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[denizaksulu]

I remember playing whilst my mum cooked Koftes and coming into the kitchen when called. She would put some freshly cooked koftes in the crust of the Turkish bread that was left over from making the breadcrumbs. I have destroyed whole loaves of bread trying to get the same taste back to no avail...Tastes great but the joy of playing freely and eating without a conscience is gone.

Was it Turkish bread or Cypriot bread?

"Turk Ekmeyi" is what I was brought up with...I think the GC had there own version. It was much stodgier but I am willing to learn on this one.

Once the bread were te same, I am trying to pinpoint when the breads changed shape and all that. Once we all used the fat flying saucer-like bread with a slit around the rim. Later on the shape changed and became like a "pointed ovoid". That must have been the Turksh bread.

[Kikapu]

I remember playing whilst my mum cooked Koftes and coming into the kitchen when called. She would put some freshly cooked koftes in the crust of the Turkish bread that was left over from making the breadcrumbs. I have destroyed whole loaves of bread trying to get the same taste back to no avail...Tastes great but the joy of playing freely and eating without a conscience is gone.

Zan, your mother used the breadcrumbs in the Kofte, which is needed to soak up the moisture from the raw eggs that's in the mix. The bread needs to be a day or two old, so that it can be grated into small pieces. These days I use mashed potato flakes to do the same thing, if I don't have "old" bread lying around.

[denizaksulu]

Hi kikapu
Stiffado is a rabbit stew , packed with onions and flavoured with wine vinegarI've heard it called Tavash Even if its not what you're talking about its still wondrful

Hi RichardB,

What's throwing me off, is the "wine vinegar".??? I don't think TC's put vinegar into any of their cooking, except into salads.

I could be wrong.!

In any case, it's rabbit and Onion stew................without the wine vinegar.

I am afraid that in the south of Cyprus they did use some sort of vinegar with this dish. Thats why I never ate it. I love rabbit though. Roasted with Bulgur pilav and....wait for it....Yogurt.

Oh DA, what do the GC's know...cooking with vinegar ????.

I love vinegar and on occasions when making salad, I take a swallow right out of the vinegar bottle, but have never used it in cooking any meal.

When we have guess here at home in Switzerland, I tend to cook Cypriot food 9 out of 10 times for our friends, and I would put the yogurt on the table, and our friends who were not use to this kind of cooking, always wondered what they should do with the yogurt.

I am sure Cypriot cooking beats Raklet and cheese fondou hands down. Healthier to boot.

ANYDAY........

I can handle Cheese Fondou once a year. Too much bloody cheese and bread.

As for Raclette, it is a lot of fun. You can also cook small pieces of meat or small sausages on the grill above, as the cheese is melting below. It was one of the meals my three young nephews actually enjoyed eating couple of times when they visited us from the UK.

I told them I was going to mBless 'em.ake Shepherd's Pie one time, which one of them said, "I don't like mushrooms", and the other one said, "I don't like carrots", and the other one said, "I don't like Peas".

That's what I call a Shepherd's Pie without the "Shepherd"

They sound like my grand daughers.

[zan]

I remember playing whilst my mum cooked Koftes and coming into the kitchen when called. She would put some freshly cooked koftes in the crust of the Turkish bread that was left over from making the breadcrumbs. I have destroyed whole loaves of bread trying to get the same taste back to no avail...Tastes great but the joy of playing freely and eating without a conscience is gone.

Zan, your mother used the breadcrumbs in the Kofte, which is needed to soak up the moisture from the raw eggs that's in the mix. The bread needs to be a day or two old, so that it can be grated into small pieces. These days I use mashed potato flakes to do the same thing, if I don't have "old" bread lying around.

I think you are right. She now uses bread crumbs and it is not the same. My wife uses day old bread now and lately she has even got the cooking bit right... It definitely adds to the taste IMO.

[kafenes]

In the keftes I use fresh white bread and pass it through the blender for crumbs. The onions must be grated (not chopped) and let it stand in the sieve for a while for the juice to run out. I make mine with a lot of cumin and recently discovered that a little finely chopped fresh coriander leaves gives it a great taste.

Kikapu, a Swiss lady came to my house 2 years ago and taught me how to make cheese fondu. She even brought the cheese from Switzerland. Her name is Yvonne Widmer and she used to host a night radio show in Switzerland called 'Sex In The Night'. You might have heard of her. She also loved my cooking. Haven't heard from her for a while, hope she's OK.

[BirKibrisli]

my favorite cypriot dish lives in Larnaca. he is a tasty dish--no other like him, that's for sure....

And when is this dish eaten,GG?????

For breakfast,lunch or dinner?????

[halil]

Kikapu was telling about Tavsan bastı...... (rabbit with onions )
.

Halil, that is correct. Do they still cook this dish in Cyprus or has it "Gone with the Wind".

