite size
1 tomato, peeled, diced
10 small size mushrooms, cut in half
1/3 cup water
1 tsp basil
1 pinch sugar
Salt
Pepper

Bring the water with salt to boil in a medium sized cooking pot at medium heat. Then add in the Brussels sprout, stir. Cook for about 2 minutes, drain.

Saute the onion with 2 tbsp olive oil for about 2 minutes. Add the garlic. When the smell of garlic comes out, add the rest of the ingredients, stir. Cook for about 15-20 minutes at medium heat. If it necessary you can add a little bit more hot water.

Let it cool down first. Pour the rest of the olive oil. Then, place it in a service plate.

Turkish Scrambled Eggs with Sujuk

7-8 slice of sujuk, the skin removed
2 eggs
1 cubanelle pepper, cut in bite size
1 medium sized tomato, diced
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp cumin
Salt
Pepper

Place the sujuk slices on the pan. Cook for about 2-3 minutes over low heat, don't dry them! Then turn each slice over quickly with a fork. Put them in a small plate.

Place the olive oil and cubanelle peppers in the same pan. Cook for about 2 minutes on medium-high heat. Then add the tomatoes, cumin, salt and pepper. Cook for another 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally over low-medium heat.

Mix the eggs in a bowl, and pour into the pan. Then add the cooked sujuks. Keep stirring periodically until the eggs are done. Make sure you don't overcook, otherwise it will be dry. Serve with bread as a breakfast or lunch.

2 servings.

Steamed Haddock

250-300 gr Haddock (or Sole etc.) fillets
1-2 Romain leaves
1 small tomato, sliced
1 cubanelle pepper, sliced
2 green onions, chopped
2 tbsp butter
2-3 slices of lemon
1/2 cup water
Salt
Pepper

Place the Romain leaves bottom of the medium sized pan. Place the fillets on them. Arrange tomato, green pepper, green onion, butter and lemon slices over the top. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the water edge of the pan. Put the lid on and cook for about 20 minutes at low-medium heat.

Serve while still warm.

5.16.2010

Turkish Coffee Recipe

Turkish coffee is famed for the way it is made. It is prepared in an ibrik, a small coffee pot that is heated. Sugar is added during the brewing process, not after, so the need for a serving spoon is eliminated. Cream or milk is never added to Turkish coffee, and sugar is optional. It is always served in demitasse cups.
In some regions, your fortune is told by the placement of the coffee grinds left in the cup!
Ingredients:

* 1 cup water
* 1 tablespoon of extra finely ground coffee (powder consistency)
* 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom, or 1 cardamom pod
* sugar (optional)

Preparation:
Bring water and sugar to a boil in ibrik. If you do not have an ibrik, a small saucepan will work.

Remove from heat and add coffee and cardamom.

Return saucepan to heat and allow to come to a boil. Remove from heat when coffee foams.

Again, return to heat, allowing to foam and remove from heat.

Pour into cup, and allow to sit for a few minutes for the grounds to settle to the bottom of the cup.[nt][nt]Cardamom pod may be served in cup for added flavor.
Turkish Coffee Tips

* Turkish coffee must always be served with foam on top.
* If you can't find finely ground Arabic coffee, you can purchase a bag of coffee at any coffeehouse and ask them to grind it for Turkish coffee. You need to have a powder-like consistency.
* Do not stir after pouring into cups; the foam will collapse.
* Always use cold water. And bitter chocolate

Turkish Coffee Cups

Finally, the experience of Turkish coffee is not complete without the proper cups. About the size of espresso cups, Turkish coffee cups nowadays have a handle and their designs have a narrower bottom. In the past Turkish coffee cups had no handles, and were put in beautiful filigree or jeweled holders. Even the coffee trays are specially designed for the purpose, having an arched handle by which the tray is suspended. Porcelain coffee cups were produced at the Iznik or Kutahya potteries for the Turkish market. Sets of Turkish coffee cups were subsequently produced for local European markets and known as "a la turque" coffee sets. Carved wooden containers for cooling the roasted coffee beans and others for storing them were once part of the equipment in every household, as were the decorated wooden coffee grinders made in Istanbul. Each household in Turkey is likely to have at least one coffee set and one can buy anything from garden variety, inexpensive porcelain cups, to gold-rimmed and very expensive or antique coffee cups in Turkey.

