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Summer is all about simple dishes, easy marinates and dining outside. Right on the lawn next to your house or in the park. As this weekend Lithuanians will be celebrating Jonines or John's Day, when traditionally fires are burnt and wild flower wreaths are made by young girls. This day we go for easy grills, lots of beer, cheese and traditional food. This recipe is an easy marinate for p
Every year there’s a day when I want to stop counting years and the candles on the cake. That day it’s better to have many cakes and only one candle as in one of my childhood cartoon. This year there were no candles, but my cake was topped with a lot of strawberries freshly picked from my mum’s garden. And the cake itself tastes so light and fresh. Just right for summer. A perfe
©Virtuve Jau savaite kaip esu Lietuvoje pas savo mama kaime. Ir visai nieko. Daug gaivaus oro, žalumos, malonaus vejelio ir šiluma. Tobulas oras pagal mane. Jokiu išraudusiu skruostu ir dregnu ranku. Viskas gaivu ir gera. Netgi rytais vesoka, bet vistiek gerai. Taigi pabuvojusi kelias dienas Kedainiu pakraštyje, penktadieni nuvažiavau i Vilniu, kad galeciau sudalyvauti Lietuvos mai
When you buy a book with the recipes which are just right for the season, mood and everything, you just start planning your meals according to the recipes. Yesterday it was Turkish spoon salad which went perfectly with beef meatballs and homemade flatbread pide, today eggplant relish with some leftover meatballs and tomorrow most probably grilled lamb chops with herbs. Yes, needless
Whenever you have dinner in a Turkish restaurant that serves meat, you are definitely going to be served this salad or a variation of it. It can be finely chopped, or even blended into a thick puree but it will be fresh and will go perfectly with fresh bread and a meze or as a garnish for any kebab or meat dish. Just do use chilli here as it is the key ingredient which makes it spicy and fre
Salad is good and a good salad is even better. Even though broccoli season is over in Turkey, but I still grab a pack if I manage to find them. Their combination with garlic and yogurt dressing is so divine that I can't stop eating them. And if they are rolled and remind a snack, that is even more adventurous. As one of my acquaintances told me yesterday, I would like to have it now. A
It is always a dilema in my home when it comes to beef. Is it medium or well done? My Turkish side always goes for well done and it doesn't matter if it's beef, chicken or fish. It must be totally brown and unfortunately it leads to dry meat. That is why I don't make beef steaks very often. And when I make, I go for something in between. No red blood but still soft and juicy. I usually ch
Back in December I read an article about baking tendencies in 2013 and one of them was surprise cakes. I mean the cakes which look simple from the outside but when cut you see different colours or some candies hidden. Marble cake is most probably one of the first cakes that have always been popular. Just this time I added some banana to add more flavour. Chocolate and bananas are always grea
Yesterday Turkey as most of the world celebrated Mother's Day. I am one of those mums who actually work at the weekends so I spent the day talking to my American colleague about what mothers really want for mother's day. She is a great mum of three active kids and told me that they were celebrating mothers day on the beach with their daddy and without mum. She had about 2 hour break so s
When summer is round the corner and we don't want to spend hours in the kitchen fixing dinners, this salad is a good option. It's quick to make, delicious and filling. Israeli couscous can be substituted with Fregola pasta and chicken lovers can add a few slices of grilled chicken. Israeli coucous salad ( Adapted by Jamie's Magazine, p.115, July/August 2012) ( Serves 2)
Bread is holy and it must be treated like this. When we decided not to buy bread any more and I started baking ( sometimes with the help of the break machine), I also started expreimenting with extra ingredients by adding carrots, freshly ground black pepper or Medetteranean Sea or Provanse herbs. All work so well. This time I am experimenting with Hatay favourite Biberli ekmek or Red pep
