All posts tagged: oriental

Kisir - Turkish Bulgur Salad

Kisir – Turkish Bulgur Salad

Kisir – Turkish Bulgur Salad is one of my favorite salads from Turkish cuisine. Bulgur salad is delicious, healthy, and easy to prepare. It’s a savory vegan salad with a nutty flavor due to the bulgur. Cucumbers, tomatoes, and green onions add a fresh touch. The dressing of pomegranate molasses, parsley, mint, lemon, and olive oil adds a lovely juicy touch. Paprika paste, pul biber, salt and pepper add spice. My favorite way to eat Kisir is in lettuce. Take a tablespoon of Kisir and place it in the middle of a lettuce leave and roll it up to form a wrap. It is an explosion of flavor on your palate. Try it out for sure!

Hasselback Butternut Squash with Feta, Pistachio Pesto and Pomegranate Seeds

Hasselback Butternut Squash with Feta, Pistachio Pesto and Pomegranate Seeds

Autumn has been mild so far in Germany, but now it’s here and it s time to heat the oven again. Pumpkin is one of the healthy autumn favorites! But it doesn’t always have to be the Hokkaido pumpkin, so why not try the butternut squash? When the aroma of Hasselback butternut squash with feta, pistachio pesto, and pomegranate seeds spreads throughout the kitchen, an autumn feel-good feeling is sure in very quickly. Doesn’t it look colorful on the plate? I love the colors. It is also proven that the more colorful it looks on your plate, the healthier your food is. My recipe is really easy peasy, quick to prepare, low carb, vegetarian and perfect as an after-work dinner.

Chicken Liver in Pomegranate jus with Quince Rings Sweet Potato Puree and Dark Horse Wine

Chicken Liver in Pomegranate jus with Quince Rings Sweet Potato Puree and Dark Horse Wine

My today’s recipe chicken liver in pomegranate jus with quince rings sweet potato puree and Dark Horse Wine is a real delicacy and could be an old oriental dish from the house of the Sultan. My pan-fried chicken liver is crispy on the outside and juicy rosy on the inside. It has a creamy texture and tastes simply delicious when combined with sweet quince caramelized in quince juice and honey and a creamy sweet potato purée. The crispy baked sage and the strong sweet and sour pomegranate jus, give the dish a unique flavor explosion! A perfect match is a strong red wine and in this case, a dry Zinfandel from Dark Horse goes perfectly with it.

Baklava Cheesecake

Baklava Cheesecake

Baklava and cheesecake fans check out, today I have a combination of these two classic desserts in one for you. A lighter version of the sweet and sticky oriental baklava, as well as the refreshing American cheesecake. In short, the best of both! Baklava Cheesecake is a delicious fusion between the East and the West. My family is thrilled with this both creamy and crispy cheesecake. The bottom and outside of the cheesecake are made of a crispy Filo pastry filled with crunchy caramelized nuts, cinnamon, and sugar. On top is a creamy light cheesecake filling made with cream cheese, eggs, Greek yogurt, and vanilla pudding powder. With vanilla and lemon zest, it has a hint of vanilla lemony flavor. The crowning touch is that it is garnished with roughly chopped pistachios and finely chopped rose petals. The recipe is also very simple and in any case, attracts all eyes to it. Watch my preparation video on Instagram

Summer pudding with labneh and orange blossom water

Summer pudding with labneh and orange blossom water

Finally we have strawberries in Germany and this summer pudding with labneh and orange blossom water, is packed to the top with them. Ok, the orange blossom labneh is not typically British yet, but I think it goes perfectly with it. Summer pudding is really easy peasy to prepare, you just need fresh strawberries, some raspberries and blackberries, chopped pistachios, some powdered sugar and brioche. The dessert should be refrigerated for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight. The next day, when the summer pudding is cut, it reveals its inner beauty. In the best case, the fuchsia colored filling from red summer fruits will run on your plate. We, at least, loved the combination of fruity cold dessert with the creamy orange blossom labneh. It’s so easy to prepare and tastes really delicious. A wonderful way to enjoy a nicely sized portion of ripe fresh fruit.

Labneh Cheese Cake with rhubarb and strawberry compote

Labneh Cheesecake with rhubarb and strawberry compote

Each region of the world has its own take on the best way to make Cheesecake. Germans use quark, while the Americans bake it with cream cheese, the Swiss with hard cheese, the Italians with ricotta and the French with goat cheese. We in the Middle East, on the other hand, bake it with Labneh or what we call in Persia Mast-e Chekideh. Have you ever made a creamy cheesecake with Labneh – Mast-e Chekideh? Give my Labneh Cheese Cake with rhubarb and strawberry compote a try and you will be addicted.