Turkish Red Lentil Soup (Kırmızı Mercimek Çorbası)

While we were in Turkey, we had Lentil Soup almost everyday at least for the first week. So we have had our fair share of some good and bad ones. Luckily there were more good than bad so we enjoyed them thoroughly. Now that holiday in Turkey is over, I am missing this daily soup surge. The only way to overcome this craving is to make it at home. So here is an adapted version of Ozlem's recipe.

Turkish Red Lentil Soup

Adapted from Ozlem's Turkish Table
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 onion (finely chopped)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 300g split red lentils, washed
• 2 tbs bulgur wheat
• 2 cube chicken/ vegetable bouillon
• 2 litre water
• 3 tbs tomato paste
• 20g butter
• 3 tsp dried mint
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp dried red pepper flakes
• freshly ground pepper and salt to taste

    Serve with:

• dried red pepper flakes (for those who like it spicier)
• drizzle of olive oil 
• quartered lemon wedges
• bread (optional)

Method:

1.  Sweat the onions with olive oil until soft.
2.  Add in the red lentils, water and chicken (or vegetable) bouillon and bring to boil.
3.  Turn the heat down and simmer gently for about 30 minutes until lentils are soft.
4.  Stir in the tomato paste, dried mint, pepper flakes and butter and simmer until creamy.
5.  Season with salt and pepper. Serve in a bowl and drizzle some olive oil and dried red pepper flakes.

3.  Serve hot with lemon wedges.

Tips:

• The soup will thicken when cool. So add some water and reheat to thin the soup. 

Nutritional Analysis:

• Low in cholesterol
• Very high in dietary fiber
• High in manganese
• High in thiamin
• Very high in vitamin B6

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Pomegranate Juice in Turkey and its benefits

Pomegranate is everywhere in Turkey. It is almost impossible to walk along a street without coming across any shops, stalls or vendors selling Pomegranate fruits or juice. Pomegranate is also known for its many benefits. For starters, it contains the maximum amount of anti-oxidant in comparison to other fruits, at about 3 times more than green tea. This beautifully red seeded fruit can be used to heal ulcers or diarrhoea. It also provides protection from diabetes, heart diseases and some types of cancer.

So while any of you are ever in Turkey, pile on those pomegranate juice, like we did! You can get dried pomegranate too, to be made into pomegranate tea.

Pomegranate and citrus juice vendor

Yes, we were piling on those pomegranate juice! They were so fresh and naturally sweet too!

You may also like:

Karafirin

Halloumi, Fig & Pomegranate Salad

First night in Istanbul

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Kese from Jennifers Hamam

When I went to Turkey for holiday, all I wanted was to come back with a good quality kese and I did! It was the first shop I found out of coincidence without even having done prior research on where to get the best kese in Turkey. But I did not buy it the first time. I was just shopping around until I find a good one. Some shops sell those made with cotton or synthetic material which were a lot cheaper but those that were made with natural fibres like mohair or silk were very expensive in most Bazaars. Most of them sold were only one colour, off-white.

So naturally, I went back to this particular shop, Jennifer's Hamam at Arasta Bazaar to stock up on these quality kese for my family at a reasonable price. This is a lovely shop selling towels, pestamel, robes, kese, bed linens and other hamam products.

What is kese?

Kese is an exfoliating washcloth in the form of a mitt used in hamam (Turksih baths) to remove dead skin cells from the body to soften the skin, helps skin breathe and generate new cells. Using a kese will also help improve blood circulation.

This photo of Jennifer's Hamam is courtesy of TripAdvisor

Jennifer's Hamam

At Jennifer's Hamam, all the textiles uses Turkish fibres and crafted by Turkish Artisans. They are also woven on old-style shuttle looms which means that the weave is made with one continuous cross thread creating a self-edge that cannot fray. Shuttle looming is a more time-consuming process which produces a tighter weave and better quality fabric that lasts.

All of the kese sold in Jennifer's Hamam are made from natural and organic materials such as goat hair, tree bark, wool, bamboo, lamb's wool and silk. There are many different kese for different skin types, each are a combination of either two or one of the materials mentioned above. 

What I like about the kese here is the natural and organic material used and all are beautifully crafted. Better yet, they come in many colours which makes it perfect for gifts especially for family members or couples who share the same bathroom, the colour is great to differentiate which is whose. Like toothbrush or towels, you wouldn't want to share it with someone else for health and hygiene purpose.

How to choose a kese?

As mentioned above, there are many types of kese available with different grade of roughness made with various fibres. When choosing a suitable kese for yourself or for friends and family, do consider their skin types.