Artichokes have been appearing on my table more and more often and I can proudly say that i started liking them especially in stews with other vegetables. In Turkey they are usually cooked in olive oil with carrots, peas and potatoes, when served as a warm dish, some chicken is added. So that is how I made them today. Turkish style. Stuffed artichoke hearts ( serves 4) W
Whenever I hear chocolate muffins I know there will be sugar and lots of butter. But muffins unlike cupcakes are for breakfast, so have to have at least the idea of being healthier. When I found this recipe I was sceptical but love for chocolate and banana combinatin won me over. So if you are chocolate lover, these muffins are for you just with no butter ( a bit of oil only) and no
When a huge bag of fresh peas arrive in my home all I do is make pea soup. No I am not a fan of shelling peas while sitting at the table. When I was a child I used to go to my mum's garden, collect fresh peas and eat them straight out of the shells in the garden. I even remember that whenever cousins used to come to us during pea season, we all used to stand around pea bushes and chat wh
Still sea bream season in Turkey although coming to end. So if you are around grab them. That must be one of the most delicious fish that can found in Turkey and at it's season it is really affordable even for modest income buyers. Sea bream with herbs de Provanse ( Serves 2) What we need: 1 sea bream (300 -350g) 1 tsp herbs de provence ( a mix of basil, oregano, marj
After elaborate spring cleaning and visiting Hatay Days in Feshane,Istanbul, it is time to go back to the kitchen and make something comforting. I have told many times that I am not a big fan of pasta but dumplings is a totally different thing. This time I went for shortcut and used big shell pasta that I filled with ground turkey and baked them in tomato sauce and served with ga
a variety of tray kebabs Hatay regijonas Turkijoje yra bene geriausiai man pažistamas, nes ir pati ten ne karta buvau. Todel jau antrus metus važiavau apsižiureti Stambule Feshane rajone organizuojamose Hatay Dienose. Ir šiais metais jos šiek tiek kitokios, bet tuo paciu ir tokios pacios, nes svarbiausias akcentas ir Hatay pasididžiavimas yra butent virtuve - nuo tam regijonui budingu
A few days ago I asked my readers on Facebook page what traditional meals Lithuanians eat on Easter. I know that we decorate eggs and always eat on Sunday morning ( usually after Church) with horseradish sauce ( adorable thing!) and there was always Easter bread, which is a bit sweet but goes well with eggs or as a dessert with coffee or tea. But what else? My readers started calling nam
With Easter just a few days away, here is my recipe for Turkish Easter bread. It is usually baked for Paskalya Bayram which symbolizes the revival of nature and the start of spring. That is why this a bit sweet bread is called Paskalya Cöregi. It is not very different from the other Easter breads that can be found in many European countries, but what it makes taste a bit different is the
Istanbul is home to at least 15 million people from around Turkey and a lot of foreigners plus every single day hundreds of tourists come here for history, for culture, for art, for food or just for adventure. So if you have already visited main sites in here, have a seat on a chair of one cafes near Galata bridge or tower, or in Takim Istiklar street, or actually in any place and have a look
Mung beans was a mystery ingredients up until last weekend when one of my friend told me that her favourite bean was mas fasulye and when I saw it in organic product aisle, I just grabbed it. And here I was rearching what mung bean was. It turns out it is widely used in Indian curries and in Asian cuisines sprouted mung beans are really appreciated. I am not much into sprouts so I went f
Recently I have been busy writing about traveling in Istanbul ( sorry, just in Lithuanian for now, but promise to write something in English as soon as possible), but I guess it is time to focus back on food. Isn't it what my blog is about? So bulgur wheat. It is especially common in south east of Turkey where it is eaten almost every day ( meat is definitely eaten every day over there!).
