I am making flavorful menu inspired by the beautiful wild mushrooms I found along the Black Sea coast and pomegranates that bought from the market!
We’ll be preparing three dishes: a comforting One-Pot Bulgur Pilaf with Chicken / Salad and Muhallebi! The pilaf contains chicken and Gingile mushrooms, a refreshing purslane salad contains carrots and pomegranate, and for dessert, I will make a creamy “Narlı Muhallebi” (milk pudding with pomegranate sauce).
Narlı Muhallebi (Milk Pudding with Pomegranate Sauce)
Ingredients:
- For the pudding
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup flour
- 2 heaped tbsp wheat starch (or corn starch)
- 1 liter whole milk
- 4 tsp mastic gum
- 1 tbsp butter
- For the pomegranate sauce:
- 1 cup pomegranate juice (from 1-2 pomegranate)
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp wheat starch
- 1 tsp butter
- Fresh pomegranate seeds to garnish
Instructions:
1. Prepare the Muhallebi:
In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup of sugar, ½ cup flour, and 2 heaped tbsp of wheat starch. Slowly whisk in 1 liter of whole milk and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly.
2. Add Mastic Gum (Optional):
Crush 4 tsp of mastic gum with a little sugar, and add to the pudding mixture for a delicate aroma. If you don’t have mastic gum, vanilla works well too.
3. Cook the Pudding:
Once thickened, stir in 1 tbsp of butter. Continue cooking for 2 more minutes, then remove from heat. Portion into pudding cups to let it cool and meanwhile make the pomegranate sauce
4. Make the Pomegranate Sauce:
In a separate pan, combine 1 cup of pomegranate juice, 1 cup water, ¼ cup sugar, and 2 tbsp wheat starch. Cook over low heat, stirring continuously, until thickened. Add 1 tsp of butter for a silky finish.
5. Assemble and Garnish:
Pour the pomegranate sauce over the muhallebi and garnish with fresh pomegranate seeds. Let them cool completely in the fridge.
One-Pot Bulgur Pilaf with Chicken and Mushrooms
Ingredients:
- 2 chicken thighs (or drumsticks)
- 1 liter water
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cups bulgur wheat (Siyez bulgur if available)
- 200g Gingile mushrooms (or any variety of mushroom)
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 green peppers, chopped
- ½ red pepper, chopped
- 3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 3¾ cups chicken broth
- Butter and olive oil for sautéing
- Salt, black pepper, thyme, and pul biber (chili flakes) to taste
Instructions:
1. Cook the Chicken:
In a wide cast-iron pan, brown the skin of 2 chicken thighs in butter. Then, add 1 liter of water, salt, black pepper, and 2 bay leaves. Boil until the chicken is tender.
2. Prepare the Bulgur Pilaf:
Remove the chicken, clean the bones, and set aside. In the same pan, sauté 1 chopped onion in butter and olive oil. Add 2 chopped green peppers, ½ chopped red pepper, and minced garlic. Stir in 1 tbsp of tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add the Bulgur and Mushrooms:
Add 2 cups of bulgur and 200g of Gingile mushrooms (or your preferred type) to the pan. Pour in 3¾ cups of chicken broth and season with salt, black pepper, and thyme. Place the chicken thighs back on top.
4. Cook and Rest:
Cover and cook on low heat until the bulgur has absorbed all the liquid. Rest for 15-20 minutes before serving.
FRESH LACTARIUS
One of the most known mushroom in Turkish market as it has strong place in Turkish kitchen tradinitionally. And its known as “Çıntar” or “Kanlıca“ in different regions of Turkey. We mainly Export this type as brined but the frozen form is available in our stock all the year long. LACTARIUS Delicious Commonly known as the delicious milk cap, saffron milk cap, or red pine mushroom, is one of the best known members of the large milk-cap genus Lactarius in the order Russulales. One of the most known mushroom in Turkish market as it has strong place in Turkish kitchen tradinitionally. And it’s known as “Çıntar” or “Kanlıca“ in different regions of Turkey.
Purslane and Carrot Salad with Pomegranates
Ingredients:
- 1 bunch fresh purslane
- 1 large carrot, grated
- ½ red pepper, chopped
- 1 cucumber, chopped
- Fresh pomegranate seeds
- Lemon juice, olive oil, and salt for dressing
Instructions:
1. Prepare the Salad:
Wash and chop the purslane, then place in a salad bowl. Top with grated carrot, chopped red pepper, cucumber, and pomegranate seeds.
2. Dress the Salad:
Drizzle with lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. Toss gently to combine.
Final Touches:
Sprinkle some pul biber (chili flakes) and thyme on the bulgur pilaf for added flavor. Set the table and enjoy this delightful meal with your family or friends!
You can serve your favorite soup before the main dish if you want. I would suggest Turkish Lentil Soup “Restaurant Style” or Chicken Noodle Soup Turkish Way for a hearty winter menu for cold days.
Thank you for joining me in the kitchen today! Don’t forget to share your creations and let me know what substitutions or additions you made. I’d love to hear from you. Afiyet olsun! Bon appétit!
Also you can look these recipes too from my website:
