Keşkek & caçik
Ke kek & caçik
There are echoes of biryani in this lamb and bulgur dish. Our recipe for gözleme, a type of flatbread to pair with it, is below.
Caçik is a dip, similar to tzatziki.
SERVES 4 PREP 20 mins
COOK 1 hr 20 mins EASY
600g lamb neck illet, cut into
bite-sized pieces
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cinnamon stick
2 onions, inely chopped
70g butter
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chilli lakes
120g bulgur wheat
1 lemon, juiced plus wedges
to serve
1 cucumber, grated
200g full-fat natural yogurt 400g can chickpeas, drained 1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp Turkish pepper paste 4 tomatoes, inely chopped bunch of mint or parsley, leaves
picked and inely chopped
1 tsp sumac small handful of walnuts, roughly
chopped
1 Mix the lamb in a bowl with
1/2 tsp salt, the olive oil and the cinnamon. Fry most of the onions in 40g of the butter for 10 mins, or until soft and golden, in a large saucepan. Add the lamb, ground cumin, 1/2 tsp chilli flakes and another 1/2 tsp salt and cook for 10 mins, or until the lamb is brown. 2 Add 1 litre of water and the bulgur wheat, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and gently simmer, partially covered, for 40 mins, stirring from time to time, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the meat is tender.
3 Mix the remaining onion with a big pinch of salt and the lemon juice and leave at room temperature. Mix the grated cucumber with the yogurt, then set aside.
4 Add the chickpeas to the bulgur wheat and warm through for 5 mins, then remove the cinnamon stick. Fry the cumin seeds and remaining chilli flakes in a separate small pan with the remaining butter and pepper paste for 2 mins until the butter has taken on the colour of the pepper and the cumin seeds have darkened. Spoon the spiced butter into the pan with the lamb, chickpeas and bulgur. 5 To make the salad, seed and finely chop the remaining cucumber half. Add to a bowl with the salted onions, tomatoes, mint or parsley, sumac and walnuts, and mix together. Serve with the gözleme (see below), the caçik, ke kek, and the remaining lemon wedges on the side.
GOOD TO KNOW calcium • ibre • iron • 3 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 815 kcals • fat 51g • saturates 22g • carbs 44g • sugars 12g • ibre 9g • protein 39g • salt 1.9g
Gözleme
SERVES 4 PREP 1 hr plus 30 mins proving COOK 30 mins EASY V 1 tsp dried active yeast
1 tsp golden caster sugar
20g butter
1 leek or 2 spring onions, thinly sliced 100g halloumi or feta, coarsely
grated or crumbled
3 tsp dried mint
1 tsp sumac
250g plain lour or strong white bread
lour, plus extra for dusting 50g full-fat natural yogurt
2 tbsp white or black sesame seeds 4 tsp Turkish pepper paste
1 Stir the yeast and sugar into 120ml warm water, then set side. Heat the butter in a pan over a low heat and fry the leeks with a pinch of salt for 10 mins, or until softened. Add the halloumi with 2 tsp of the dried mint and the sumac, and set aside.
2 Add the yeast mixture to the flour, along with the yogurt, sesame seeds and 1/2 tsp salt. Knead on a floured surface for 2 mins to a smooth soft dough (add more flour if the dough is too sticky and di cult to handle), then cover and leave to rest in a warm place for about 30 mins.
3 Divide the dough into four pieces. Roll a piece out on a floured surface into a large oval, about 2-3mm thick and 30cm long. Smear the bottom half of the oval with 1 tsp of Turkish pepper paste, leaving a 1cm gap around the edge. Spread 1/4 of the leek mixture over the pepper paste, then fold the uncovered side of the bread over and seal the sides (trying to expel any air). Roll again, lightly, to about 3mm thick and 20cm long. Repeat with the other three pieces. 4 Heat a large, non-stick frying pan on a high heat and dry-fry the dough for 2-3 mins, or until the top starts to bubble and pu up, then flip and cook until it’s beginning to char slightly in patches on the other side. Repeat with the remaining dough pieces, then wrap them in foil to keep them warm until you’re ready to serve.
GOOD TO KNOW calcium • folate
PER SERVING 410 kcals • fat 14g • saturates 8g • carbs 53g • sugars 4g • ibre 4g • protein 15g • salt 1.7g
There are echoes of biryani in ke kek, a lamb and bulgur dish