© Jolita Koruklu Stambulas jau 6 metus yra mano namai. Taciau kad ir kiek buciau apvaikšciojus ir apžiurejus Stambulo garsenybes, vis tiek atsiras, tai ko dar nemaciau. Tiesiog cia visko tiek daug, tiek seno, tiek naujo, tiek romantiško istorijom apipintu vietu, tiek blizguciais išpuošto kico. Dar vakar kelioniumanija.lt išspausdino pirmaja dali mano straipsnio apie Stambula tiems, kurie
I have never used tarragon in my cooking before. But as I brought some dried tarragon from Lithuania last summer, it was time to try something new. The package says that it goes well with chicken and mushrooms, and that is why I tried to make soft chicken dumplings with mushroom sauce. Still there is so much place for improvisation. Let's say you want a creamier sauce, skip eggs, milk an
A few days late but Lithuanian bloggers' magazine CLOUDS is out in both English and Lithuanian languages. So we hope you'll enjoy reading, trying out our recipes as much as we did preparing them. Please do share your opinion, ideas about the magazine as any feedback is more than welcome! This phyllo pie recipe is not a new thing in my home. I make it quite often, especially if
Greek cuisine is one of my favorite cuisines together with Turkish cuisine that I associate with fresh ingredients, savory feta cheese, the freshness of oregano and mint, the food here is simple but delicious. Here we enjoy seafood, vegetables, cheese, olives, meat and if you mix it with Greek temperament, you get the best Mediterranean food one could dream of. This meatb
Today is International Women's Day and this is a great opportunity to indulge yourself and it can be anything. A cup of tea or coffee in an armchair, a good book, a nice talk or a sweet message. And chocolate as it is a good company to everything. Brownie cheesecake squares serves 8-10 What we need: brownie part: 100g butter 300g bitter chocolate 9
I saw this recipe in Egle's beautiful blog Žaidimu aikštele quite a long ago but just had always had something else to make or bake. I love lemon in baking and cooking in general, it makes the dish fresh and much more delicious. This tart is also refreshing and with its sweet and sour flavour and soft filling it makes a good addition to your afternoon coffee or tea or as a dessert after
Frittata or Spanish omelet is not a frequent guest in my house, but this time after buying some mackerel, I wanted to make something quick and homey with thinly sliced potatoes,soft onions and sweet peas. So eggs and cheese went so well to combine all these ingredients. You can also use smoked mackerel to add smoky flavor to frittata. Served with fresh salad with apples, walnut and chees
After working all weekend and doing housework yesterday, I was really ready for some reading. And when we couldn't find a TV remote control that our girl had put somewhere-God-knows-where, the whole evening was so long that I could even take a book and read a bit. Last Saturday I bought a new cookery book that I had been postponing to buy almost for 2 years. Even though my colleagues were
Cabbage wraps, Turkish lahana sarmasi or Lithuanian balandeliai, this dish is my ultimate comfort food that brings me to my mothers home. I don't miss traditional potato dumplings also called cepelinai, or potato or farmer's cheese cakes that much as the real cabbage wraps. Traditionally cabbage is wrapped in pork, onion, garlic and rice filling, but also mushroom or chicken filling is also
Mushroom soup is usually a time-consuming affair as it takes time to make it right . Jamie Oliver in 15 minute meals has offered a 15 minute mushroom soup that goes together with mushroom, cheese and apple croutes. You think it's impossible? Think again and preheat the pot with some olive oil. Let's start cooking. Mushroom soup with croutes ( adapted from Jamie's 15 minute meals)
When I first opened Jamie's '15 minute meals' I was quite skeptical as the recipes seemed to have too many ingredients and some of them ( like alfalalfa sprouts) I haven't heard about before not to mention the fact that it is most likely impossible to find them in Turkey. I didn't want to go shopping every time I plan making something with a long shopping list. But I kept opening the
The bread maker or machine has finally arrived in my home even though I was trying to postpone the purchase as there isn't enough space for it. All the lower cupboards are almost empty or filled with 'safe' utensils for my little one to play, so the upper ones are overfilled. I don't even remember the time when I opened my 'spices and bit and pieces' cupboard and nothing fell off it. So buyi
This cheesecake I made for my colleagues to celebrate Valentines Day and it was a great success as it disappeared in a matter of minutes. And as there were a few requests for the recipes, so here it is! Enjoy! Chocolate truffle cheesecake ( serves 10-12) What we need: base: 400g chocolate cookies 100g butter 2 tbsp brown sugar filling: 500g crea
I know that today is Valentine and it's all about heart shaped cakes, cookies and chocolate, but what I really love eating is salad. No need for heart carved carrots or anything, just a bit of that, a bit of this and a perfect bowl of salad is ready! Happy days! Beef and mushroom salad ( serves 2) What we need: 200g beef steak 200g mushrooms 1 red onion
