The Perfect Pilav

 

Turkish food, need I say more. Turkish cuisine plays major importance in Turkish culture and customs, once you are served food you will hear the words 'Afiyet Olsun' which echos the Italian saying 'Bon Appetit!' literally meaning enjoy your meal, and this is said by the Turks with genuine affection as they really want you to savour and enjoy every mouthful. Sharing food in Turkey is a big act of being generous and looking after those around them, followed by doing good deeds in the eyes of their religion, and plays a great importance to Turkish culture and customs.

When I first was welcomed into my husbands family one of the first words I learnt was 'Ye, ye', meaning eat eat! They literally want you to eat and it pleases them to see you enjoying the food they have prepared, so if you're becoming apart of a Turkish family then be prepared to bring your appetite. 

So a staple in Turkish cuisine I would say is rice (pilav). It is served with many dishes such as kebabs, salads, and stews. As a young girl, I have to admit I'd only ever made boil in the bag rice and even that turned into a disaster most times. It took me a good year to learn how to make soft fluffy rice, I struggled to find recipes online that had decent English translations, so I will write up my own in the hope it will help my fellow English speaking gelin's - (brides) in the future who would like to learn.

Perfect Pilav - En Guzel Pilavi

 Ingredients (serves 5):

2 x mug cups of pilav rice

1/4 cup Sehriye

Tbsp cooking butter / tere yag & 1 x Tbsp cooking oil

Salt & boiled water

Method: 

Using a small holed mesh sieve and wash the rice under running cold water until the water underneath turns clear, also sieve out any small stones. Set aside.

In a deep pan melt butter and oil until it bubbles. Add the Sehriye and fry on medium heat until it turns brown. Once browned add in the washed pilav and stir thoroughly, add 1/2 Tbsp of salt and then add boiling water until the rice looks like it's swimming, not drowned!

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 This is usually roughly a quarter way up the pan. Turn on low heat, cover and leave to cook slowly until you can see that the pilav has soaked up the water and has no shadow in the middle. Taste test before to see if it is fully cooked, if still hard add half a cup more water and leave with the lid on.

      

Afiyet Olsun!

I would love to hear your cooking stories about learning any Turkish recipes.

Lucy