Nahid Tabassum feasts on the finest Turkish dishes at Istanbul Restaurant Dhaka
Photographs by Din M Shibly
The Sous Chef, Ali Gunes has been preparing Turkish treasures for almost 47 years. Steaming fresh from the oven, he plates up the most exquisite meals to die for. Here are some of their praiseworthy dishes that you can try at home.
Charcoal 3 Feet Pizza
Ingredients
100 gm sliced tomatoes
50 gm chopped capsicums
3 sliced button mushrooms
1 chopped eggplant
100 gm mozzarella cheese
20 gm tomato sauce
Mix the following to prepare the pizza dough
200 gm flour
10 gm sugar
Salt according to taste
5 gm yeast
Water as required
Preparation
Roll the dough and give it a round shape for your oven (as the 3 feet long bread would not fit in your oven). Spread the tomato sauce, all the vegetables one by one and lastly sprinkle grated mozzarella cheese generously. Bake it in the oven for 15 mintutes in 220C temperature and serve it hot.
Doner Kebab
Ingredients
Mix the following and marinate overnight
½ kg ground lamb
½ kg ground beef
Salt according to taste
1 chopped onion
Mix the following and marinate overnight.
250 gm thin slices of boneless lamb
250 gm thin slices of boneless beef
Salt according to taste
1 chopped onion
100 gm sour yogurt
100 gm oil
¼ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp cumin powder
Preparation
Make small balls of the marinated ground meat. Prepare the grilling rod by putting a meat ball and sliced meat one after the other. Cut the extras on the sides and give it a nice shape. A doner oven is the best way to go while making the doner kebab. For regular ovens, set the temperature to 2200-2500C and grill for 5-10 minutes. The grill cooks the meat slowly on the sides. Make thin slices from the slices as it cooks and put it back in the oven for another 5-10 minutes. Serve it hot with bread.
Chicken Testy Kebab
Ingredients
350 gm medium sliced boneless chicken
7 chopped onions
2 chopped capsicums
250 gm chopped tomatoes
7 pcs chopped garlic
1 tbsp chopped mint leaves
1 tbsp thyme
1 tbsp red chilli powder
50 gm tomato paste
250 ml water
Salt according to taste
Preparation
Mix all the ingredients and put them in a Testy Pot (you can also use a strong clay bowl) and seal the opening of the bowl with an aluminium foil. Set the temperature of the oven to 1800C and bake it for 2 hrs. Serve it hot with bread.
Chicken Ottoman Rice
Ingredients
300 gm boneless chicken
4 eggs
1 kg basmati rice
250 gm peanut
250 gm raisin
250 gm powder milk
110 gm butter
250 gm sour yoghurt
50 gm black pepper
Salt according to taste
Water as per required
1 kg flour
Preparation
Boil the rice, drain the water and keep aside. Make dough adding flour and water. Spread some peanuts on a small brass bowl and coat the bowl with the dough evenly. Mix the chicken with yoghurt, raisins, black pepper, salt, powder milk, butter and eggs. Place rice at the bottom then the mixture and repeat until the bowl is filled. Seal the bowl with the dough and place it in the oven. Set the temperature to 1800C and cook it for 25/30 minutes. Crack the dough open and serve it hot.
Baklava
Ingredients
700 gm flour
1.5 kg sugar
300 gm ground pistachio
800 gm butter
400 gm corn flour
100 gm powder milk
4 eggs
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 tsp lemon juice
Preparation
Mix flour, eggs, baking powder, powder milk, vanilla essence and water to make soft dough. Let it rest for 20 minutes. Make 20 small pieces of the dough and roll them as thin as paper. Make big rectangle pieces according to your baking tray size. Spread butter on the baking tray and place the sheets one after the other. After placing 10 sheets put the ground pistachio and place the other 10 sheets on the top. Set upper temperature on 150◦C and lower temperature on 1800 C to ensure a brown crust at the bottom and bake for 1 hr 30 minutes. To prepare the sugar syrup add sugar, 1 litre water and lemon juice and boil until it has a thick, sticky consistency. Pour the sugar syrup on the tray while hot. Let it sit for a while, garnish with ground pistachio then serve.
Kunafe
Ingredients
100 gm thin vermicelli
60 gm unsalted cheese
1/2 tsp tomato paste
10 gm butter
80 gm sugar syrup
30 gm water
2 tsp ground pistachio
Preparation
Mix vermicelli and butter. Spread tomato paste and butter on a small baking pan. Then put a layer of vermicelli and a layer of cheese on top and repeat thrice. Press it down using your hands to fill up the gaps in between. Bake it in the oven for 20 minutes in 1800C temperature. To prepare the sugar syrup add ½ kg sugar, 1l water and ½ tsp lemon juice, and boil until the it has a thick, stick consistent. Pour the sugar syrup on the pan while hot. Garnish with ground pistachio and relish.