One half of me is yours, the other half yours- Mine own, I would say; but if mine, then yours, And so all yours! -- William Shakespeare I am no good at expressing words of love and I am not a romantic kind. Neither is my husband. We don't walk hand in hand in the park or dance in the rain, we live and share our simple life. And every time we look at the blue ey
Icebox cakes are great for those people who can have guests anytime. This is the reality in Turkey - guests can come uninvited. So if you want to make them feel welcome or just to be a perfect hostess whose house always smell fresh and tables are always full of delights any time of the day, any day of the week ( I guess I've watched too many commercials recently). Just a few days
Today is a Fat Tuesday or Pancake day when according to traditions Lithuanians bake piles of pancakes with a lot of different filling. In other words, the fatter they are the better. And you are supposed to eat at least seven times. On this day children dress up, put on handmade masks and go to neighbors' homes and ask for pancakes or any kind of candies. People gather in the center of
Last Sunday I finished my work earlier and could go to the farmer's market on the way home. As it wasn't very late and I wasn't willing a take-away kebab one more time, I grabbed whatever I could find in the market at their best and made a quick dinner. My husband even said "You are a SUPERWOMAN!" Does it mean it was very delicious? :D Pan fried sea bass with arugula salad and sau
Have you ever wondered what teachers do and talk in the teacher's room? I have. Teacher's or staff room has always seemed to be a mysterious place where only 'chosen' people could enter. The door was always closed and no student was allowed to enter. These are my memories of my school more than 12 years ago back in Kedainiai, Lithuania. Since that time I have worked as a teacher in other
Chinese New Year is just in a few days on February 10th and it is time to start planning how to celebrate it. Traditional meals are usually whole steamed fish and potstickers, but this year I'm going to choose even an easier version Shumai dumplings. I know that anything that reminds a purse symbolize prosperity for the next year. So they definitely remind a purse and a very well stuffed
One of my reader on Facebook was totally right when she said that red lentils can be used everywhere. Well, almost everywhere. A variety of soups and stews is so vast that one can eat lentils almost every day! My favourite way of using red lentils is just by making Turkish style red lentil soup or Mericmek corbasi, or red lentil and bulgur kofte ( mercimek koftesi). Though sometimes I add to
Pazi pazi ( Turkish for chard), I keep repeating for a few weeks now. When I lived in Lithuania, I didn't know anything about chard and when I saw it in Turkey, it reminded me beet leaves, but those beets which are given to animals in Lithuanian villages or farms. But this winter I decided I cannot say I don't like something if I have never tasted. So first on the list was Jeruselem artichok
Pogaca buns are just amazing and they are part of Turkish breakfast culture. When I posted the first photo on my facebook this morning, straight away I got comments that they are irresistable and you just cannot stop with one bun. Yes, they are that good. However, pogaca can be baked with baking powder and with yeast. They do taste a bit different but both are delicious. If you are not
This is how pancake season starts in my home! :) Actually, I don't think there is a kid in Lithuania who grew up without eating pancakes. They are kind of comfort breakfast or lunch for most people, especially when served with sourcream and a full tablespoon of jam. Basic Lithuanian pancakes are made just from flour, milk and eggs. It depends of the cook what he or she add
Last week I baked quite a good amount and this cake is definitely a winner. Though I can be a bit subjective as I'm a devoted lover of chocolate and coconut. In other words anything with these two ingredients would make me happy. And it made the people who ate it happy too as it disappeared very quickly and recipe was requested. So a must-bake cake! Easy and Lovely Coconut
I don't even know why this cake I called 'old-fashioned'. For some reason simple soft cakes without any decorations I consider as old fashioned. To make it more special you can bake it in a regular cake baking dish, cut in half and spread a layer of lemon curd. That would definitely make it very special. Still my favourite delight with lemons is this old recipe of lemon tart or bars, you cal
One of my New Year Resolutions was to improve my photography skills and learn how to use photo editing programs. Well, not the ones like picasa but serious ones which can really do amazing tricks. But sometimes those 'not so good' photos are dearest for me. Just like the first one above with those little fingers. Of course you cannot put it anywhere but my personal blog, but that
Eating fish for dinner is always a special event for me, even though it's just so easy to prepare. And when you are exposed to a variety of fish, those special dinners can be made more often. This time I followed Turkish tradition and coated the fish with corn flour which I personally find a better option as it helps the skin to get crispier and the flesh remains juicy. The way I like it!
