Garlicy Bulgur Buttons (Sarımsaklı Köfte)

These little delicious buttons are known by a variety of names in different regions of Turkey such as sarımsaklı köfte or fellah köftesi, etc. Along with the name change come a variety of sauces. I am posting the recipe with three different sauces. Whichever sauce you pick, there are must do's when following the recipe: buttons should be small, you really need to press you finger on each one (it holds the sauce), and do not go light on garlic.






for buttons
2 cups of fine bulgur
1/4 cup semolina
1/4 cup white flour
1 tsp cumin
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp pepper paste (if you can find)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 cups of water

for the tomato sauce1/4 cup olive oil
4-5 medium tomatoes, petite diced (or 2 cans of organic diced tomato)
1/2 bunch parsley, finely chopped
5-6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbsp dried mint flakesfor the yogurt sauce
2 cups of yogurt
2 cloves of garlic, mincedfor the sour sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp pepper paste
5-6 cloves of garlic
juice of 1 lemon
mint flakes
chopped parsley
black pepper

-In a bowl wet bulgur with 1 cup of warm water. Cover with a clean kitchen towel or a lid and let soak for 10 minutes.
-Add semolina, salt, cumin, black pepper, tomato and pepper paste. Start kneading until semolina and bulgur stick to each other.
-Add flour and keep kneading. Add 1 cup of water in small amounts and knead until the mixture can hold together.
-Take dime size pieces from the mix and roll it in between your palms. Press on top with your index finger. (If it cracks on the sides when you press with your finger, it means you need to knead more) Place buttons on a tray.
-In a big pot, boil approximately 2 liters of water with salt.
-Throw buttons in boiling water. Take them out with a slotted spoon when they come up to surface.

Start preparing for the sauce while cooking buttons.
-For the tomato sauce heat olive oil in a pot.
-Add garlic and mint flakes and stir until fragrant.
-Add diced tomato. Simmer on low until cooked.
-Add chopped parsley after you turn it off.
-If you like sour sauce, heat olive oil in a pan. Stir in garlic and tomato paste (and pepper paste) until cooked. Add mint flakes, black pepper, and lemon juice. Cook for another minute and it's done.
-If you prefer a yogurt sauce, mix well 2 cups of yogurt with minced garlic.
-Serve buttons with the tomato, sour, or yogurt sauce on top, or with both.

Shrimp Stew (Karides Güveç)

This is a family recipe that I wanted to post here for a long time, but it is so tasty that I usually never have a chance to photograph it. Here we go

serves 6

1 or 2 lb raw, peeled shrimp (use 2 lb if you are having company)
1 onion, finely chopped
4-5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
3 tbsp olive oil
2 green pepper, chopped
2 red peppers, chopped
sliced white mushroom (use as much as you want)
3-4 tomatoes, diced (if you will use canned diced tomato, put it in a blender)
4 bay leaves
1/2 bunch parsley, finely chopped
1 -2 cups of grated mozzarella cheese
salt and pepper

optional: crushed red pepper flakes


























-Heat oil in a broad pot. Cook onion and garlic until soft.
-Add peppers. Stir for 2 minutes.
-Add mushroom. Cook until almost soft.
-Stir in tomato. If the tomatoes you are using are not very juicy, add some water to barely cover the vegetables and mushroom.
-Cover and cook for 5-8 minutes until tomato is cooked.
-Stir in shrimps. Cover and cook for 5-6 minutes. Not more!
-Add parsley.
-Divide it into individual oven safe soup bowls or souffle dishes, or put the whole stew in a big one. Bake at 350F for 15-20 minutes.
-After 20 minutes cover each with grated mozzarella and bake until golden brown.
-Serve with white rice.