Turkish Meal Mondays: Havuç Mezes

In an effort to blog more, and record more of our day-to-day life here in Turkey, we're starting a new series: Turkish Meal Mondays!

Turkish Meal Mondays are a glimpse into the food we enjoy here in Turkey, accompanied by a recipe.  Mondays are one of our favourite days, because they're Market Days. Ever since our first market day a year and a half ago we have only missed two, due to torrential down pour a few weeks ago.  Our trips to the market will continue to focus on selecting fresh and delish produce to use in our weekly Turkish recipes.  Get ready... This blog just became appealing to foodies. 

 Today we're making Havuç Mezes or carrot appetizers. I'm not sure what this dish is actually called.  I've never seen it in a cook book, or even eaten it at a restaurant. Our neighbor Hacar taught me to make it last year, on a night when the women folk cooked for the men.  Cus that's what they do here.  I still haven't really picked up on that part of the culture. Too bad for Alan. But the recipe stuck, because it's YUMMY.

In Turkey, mezes are served in little bowls before dinner, and are usually served with bread to dip into them.  Like other mezes, you can eat this on bread, or with a fork.  Go wild.

Ingredients:
2 large carrots
A splash of olive oil
Salt and Pepper
2 cloves of garlic (more or less, depending on how much of a garlic freak you are, Dad.)
2 cups Yogurt (We use Turkish yoğurt, and it's the best.  Too bad for you.  You could use plain Greek yogurt.)
2 TBSP dried mint
2 TBSP sumac  NOT the poison kind.  In Turkey this is a deep purple spice with a little bit of a lemon flavor.

Directions: 

Grate the carrots with a cheese grater. Saute them in pan with enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan.  Season with salt and pepper.  Saute on low for about 5 minutes, or until the carrots turn a beautiful glowing orange colour.  (Don't let them get mushy.)

Finely chop garlic.  If you're as cool as us, use your rolly-garlic-robot.  If you're less cool, use something else.

(Thank you Binesh and Annamarie for our FAVOURITE kitchen tool.

Mix garlic, yogurt, and 1 TBSP water. (If you're using American yogurt you probably don't need the water.)

Transfer carrots to plate using the "put the plate upside down on the pan, and then FLIP!" method. 

Please ignore the disgusting looking stains on the bottom of our pan.

 If it doesn't come out perfect, pretend it did, by quietly pressing the carrots into a lovely circle and wiping all trace orange smears from the plate. Your guests will never know. 

Spoon yogurt mixture onto the top. Go slowly so it pools evenly. 

Spoon mint flakes and sumac onto the top.  But do it like you're a fabulous artist.  Expect to impress. 

 

 Let us know if you make this, I can't wait to hear how it turns out.  Also, let us know if you want some sumac, but can't find any.  I'll send you some. Because I love you.

Afiyet Olsun! Or Bon Appetit!