TAVUKLU FİRİK PİLAVI

FIRIK(GRILLED WHEAT) & CHICKEN PILAF

Firik is grilled wheat. We use it just like bulgur to make this special pilaf in my hometown. Wheat is harvested and burnt just before it is completely mature so it leaves a smoky flavor. You can easily get it from Middle Eastern store.

Ingredients:

• 3 pieceses of chicken leg quarter
• 4 cups of water
• 1 cup of coarse bulgur
• 1 cup of firik
• 1/2 cup of uncooked chickpeas
• 1/3 tsp of ground black pepper
• salt

Soak chickpeas with two cups of water overnight. Next day,wash and drain chicken and chickpeas. Take it in a pressure cooker and add 4 cups of cold water. Bring it to the boil. You will see some foam on the surface when it starts to boil. Take them all with a spoon and discard.Add black pepper. Close the lid of pressure cooker and turn the heat down to low. Cook the chicken for 15 minutes at low heat. Take the pressure cooker and let it cool. Open the lid when it is cool enough and take the chicken and chickpeas out in a plate leaving meat broth in the pressure cooker. Take the bones of chicken and cut them into coarse pieces. 
Take chicken broth in a large pot and bring it to the boil. Add firik, bulgur, chicken pieces, chickpeas and salt in it and stir. Turn the heat down th low. Cover the lid. Simmer for 30 minutes. Turn the heat off. Let it rest for 30 minute before serve.

TAVUKLU PİLAV

RICE WITH CHICKEN

Ingredients:

• 3 pieces of chicken leg quarter
• 4 cups of water
• 2 cups of jasmine rice
• 1/2 cup of uncooked chickpeas
• 1/3 tsp of ground black pepper
• salt

Soak chickpeas with two cups of water overnight. Next day,wash and drain chicken and chickpeas. Take it in a pressure cooker and add 6 cups of cold water. Bring it to the boil. You will see some foam on the surface when it starts to boil. Take them all with a spoon and discard.Add black pepper. Close the lid of pressure cooker and turn the heat down to low. Cook the chicken for 15 minutes at low heat. Take the pressure cooker and let it cool. Open the lid when it is cool enough and take the chicken and chickpeas out in a plate leaving meat broth in the pressure cooker. Take the bones of chicken and cut them into coarse pieces. 
Take chicken broth in a large pot and bring it to the boil. Add rice, chicken pieces, chickpeas and salt in it and stir. Turn the heat down the low. Cover the lid. Simmer for 30 minutes. Turn the heat off. Let it rest for 30 minute before serve.

KEŞKEK

WHEAT PILAF WITH LAMB CUBES

Don't let the appearance of this pilaf you down. It tastes incredibly delicious with a bowl of colorful salad.

Serves: 4-6.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of wheat
• 1/3 cup of chickpeas
• 1 lb of lamb cubes ( or beef cubes )
• 1 large onion
• 3 tbsp of olive oil
• 1 tbsp of red pepper paste
• 1 tsp of tomato paste
• 1+1/2 tsp of ground cumin
• 1/3 tsp of black pepper
• salt

Soak the wheat with 6 cups of cold water and the chickpeas with 2 cups of cold water overnight.

Next day, wash lamb cubes. Take them in a pressure cooker and add 3 cups of cold water. Bring it to the boil. You will see some foam on the surface when it starts to boil. Take them all with a spoon and discard. Drain the chickpeas and add them into the pressure cooker. Close the lid of pressure cooker and turn the heat down to low. Cook the meat for 15 minutes at low heat. Take the pressure cooker and let it cool. Open the lid when it is cool enough and take the lamp cubes and chickpeas out in a plate leaving meat broth in the pressure cooker.
Drain wheat and add them into the meat broth. Cut the onion into halves and slice them both thinly. Add it into the pressure cooker with tomato paste, red pepper paste, black pepper . Stir and bring it to the boil. Close the lid and turn the heat down to low. Cook it for 45 minutes. Turn the heat off and let the pressure cooker cool down and open the lid. Wheat will absorb most of of the meat broth and should look mushy.

Take boiled meat and 3 tbsp of olive oil in a pan and fry it for 5 minute over medium heat . Turn the heat off . Add lightly fried lamb and chickpeas into keskek with ground cumin and salt. Stir and close the lid and let it rest at least for 30 minutes before serving. This way wheat continue to absorb the liquid.

MEYHANE PİLAVI

PILAF WITH BEEF CUBES AND ONION

Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of beef cubes
• 2 cup of jasmine rice
• 3 cups of boiling water
  
• 2 large size of onions
• 2 tbsp of tomato paste
• 1 tbsp of red pepper paste
• 1/3 tsp of ground black pepper
• 3 tbsp of vegetable oil
• salt

In a large pot, take beef cubes and vegetable oil over medium heat. Cook until the beef absorbs all of its juice, stirring occasionally. Add tomato paste, red pepper paste, and black pepper into the pot and stir. ( At this point, you may add some boiling water if the beef cubes are not cooked. )
Cut onions into bite size pieces. Add them to the pot and stir. Saute it until onion is tender. Add 3 cups of boiling water to the pot and bring it to the boil. Add 2 cups of rice and salt to the pot. Stir and cover the lid. Turn the heat down to low and simmer until the rice absorbs all of the liquid.
Serve it warm with pickles, ayran and salad.
Enjoy...

BULGUR PİLAVI

BULGUR PILAF

Bulgur pilaf is a very good alternative to rice.



Ingredients:

• 1 cup of coarse bulgur
• 2 cups of boiling water
• 2 tbs of orzo pasta
• 2 tbs of butter ( or vegetable oil )
• 1/4 tsp of black pepper
• salt

In a medium pot, take butter and orzo pasta and cook it on a medium heat until orzo change its color to light brown. Add bulgur, boiling water, black pepper, and salt into pot and cover the lid. When it starts bubbling, turn the heat low. Cook it until bulgur absorbs all of the water.Turn off the heat. Take the pot in a cool spot and place a paper towel between the pot and the lid. This way, the paper towel absorbs remaining water and pilaf won't be sticky.
Enjoy...

MÜCEDDERE

BULGUR PILAF WITH GREEN LENTIL

I prefer to have this pilaf instead of rice. It is more nutritious and delicious for me.
It is good to go with yogurt and green onion or any kind of salad.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of green lentils, washed
  
• 1 cup of bulgur( dried, medium crushed wheat)
• 2 cups of boiling water
  
• 1 medium size of onion
• 1/2 cup of olive oil
• 1 tbs of red pepper paste
  
• salt

Place lentils in medium pot, add enough water to cover and cook until just tender. Drain the lentil and place bulgur, boiling water, lentil, red pepper paste, and salt to the same pot and gentle stir. Place the pan over medium heat, cover the lid. When it starts bubbling turn the heat to low. Cook it until bulgur completely absorbs the water.

Thinly slice the onion. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat and add the onion. Saute the onion until it is golden brown. Add this saute to the pilaf and stir gentle. Take the pan to a cool place and cover it with paper towel, put the lid on and let sit 15 minutes. This way, paper towel absorbs all of the remaining water.

Enjoy...