65
votes
Accepted
Why doesn't Greek cuisine use a lot of spices, compared to neighbors?
The question of "why not" is difficult to answer definitively, or really at all. We can't ask folks 2000 years ago why they didn't care about cumin. However, there are some historical ...
- 61.4k
7
votes
Accepted
Why is pasta added to Turkish rice (sehriyeli pilav)?
There's no specific historical reason. Turkish folks cook a lot of pilaf, and as such they like to change it up by trying different kinds of pilaf. Examples:
rice pilaf with orzo
rice pilaf with ...
- 61.4k
7
votes
"Red Pepper Flakes" for German-style Doener Kebab
Especially in Germany go to your next friendly turkish grocer and ask for „pul biber“.
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6
votes
Recipes of Turkish drinks in Voltaire's Novel
First, let me clarify a linguistic point: Nowadays, both words "sherbet" and "sorbet" have entered the English language as loanwords. They both describe frozen desserts, and I have ...
- 137k
5
votes
How can I make Turkish dondurma?
Salep is essentially glucomannan; you can subsitutue Salep with Konjac GM (not konjac flour as it might impart a fishy flavor). And this is the key ingredient in Dondurma.
When it comes to mastic, ...
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5
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Why doesn't Greek cuisine use a lot of spices, compared to neighbors?
My hearsay answer to this is what I learned growing up in Greece (it might be totally wrong): use of hot spices is way more common in cultures living in hotter climates, and it has to do with ...
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3
votes
"Red Pepper Flakes" for German-style Doener Kebab
jmk is correct in identifying the spice as pul biber.
Looking at the ingredient lists, some are just crushed (Aleppo) pepper, 5-10% salt and a bit of vegetable oil. Other brands sometimes include more ...
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3
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Recipes of Turkish drinks in Voltaire's Novel
It seems not to get totally clear what exactly is meant here.
The term sherbet nowadays points more towards some sort of ice cream, than to drinks, as it usually describes a sorbet with very little ...
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3
votes
Turkish coffee foam
The main point is: do not let the coffee boil. When foam starts to form, remove it with a spoon and pour into your coffee cup.
3
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Troubleshooting a soggy baklava with torn sheets
Ripping Sheets of Filo: The sheets are still cold. The dough will tear near the center wrinkles when it's too cold. Room temp dough allows you to gently pull out all the wrinkles and the dough ...
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2
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Troubleshooting a soggy baklava with torn sheets
Either your pastry should be hot and your syrup at room temperature or the other way around. This is a good rule of thumb for all syrup soaked pastries. If both the baklava and syrup are hot when ...
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2
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Troubleshooting a soggy baklava with torn sheets
The other answers have all explained most of the process really well. So, I'm just going to add a couple of options to make the butter part a lot easier.
Use butter flavored cooking spray instead of ...
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2
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Should syrup or pastry be cooled when pouring on to Baklava?
Here is the formula:
Sheet baklawa with nuts: Boiled syrup is poured on top after tray is out of oven for 2-3 minutes.
Pieces / rolled baklawa with nuts: Room temperature syrup is sprinkled / brushed ...
- 161
2
votes
What is the best way to filter Turkish coffee?
I made turkish coffee with noticeable particles when I was about 7 yo, due to me not knowing that I should remove it from the heat only when the foam around the edge starts moving to the center, ...
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2
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What is the best way to filter Turkish coffee?
After you have finished brewing the Turkish coffee let it sit for a few minutes. Pour slowly into your mug stopping when you see the coffee turn cloudy. Immediately add sugar/milk to your own mug and ...
- 21
2
votes
Is Turkish coffee grinding finer than Espresso grinding?
An old discussion, but others will come, as I just did, via a search. Grinding coffee very fine, to powder, as required for Turkish coffee, requires more torque than is available with home grinders; ...
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2
votes
Is Turkish coffee grinding finer than Espresso grinding?
Turkish coffee requires a stone mill. Not a burr mill. A stone mill, like the one that is used for making flour. It is rather expensive, very heavy and hard to find in countries where Turkish coffee ...
- 21
2
votes
How can I make a soft Turkish bread?
So, I've checked some books (see below), and according to them you have two issues: (1) your finger dents aren't deep enough (puffing up), and (2) your oven is too hot.
All three of the recipes I ...
- 61.4k
2
votes
What are those "white eggs" in doner kebab? (picture attached)
No, it’s not “eggs”. Those are bits of cartilage and connective tissue that were ground up with the rest of the meat.
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1
vote
Why is my pickled red cabbage so pale?
Are you heating the brine first to dissolve the sugar and salt?
I've always heated the sugar and salt in water, poured that over the cabbage while still hot, then add the vinegar (I use white vinegar ...
1
vote
"Red Pepper Flakes" for German-style Doener Kebab
Here in Canada and I expect in a lot of other countries as well, recent Syrian refugees as well as Lebanese immigrants have been here long enough to raise the capital to open stores where "Aleppo ...
- 161
1
vote
Can I make Turkish Delight with jelly powder?
As the answer to the linked question states, original Turkish delight is made using only cornstarch.
I understand you're asking specifically about the recipe linked and how it differs from other ...
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1
vote
Clotted cream broke in the fridge
I believe you're talking about the breaking of emulsion. The solution is to simply whip it again, a food processor should also be fine for Kaymak.
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1
vote
Turkish coffee foam
It’s easy.... bring water to boil and when it’s boiling set aside. Add coffee (I use two teaspoons for each coffee cup- cups are similar to what you’re showing in your picture, about same size as ...
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1
vote
Troubleshooting a soggy baklava with torn sheets
You can save a lot of time if you try a simple alternative:
Spread one layer of buttered phyllos, and a layer of nuts mixture on top.
Then curl it up into a cylinder. Then curl the cylinder into a ...
- 11
1
vote
Döner Kebab Spices?
The question is a very valid and when stated simply, it amounts to , what is the defining ingredient in a Doner Kebab ?
The answer is , seven spices , it is a mix dominated by cinnamon ,cloves , ...
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