How to Make Turkish Coffee

Centuries ago, when people devoted more time to attend to the demands of their earthly pleasures and less time to the demands of business and corporate life, coffee making developed some rituals that exist in ‘lite’ versions in our days. In old times, connoisseurs expected their coffee to be heated slowly over charcoal embers for 15 to 20 minutes, the copper coffee pot being frequently taken away from the fire to prevent overheating.

A connoisseur can easily tell the difference between a properly made Turkish coffee and one prepared the way cheap restaurants would do, basically boiling the coffee quickly, degrading thus the taste and producing little if any froth that needs to cover the cup of coffee.

Although to this day there are still a few people who either do or at least know the days when coffee was heated on charcoal, for all practical purposes modern electric or gas stove tops became the heating equipment of choice. To make proper Turkish coffee you need Turkish coffee beans, a Turkish coffee pot (“cezve”), and Turkish coffee cups (“fincan”), and optionally, if you want to grind the beans, a Turkish coffee grinder (“kahve degirmeni”). Note that Turkish coffee requires extra fine ground coffee which some electrical grinders fail to produce. To make Turkish coffee:

1. Pour in cold water in the coffee pot. You should use one cup of cold water for each cup you are making and then add an extra half cup “for the pot”. Add a teaspoonful of the ground Turkish coffee per cup in the water while the water is cold and stir. The amount of coffee may be varied to taste, but do not forget, there will be a thick layer of coffee grounds left at the bottom of your cup for properly made Turkish coffee. Don’t fill the pot too much. If you need to add sugar this is the time to do it.

2. Heat the pot as slowly as you can. The slower the heat the better it is. Make sure you watch it to prevent overflowing when the coffee boils.

3. When the water boils pour some (not all) of the coffee equally between the cups, filling each cup about a quarter to a third of the way. This will make sure that everybody gets a fair share of the foam forming on top of the pot, without which coffee loses much of its taste. Continue heating until coffee boils again (which will be very short now that it has already boiled). Then distribute the rest of the coffee between the cups.

Since there is no filtering of coffee at any time during this process, you should wait for a few minutes before drinking your delicious Turkish coffee while the coffee grounds settle at the bottom of the cup.

Turkish Coffee

World-famous Turkish coffee (Türk kahvesi) is made by pulverizing freshly-roasted medium-roast beans in a mortar and pestle, or grinding them very fine in a cylindrical brass coffee mill (kahve değirmeni).

Here's how to order Türk kahvesi when you're in Turkey:

Sade (sah-DEH) - plain, no sugar (fairly bitter)

Az ÅŸekerli (AHZ sheh-kehr-lee) - with a little sugar (takes off the bitter edge; less than a teaspoon per cup)

Orta ÅŸekerli (ohr-TAH sheh-kehr-lee) - with medium sugar (sweetish; about a teaspoon of sugar for each cup)

Çok şekerli (CHOK sheh-kehr-lee) - with lots of sugar (quite sweet; two teaspoons of sugar or more)

Here's how to make your own Turkish coffee:

Put the coffee powder (about one teaspoon per demi-tasse cup of coffee) into a cezve (JEZZ-veh), a special pot with a wide bottom, narrower neck, a spout, and a long handle. Add sugar and a Turkish coffee cup (fıncan) of cold water for each cup of coffee you're making, then heat the brew to frothing three times. (When the froth reaches the cezve's narrow neck, it's a sign to remove the pot from the heat and let the froth recede.)

After the third froth-up, pour a bit of the froth into each cup. Bring the liquid still in the cezve to the froth-point once more, then pour it immediately, muddy grounds and all, into the Turkish coffee cups, which are smaller than demi-tasse cups.

Wait at least a minute for the grounds to settle before you pick up the tiny cup and sip. Enjoy the rich, thick flavor, but stop sipping when you taste the grounds coming through. Leave the “mud” in the bottom of the cup.

(Fortune-tellers turn the cup over on the saucer, lift off the cup, and read your future in the sloppy grounds.)

European- and American-style coffees are readily available in Turkey, and it's now possible to get a good cup of French-style or Starbucks-style brew, as well as Italianate espresso and cappuccino. Instant coffee such as Nescafé is everywhere as well.

Occasionally you may encounter the older, disappointing style of non-Turkish coffee. You may want to add milk and make it sütlü kahve (coffee-with-milk).

On the other hand, you may be better off drinking Turkish tea.

