A Special Taste of the Ottoman Cuisine

APRICOT YAHNI

The legendary Ottoman Palace Cuisine has been described as one of the richest cuisines in the world compared to other world cuisines, and has hosted many cultures from Central Asia to the Seljuks. One of the biggest reasons for this special cuisine to have different varieties and flavors is that different cultures live together in the capital city.

The importance given to meat dishes was great and perhaps many vegetables and fruits that we do not use in our modern kitchens were included in Ottoman dishes. For example, the use of fruits in main meals is not common today, but centuries ago, fruits were used in meat dishes in the palace kitchen.

Today, we leave you with one of the most special flavors of the Ottoman Palace Cuisine: Apricot Stew.

Ingredients

1 kg of lamb meat

10-12 dry days

20 shallots

8 cloves of garlic

2 tablespoons of molasses

2 tablespoons of almonds

30 grams of butter

1 tablespoon of grape vinegar

1 cup boiled chickpeas

Salt, pepper, cumin

Preparation

Firstly, take the meat in the pan and roast it for a minute or two on high heat, then add the butter and fry it for 10 minutes. Extract the onion and garlic thoroughly. After adding the garlic and onion, fry for 5 more minutes, then add 6 cups of hot water and boil. After your food boils, reduce the heat and cook until your meat is soft. After the meat is cooked, add salt, boiled chickpeas, diced apricots, almonds, salt and spices. After adding 2 tablespoons of molasses and 1 tablespoon of vinegar, cook the stew on low heat until the water is absorbed. After your meal is cooked, you can serve it with finely chopped dill and rice.