Kikapu, in the villages still we do.My sister has got too many rabbits in her house.but it will be much better with wild one.As i said before we also cook Lanangı.Some times we lanangı from chicken as well.

[halil]

Yalanci Dolma...

another of my cypriot favorites is Bumbar yummie...feeling hungry now

First one is popular in Greece as well

And what is the Bumbar??? And the kidris kaynanasi??? And kidris Gelini???

Forgot to add Cicek Dolmasi...yummie..

Bumbar is sausages,stuffed with rice and some spieces......love em..

Çiçek Dolmasi (Stuffed Marrow Flowers)
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 bunch marrow flowers -remove the stems and the pistils from the flowers; wash and dry them by gently pressing onto a towel.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
75-100 ml water

For the stuffing
150 gr rice -washed and drained
1 small onion -finely chopped
2 medium tomatoes -peeled and finely chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil
Seasoning
10-15 leaves of fresh mint -washed and roughly chopped



Prepraration
Mix the stuffing ingredients together except the cooking oil and stuff the flowers carefully by using a small teaspoon. When doing this take care not to tear the flowers, and also fill only 3/4 so that when cooking the rice has enough space to expand.


After stuffing, fold the flower petals in without breaking them. Into a small saucepan, put one tablespoon of cooking oil and place the pan on low heat. Place each flower into the saucepan by standing them next to each other.


Pour 100 ml of water into the pan and bring gently to boil. Cover the saucepan and cook gently on low heat another 20 minutes until all the water has absorbed and the rice is cooked. Serve hot or cold.

Domates Dolmasi (Stuffed Tomatoes)
Serves 4

Ingredients
650 gr minced beef
8 large tomatoes -cut around stems and open the seeds and wash them well

2 medium onions -finely chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
750 gr ripe tomatoes -skinned and chopped or tinned tomatoes with their juice

2 eggs
3 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
1/8 litre dry white wine
2 tablespoons freshly chopped basil seasoning


Prepraration
Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the chopped onions until soft. Put the minced meat into a large salad bowl. Add the fried onions with the oil, crushed garlic, two eggs, rosemary, salt and freshly ground black pepper and mix well.


Stuff the tomatoes with the meat filling and put the lids on. Arrange them side by side with the caps upwards. Pour in the white wine and add the chopped tomatoes with their juice. Cover and cook 30-40 minutes. Add the freshly chopped basil and serve hot.

Börülce Salatasi (Black-eyed bean salad)
Serves 4-6

This Cypriot dish is excellent as a substantial salad or as a main course, but be lavish with some aromatic olive oil and fresh lemon juice for authenticity. These are touches of glorification in this otherwise humble dish, which can be served hot or at room temperature. Black-eyed beans do not need soaking and cook quickly.


Ingredients
250 gr (8 oz) black-eyed beans -picked clean and washed
2 tablespoons lemon juice
375 gr (12 oz) courgettes (zucchini)
Salt

For the dressing
At least 3 tablespoons olive oil per person
1 lemon -quartered
Salt and black pepper

Preparation
In a medium saucepan, cover the beans with water, boil for three minutes and drain, discarding the water. Cover with fresh water, add the 2 tablespoons lemon juice (to prevent their discolouring during cooking) and salt. Cover and simmer for 25 minutes.


Cut the courgettes in 5 cm (2-inch) pieces and then quarter them lengthways. Add them to the pan and cook for 5-7 more minutes. Do not strain.


Serve in individual soup plates, allowing 2-3 pieces of courgette per person with some of the cooking liquid as well; pour plenty of olive oil on top, season and offer the lemon quarters to be squeezed according to individual preferences. (Do suggest, though, that the more lemon juice the better!)

[halil]

Tarhana (Crushed wheat soup)
Tarhana is made locally by the villagers. It is a mixture of crushed wheat and yogurt, first cooked then in small biscuit forms dried in the sun for four to five days.


These dried pieces are then placed in airtight bags to be used in cold winter days. It is also sold in the grocery shops.


Serves 4-6

Ingredients
1 litre chicken / vegetable broth
200 gr diced Cypriot halloumi cheese
400 gr tarhana
30 gr butter
Juice of half a lemon
Seasoning

Preparation
Soak the tarhana in cold water for about an hour. Drain well then put in a pan together with the chicken broth. Simmer gently for an hour, stirring occasionally. While the soup is cooking, put the butter in a medium size frying pan and place the pan on heat.


Once the butter is hot, fry the diced halloumi pieces until golden brown on both sides. Just before serving add the fried halloumi, lemon juice and the seasoning. Mix well and serve hot.

[raymanuva]

OK, i went to APOLLONIA HOTEL CYPRUS NIGHT BUFFET last night... i had it all... Stifado, Kupepia, Gemistsa, Suvla, Lukanika, Sheftalies... anyway, had problems sleeping last night