ALMOND AND RICE FLOUR CUSTARD(KESKUL)

Ingredients
2 Cups Light Cream
2 Cups Milk
1 Cup Blanched Almonds, Pulverized In A Blender Or With A Nut Grinder
3/4 Cup Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Almond Extract
1/4 Cup Rice Flour
1 Tablespoon Fresh Pomegranate Seeds
1 Tablespoon Finely Chopped Almonds
1 Tablespoon Finely Chopped Unsalted Pistachio Nuts

In a 2- to 3-quart saucepan, combine the cream, 1 1/2 cups of the milk, the ground almonds, sugar and almond extract. Bring to boil, remove the pan from the heat, cover, and let the almonds steep for 20 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve set over a bowl, pressing down hard on the almonds with the back of a spoon to extract their moisture before discarding them. Return the almond-flavored liquid to the saucepan. Dissolve the rice flour in the remaining 1/2 cup of milk, stir it into the liquid and set the pan over low heat. Stirring frequently, simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the custard thickens enough to coat the spoon lightly. Strain through a fine sieve and spoon the custard at once into 6 individual desert bowls. Chill in the refrigerator for about 1 hour. Before serving, garnish with pomegranate seeds ringed with circles of chopped almonds and pistachio nuts.

SAFFRON FLAVORED RICE PUDDING (ZERDE)

Ingredients

2 Quarts Water
1 Cup Uncooked Long-Grain White Rice, Washed And Soaked
2 Cups Sugar
8 Tablespoons Butter, Cut Into 1/2-Inch Pieces
1 1/2 Teaspoons Saffron Threads, Pulverized With A Mortar And Pestle And Dissolved In 1 Tablespoon Water
6 Tablespoons Slivered Blanched Almonds
4 Tablespoons Slivered Or Finely Chopped Unsalted Pistachios
1/2 Cup Bottled Rose Water
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
8 Whole Blanched Almonds

In a heavy 4- to 5-quart saucepan, bring the water to a boil over high heat. Stirring constantly, pour in the rice in a slow thin stream. Reduce the heat to the lowest possible point and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Stir in the sugar, then add the butter and the saffron mixture and continue stirring over low heat until the sugar has dissolved, the butter has melted, and the rice is bright yellow. Stir in the slivered almonds, and 1 tablespoon of the pistachios and, stirring frequently, cook for 30 minutes more, or until the mixture is thick enough to hold its shape almost solidly in the spoon. Stir in the rose water and ladle the mixture into a large heatproof serving bowl, spread it out evenly with a spatula and sprinkle the top with two thin crossing lines of cinnamon to divide it into quarters. Sprinkle each quarter with the remaining 3 tablespoons of pistachio nuts and decorate with the whole almonds. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until the pudding is thoroughly chilled and firm. Serve directly from the bowl.

Turkish Baklava 2

Ingredients
3/4 Pound Butter (3 Quarter-Pound Sticks) Cut Into 1/4.Inch Bits
1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
40 Sheets File Pastry, Each About 16 inches Long And 12 Inches Wide, Thoroughly Defrosted If Frozen
4 Cups Shelled Pistachio Pulverized In A Blender Or With A Nut Grinder

Clarify the butter in a heavy saucepan or skillet in the following fashion: Melt the butter slowly over low heat without letting it get brown, skimming off the foam as it rises to the surface. Remove the pan from the heat, let it rest for 2 or 3 minutes, then spoon off the clear butter and discard the milky solids at the bottom of the pan.
Preheat the oven to 350 degree and stir the vegetable oil into the clarified butter. Using a pastry brush coat the bottom and sides of a 13-by-9-by-2 1/2inch baking dish with about 1 tablespoon of the mixture.
Fold a sheet of filo in half crosswise, lift it up gently and unfold it into the prepared dish. Press the pastry flat, fold down the excess around the sides and flatten it against the bottom. Brush the entire surface of the pastry lightly with the butter and oil mixture, and lay another sheet of filo on top, folding it down and buttering it in similar fashion. Sprinkle the pastry evenly with about 3 tablespoons of pistachio.
Repeat the same procedure using two sheets of buttered file and 3 tablespoons of the pulverized pistachio each time to make 19 layers in all. Spread remaining 2 sheets of filo on top and brush the baklava with all of the remaining butter and oil mixture.
With a small, sharp knife score the top of the pastry with parallel diagonal lines about 1/2 inch deep and 2 inches apart, then cross them diagonally to form diamond shapes. Bake in the middle of the oven for 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to 300 degree and bake for 45 minutes longer, or until the top is crisp and golden brown.
SYRUP :
1 1/2 cups sugar, 3/4 cup water, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon honey. Meanwhile, make the syrup. Combine the sugar, water and lemon juice in a small saucepan and, stirring constantly, cook over moderate heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to high and, timing it from the moment the syrup boils, cook briskly, uncovered, for about 5 minutes, or until the syrup reaches a temperature of 220 degree on a candy thermometer. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the honey. Pour the syrup into a bowl or pitcher and set it aside.
When the baklava is done, remove it from the oven and pour the syrup over it. Cool to room temperature, and just before serving, cut the baklava into diamond-shaped serving pieces

