Şakşuka
Eggplant Salad with Tomato Sauce

Ingredients
2 Eggplant, diced
2-3 Long green peppers, de-seeded, sliced
3 Tomatoes, grated
1 tbsp. Tomato paste
2-3 cloves Garlic, sliced thinly
2-3 tbsp. Olive oil
Oil for frying

Instructions
Heat the oil and fry the peppers and eggplant. Remove from the oil once softened onto a plate with paper towel. In a pan, sauté the garlic in olive oil until slightly softened, then add the tomato paste and grated tomato. Cook until the sauce is thickened. Take off the heat and let it cool to room temperature. Place the peppers and eggplants on a serving platter and serve with tomato sauce on top.

Yeşil Mercimek Salatası
Green Lentil Salad

Ingredients
2 cups Green lentils, boiled
1 cup Walnut meat, finely chopped
1 bunch Parsley, finely chopped
1 bunch Dill, finely chopped
4-5 Scallions, finely sliced
2 Lemon, juiced
¼ cup Olive oil
1 tsp. Salt
 ½ tsp. Black pepper

Instructions
Combine lentils, walnuts, parsley, dill and scallions in a large bowl. In a small bowl whisk lemon juice with olive oil, then add salt and pepper to make the dressing. Pour the dressing over the lentils and mix well. Keep in the fridge for about 1-2 hours before service.

Havuç ve Kabak Borani
Carrots and Zucchini with Yoghurt

Ingredients
2 Carrots, grated
2 Zucchini, grated
1 cup Strained yoghurt*
2 cloves of Garlic, minced
2 tbsp. Olive oil
1 tsp. Salt (optional)

Instructions
Sauté the carrots and zucchini in olive oil until slightly softened. Take off the heat and let them cool. Then place in a large bowl together with yoghurt, garlic and salt if using. Mix and serve.
*If you can’t find thick yoghurt, place 2 cups of yoghurt in cheesecloth and hang in your fridge over a bowl, and keep overnight. The next morning you will be left with strained yoghurt inside the cheesecloth.

Muhammara
Red Pepper Paste with Walnuts

Ingredients
3-4 slices of white stale bread; crusts removed and soaked
2 ½ tbsp. Red pepper paste
1 tbsp. Tomato paste
½ cup Walnut meat, finely chopped
 ¼ cup Olive oil
1 tsp. Salt
½ tsp. Black pepper
½ tsp. Cumin

Instructions
Crumble the bread crumbs into a bowl; add rest of the ingredients and mix until combined. (You may use a food processor to prepare this paste. Just add all the ingredients, except olive oil and pulse, while adding the olive oil slowly until it resembles a thick red paste).  Serve in a bowl or use an ice cream scoop to make balls and serve on a plate. Drizzle some olive oil on top and serve with toast or crackers.

Kereviz Salatası
Celeriac Salad

Ingredients
2 Celeriac, medium size, peeled and grated
½ cup Walnut meat, finely chopped
1 cup Strained yoghurt*
2 cloves of Garlic, minced

Instructions
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Keep in the fridge for 1-2 hours before service.
*If you can’t find thick yoghurt, place 2 cups of yoghurt in cheesecloth and hang in your fridge over a bowl, and keep overnight. The next morning you will be left with strained yoghurt inside the cheesecloth.