In our
travels in Europe, our family had the pleasure of eating many foods from
different countries. One of the first
people to feed us in Munich, Germany was our friend Hiddia, a Turkish woman who
was born in Turkey and moved to Germany when she was very young. She was someone who really knew how to be
hospitable. Every day the kids and I
would walk past her flat on the way home from school. She often called us to come upstairs for a
cup of tea. We quickly learned that
visits are longer than one cup of tea, mostly sliding into dinner. I quickly learned that I “love” Turkish food! She was an excellent cook, and those who know
me will confirm I do not use that complement freely. Hiddia was so welcoming she even invited us
during Ramadan, a traditional time for “insiders.” This was a special treat because the table
was set with even better food than usual.
She and her friends always teased me, saying they were going to fatten me
up. They said a woman needs a bit of a belly,
and mine was missing. They had to learn that
when I said, “Enough” I was really done.
The only way I could have eaten any more would have been “Roman festival
style”.
Hiddia’s Turkish Minted Meat and
Rice
2 pounds of
ground burger browned in a pan.
Put the following into a food
processor, or just chop madly: 2
carrots, 1 zucchini, 1 onion, and 2 cloves of garlic (dice extra small), and
add to the frying pan of burger. Next
add a 4 oz can of tomato paste and one 4 oz can of tomato sauce and about 2
cups of water. (You might need to add more)
Season with 2 heaping tablespoons full of mint, 1 tablespoon brown
sugar, salt and pepper and let simmer for about 15 minutes. Serve over Basmati rice or alternative healthy
rice. While eating, try some Middle
Eastern yogurt on the side; do not mix it in, just add some to each bite. If you enjoy the meal, remember the giving
heart of the one who inspired me to create it and welcome someone into your
home.
No comments:
Post a Comment