Muhallebi

Ingredients
½ Cup Rice Flour
4 Cup Milk
6 Table Spoon Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract.

Dissolve rice flour in 1 cup of milk. In a 2-3 quart saucepan combine the remaining 3 cup of milk and sugar and bring to boil over high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Reduce the heat to low, add the dissolved rice flour , stirring constantly. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Stir in the vanilla then pour the Muhallebi into small individual dessert bowls. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Turkish iskender kebab recipe

Ingredients

* 4 pita bread rounds
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - chopped
* 2 medium onion, chopped
* 1 clove garlic, minced
* 1 (10.75 ounce) can tomato puree
* ground cumin to taste
* salt to taste
* ground black pepper to taste
* 1/2 cup butter, melted
* 1 cup Greek yogurt
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Arrange pita bread on a baking sheet, and lightly toast in the oven. Cut pita bread into bite-size pieces, and keep warm.
2. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the chicken, onion, and garlic, and cook until chicken juices run clear. Mix in tomato puree. Season with cumin, salt, and pepper. Continue cooking 10 minutes.
3. Arrange pita pieces in a serving dish. Drizzle with butter, and top with the chicken mixture. Garnish with yogurt and parsley to serve.

Best Turkish Kebab Recipe

Ingredients

* 6 almonds
* 6 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
* 8 cloves garlic
* 1 inch piece fresh ginger root, peeled
* 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
* salt to taste
* 1 lemon, juiced
* 1/2 cup heavy cream
* 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
* 2 tablespoons butter


Directions

1. Place almonds in a small bowl and cover with water. Allow to soak for 15 to 20 minutes; drain. Place almonds, peppers, garlic, ginger, and cilantro into the bowl of a food processor; blend until smooth. Season with salt, and blend in lemon juice. Blend in cream.
2. Transfer mixture to a large, non metallic bowl. Place chicken in bowl, and turn to coat. Cover, and marinate in refrigerator for 24 hours.
3. Preheat grill for high heat, and lightly oil grate. Remove meat from marinade, and thread onto skewers.
4. Brush meat with butter, and arrange skewers on hot grate. Slowly cook the chicken until cooked through.

FLOUR SOUP

FLOUR SOUP

Ingredients
8 cups Meat Stock
6 tb Butter
3/4 cups Flour
2 teaspoons Salt
1/3 teaspoons Paprika
Melt 4 tbs of butter in a saucepan. Add flour and lightly brown it. Slowly add the meat stock, stirring constantly, to have a smooth cream. Cover and let simmer for 15 minutes.Heat 2 tbs of butter. Add paprika and pour over the soup.

WHEAT SOUP

WHEAT SOUP

Ingredients
Tomato................4 small size
Green Pepper........3 medium size
Onion.....................2 medium size
Butter....................4 tablespoon
Tomatoe paste......1 tablespoon
Water.....................5 cups
Salt.........................2 teaspoon
Bulgur ....................3/4 cup

Saute chopped onions in butter for 7-8 minutes until tender crisp. Add tomato paste salt and water, stir. Bring to boil. Add peeled and cubed tomatoes, chopped green peppers and bulgur, mixing well. Simmer for 20 minutes. Serve hot.

STRING BEANS SOUP

Ingredients
String Beans....... 1 cup
Tomatoe.............. 1 medium size
Onion................... 1 medium size
Butter .................. 4 tablespoon
Water................... 4 cup
Salt........................2 teaspoon
Flour......................5 tablespoon
Yogurt...................1 1/2 cup
Egg........................1 ea

Saute chopped onion in melted margarine for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add diced tomato stirring well. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add water; stir. Season with salt. Bring to boil. Stir in diced or chopped beans. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until beans are tender. Combine yogurt, flour and slightly beaten egg in a bowl mixing well. Blend in soup gradually, stirring constantly. Simmer gently for 10 minutes. Serve hot.