Be careful when choosing kese as there are many imitation that uses synthetic material. A good kese will harden and shrink slightly when wet so it can function to exfoliate. Please do not buy those that softens when in contact with water.

Use and care for your kese

Proper care of your kese will make it last for 3 to 5 years and as recommended, use it once every 7-15 days. Kese is best used in a hot and steamy environment when your skin is moist and sweaty. Use it before applying soap when your body is wet with hot water. Put your hand in the mitt and use long and slow, up and down strokes on your skin then rinse off the dead skin cells.

After use, rinse with very hot water and hang dry. Do not use detergent or put in the washing machine as it will shorten the life of your kese.

Happy exfoliating!!

Jennifer's Hamam

Arasta Bazaar No.135
Sultanahmet, Fatih
34400 Istanbul, Turkey

Tel: +90 212 518 0648

*Reviews of Jennifer's Hamam on Tripadvisor

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Karafirin | Istanbul

On our first night after a not so great dinner, we found a gem of a cafe. Karafirin in Sultanahmet has only been opened for about five months and I was glad we walked by it as it really made my night. After a tiring flight and not so great dinner, a good cup of tea and some indulgent desserts was the only way to make a girl smile.

We were immediately captured by the exterior of this cafe, with warm lighting and many attractive cakes staring at us with those puppy dog eyes asking us to eat them. How could we say no to that. There were cakes, cookies and Turkish desserts on both left and right side as we enter. They made it so difficult for us to focus. All of them looked good and really, there were too many to choose from. 

It was such a warm and inviting cafe that even children felt comfortable exploring about.

As we entered, on the left was a glass cabinet filled with muffins and little almond cakes.

Then further up were more cakes, cookies and meringues covered in glass cloches.

And on the right side, next to the counter were lots various Turkish desserts including baklava.

Then further up were where the French patisserie were beautifully displayed.

Don't they look pretty as a picture!?

As it was only few days left before Christmas, they even sold adorable Christmas stockings and cute little packed edible gifts as stocking fillers.

How so cosy and warm the interior was that it was perfect to chill and relax.

I was told that the phrase on the wall means something like 'Let's have tea..' since tea is part of the Turkish culture.

This was what we tried. The almond cookies, pastry encased coconut chocolate filling and the last one was our favourite chocolate and coconut ball.

While we were sat enjoying our Turkish tea and Turkish coffee accompanied with those cute little sweets, we noticed an oddly placed door which seemed a little difficult to reach. There was even a painted sign on the wall that says it's a 'Secret Gate'. Curious as a cat, I finally found out where that door leads to. It was not an entrance to Narnia nor was it to Hogwarts. The manager told me it was to their store room filled with candies and chocolate!! I don't know about you, but that's one great door to enter.

Smile..

A charming cafe with lots of attractive and good desserts, accompanied with friendly service.

Frown..

Nothing to frown about.

Will I return?

Yes, we were meant to try more desserts the next time but did not have enough time. So maybe the next trip to Istanbul.

Karafirin

Cankurtan Mah.
Akbiyik Cd. No.56
Sultanahmet, Fatih
Istanbul, Turkey

Tel: +90 212 518 5000

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Halloumi, Fig and Pomegranate Salad

Fresh figs has slowly become one of my favourite fruits. It's easy to eat, with no seeds and no peeling. Since figs are still in season, why not make full use of it to make a refreshing and easy to make salad. There's nothing complicated about this dish. The only cooking involved is grilling or pan-frying the halloumi slices. So if you are too busy at work and have no mood to cook a full on hot meal, this will be a good option. Cut, grill, toss, plate and eat. Simple.

Halloumi, Fig and Pomegranate Salad 

Serves 1

Ingredients:

• 125g haloumi (sliced)
• 2 figs (quartered)
• 1/2 orange
• juice of 1/2 a lemon
• pomegranate
• salad leaves
• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 handful of mint leaves
• honey

Methods:

1. Segment half of an orange and reserve its juice in a bowl.
2. Quarter the figs and remove the pomegranate seeds from the fruit.
3. Squeeze the juice from half a lemon into the bowl with orange juice.
4. Pour a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil and mix.
5. Slice the mint leaves and save some whole leaves for garnish.
6. Grill the halloumi slices and set aside.
7. Place the sliced mint leaves and salad into the bowl with dressing.
8. Toss until salad leaves are coated with dressing.
9. Transfer dressed salad on to a plate, arrange the quartered figs and segments of oranges on the plate.
10. Drizzle some honey over the salad.
11. Sprinkle the pomegranate seeds over the salad and garnish with a few mint leaves.

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