Sautéed Mushrooms – Not your usual kind
I love love mushrooms. I am a mushroom lover in the family. Kid are not big fans. Sadly, albeit my numerous experiments and attempts to fancy up kid-friendly mushroom dishes [...]
Turkish Bulgur Salad (Kisir)
I have to be punished. I disappeared for the longest time again. Consider this a lame excuse, but I have been trying to adjust to my new life with a [...]
Roasted Zucchini Salad with Garlicky Yogurt Dressing
I first tried this salad that originates in the Aegean regions of Turkiye at my dear friend Canan’s house many years ago. I was hooked. A subtle sweetness of roasted zucchini, good [...]
Hummus
Hummus, the Middle Eastern delight. I love it. Long before I found out hummus was super easy to make, I bought it from stores. Some were delicious, others we not. [...]
Fresh Herb Kükü (Goyerti Kyukyusu)
This is fresh herb kükü served in Baku’s Carvansarai Restaurant.
In Azerbaijan, kükü (read: kyukyu) is the general name given to dishes in which main ingredients - vegetables, herbs, meat, or [...]
Roasted Vegetables Baked in Golden Batter
Come spring and summer, I crave colorful and bright dishes incorporating all sorts of vegetables. This dish is abundant with them, all bursting with color. Here, red peppers, yellow peppers, [...]
Chicken Salad with Celery in Yogurt Dressing
This is one of my favorite salads from Turkish cuisine. I love how the tender chicken breast pairs with crunchy celery, cucumber, and walnuts. I also love the fact that [...]
Ukrainian Cabbage Salad
Come warm days, I crave vegetable salads more than anything else. The lighter the salad, the better. Although at times I don’t mind going for substantial and filling ones. This [...]
Wheat Berry Salad with Roasted Vegetables
The inspiration for this salad comes from kisir, my favorite Turkish salad, made of bulgur, fresh vegetables and lots of fresh herbs. In my salad, I roasted the vegetables and [...]
Olive-Walnut-Pomegranate Medley (Zeytun Perverde)
The recipe for zeytun perverde, a delectable Persian appetizer made of green olives, walnuts, and pomegranate arils, comes from my dear friend Nahid’s mom, aunt Khedije, an exceptional cook of [...]