FARMER'S SOUP

Ingredients
Chicken wing......... 2 pieces
Chicken neck.........1 piece
Water..................... 6 cups
Salt..........................2 teaspoon
Leek........................1 medium size
Potatoe....................2 medium size
Celery......................1 small size
Carrot......................1 medium size
Turnip......................1 small size
Flour.........................1 tablespoon
Margarine................3 tablespoons
Black Pepper............1 teaspoon

Simmer chicken parts in water for 30 minutes or until tender. Remove from liquid; drain. Bone and dice. Set aside. Pare carrots and potatoes. Dice all vegetables. Saute in melted margarine for 10 minutes, until tender, in a large saucepan, stirring occasionally. Stir in flour and mix well. Add broth and diced chicken stirring thoroughly. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Simmer for 30 minutes. Serve hot.

MUSHROOM SOUP WITH YOGHURT

Ingredients
Mushrooms.........8-12 pieces
Water...................4 1/2 cup
Salt.......................2 teaspoon
Flour.....................1/2 cup
Yogurt...................1 1/2 cup
Garlic....................2 cloves
Butter ..................4 tablespoon
Red pepper..........1/2 teaspoon

Cut mushrooms into quarters. Place water in a saucepan. Bring to boil. Add mushrooms into boiling water. Reduce heat. Simmer for 30-35 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Combine yogurt and flour blending well. Stir in mushrooms gradually and stirring constantly. Reduce heat.Season with salt. Simmer gently for 10 minutes. Add crushed garlic; mix. Melt margarine in a skillet. Stir in red pepper; mix. Sprinkle over soup. Serve hot.

POTATO SOUP

Ingredients
Potato................ 6 small size
Tomatoe paste....1 tablespoon
Water..................6 cups
Salt......................2 teaspoon
Butter .................4 tablespoon
Mint....................1 tablespoon
Red pepper.........1/2 teaspoon

Boil potatoes until tender. Peel and mash while still hot .Combine tomato paste and mashed potatoes. Add water gradually stirring well. Season with salt. Bring to boil. Reduce heat. Simmer for 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Melt butter in a skillet. Add crushed mint and red pepper; stir. Sprinkle over soup. Serve hot.

CHICKEN SOUP WITH VERMICELLI

Ingredients
Chicken breast (cooked ).......... 1 cup
Chicken broth............................ 1 cup
Water......................................... 5 cups
Margarine.................................. 3 tablespoon
Tomatoe paste........................... 1 tablespoon
Salt............................................. 2 teaspoon
Vermicelli................................... 1/2 cup
Parsley ....................................... 3-4 sprigs
Lemon juice................................. 3 tablespoon

Combine thinly minced chicken breasts, broth, water,tomato paste, salt and margarine in a saucepan. Bring to boil. Add vermicelli to boiling mixture. Cook over low heat for 15-20 minutes or until vermicelli is tender. Stir in minced parsley and lemon juice before serving. Serve hot.

THIMBLE SOUP

Ingredients
Chickpeas.......... 1/3 cup
Water................. 7 cup
Flour................... 1 cup
Salt..................... 2 1/2 teaspoon
Egg..................... 1/2 piece
Ground Meat...... 1/2 cup
Black Pepper.......1/4 teaspoon
Oil.........................1 tablespoon
Tomatoe paste......2 tablespoon
Margarine.............3 tablespoon
Mint.......................1 tablespoon
Lemon juice............3 tablespoon

Soak chickpeas overnight with 1 cup of water. Cook in a pressure cooker with 1 cup of water for 40 minutes, or until tender. Set aside. Reserve 2-3 tablespoons of flour. Sift rest with salt. Make a hole in center. Add egg and 3 tablespoons of water to make a medium stiff dough. Knead for 2-3 minutes shaping into a ball. Let stand for 5 minutes. Roll out into 1 mm thick circle. Cut into small circles 1 1/2 cm (3/4 inch) in diameter with a thimble. Cover and set aside. Combine ground meat, salt and black pepper mixing well. Shape into marble sized balls. Brown in heated oil on both sides in a non-stick pan, shaking occasionally. Heat chickpeas over low heat. Add diluted tomato paste, salt and hot water mixing well. Bring to boil. Stir in round noodles blending well. Reduce heat. Simmer for 10 minutes or until noodles are tender but firm. Add meat balls and lemon juice, stirring well. Simmer gently for 5 minutes. Melt margarine in a skillet. Stir in crushed mint; mix. Sprinkle over soup before serving. Serve hot.

TRIPE SOUP

Ingredients
Flour.................3 tablespoons
Margarine........3 tablespoons
Water................6 cups
Salt....................2 teaspoons
Tripe .................1 cup (cleaned and pre-cooked)
Vinegar..............½ cup
Garlic.................4 cloves

Put flour in a saucepan and lightly brown with the margarine, add water and salt, stir and leave to boil. Chop the tripe into 1 centimeter cubes, add to the boiling mixture and cook for 10 minutes. Peel, wash and crush garlic, mix with vinegar and either add to the soup or serve seperately.

VEGETABLE SOUP

Ingredients
Water (hot)......... 5 cups
Celery leaves...... 3 - 4
Chard leaves....... 1 ea.
Parsley............... 3 - 4 sprigs
Potatoes............. 2 small size
Carrots................ 1 small size
Rice.................... 1/8 cup
Salt..................... 2 teaspoons
Black pepper........1/3 teaspoon
Flour.................... 2 tablespoons
Butter ..................2 tablespoons
Onion................... 1 medium size
Egg...................... 1 ea.
Milk......................1 cup

Peel the onion, wash and chop finely and place in a saucepan together with the butter or margarine, cover and sautè for 3-4 minutes over low heat, stirring. Add the flour and brown lightly. Add water, blend well and leave to boil. Wash the other vegetables, chop them finely. Pare and grate the potatoes and carrot. Wash the rice. Add vegetables, rice and salt to the boiling mixture. Simmer for 35 - 40 minutes until really tender. Pass through sieve or food processor, add black pepper, stir and replace over the heat. In a seperate dish beat the egg well with milk, add a couple of spoons from the hot soup to warm it and very gradually add this egg-milk mixture to the pot, stirring constantly, bring to boil and turn off the heat.

YOGHURT SOUP

YOGHURT SOUP

Ingredients
Rice......... 1/3 cup
Water...... .4 cups
Salt.......... 2 teaspoons
Flour......... 3 tablespoons
Yogurt.......1 2/3 cups
Egg........... 1 ea.
Butter........4 tablespoons
Mint...........1 ½ tablespoons

Wash the rice and place in a saucepan together with water and salt and cook for about 30 minutes, until tender. Blend the flour into yogurt in a seperate dish, break in the egg, mix and warm the mixture by adding a couple of spoonfulls of the hot soup. Gradually add the yogurt mix to the saucepan, stirring continously and keep stirring until it comes to boil and then cook for 10 minutes. Melt butter or margarine in a pan, add mint, stir a couple of times and remove from heat and slowly sprinkle over the soup.

ADANA SOUP

ADANA SOUP

Ingredients:
5 glasses of Meat Broth
150 gr. Minced Meat
50 gr. Chick Peas
1 large Tomato(or 1 tablespoon salt-free tomato paste)
2 tablespoons Vinegar
2 tablespoons Thyme
1 tablespoon Salt- Black Pepper

Soak chick peas in water overnight and boil them next morning. Peel and grate the tomato. Put chick peas, meat broth, grated tomato(or the tomato paste) and 1/2 teaspoon of salt into the saucepan and bring to boil. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and black pepper to minced meat and knead it. Make small meatballs ,add them to the boiling soup. Let the soup simmer for 20 minutes more. Remove saucepan from heat, add vinegar and, if desired, thyme, and stir before serving.

RED LENTIL SOUP

RED LENTIL SOUP

Ingredients:
1 glass of Red Lentils
4 glasses of Broth
1 glass of Water
1 tablespoon of Flour
1 Onion -1 Carrot
1 tablespoon Butter
4 slices of White Bread
2 Egg Yolks -1 Glass of Milk
Salt

Chop the onion, put into a saucepan with 1 tablespoon of butter and saute. When onion is almost sauteed add flour and mix well. Wash the lentils, chop the carrot and put them in the saucepan. Pour the broth and water into the saucepan, add salt to taste and boil the soup for 30 minutes until the lentils are softened. Strain the soup and pour it back into the same saucepan. Bring to boil. Meanwhile blend egg yolks and milk well in a bowl and add to the soup. Remove saucepan from heat after a couple of minutes. The soup is now ready to serve.
Cut 4 slices of white bread into cubes. Fry bread in a pan with 2 tablespoons of butter. Drain off the butter and put the bread cubes (croutons) on the soup.