Ekşili köfte is a traditional köfte dish. The meatballs are prepared with a combination of ground beef, rice, eggs, cumin, black pepper, and salt. Once formed, they are cooked in water and beef stock. The sauce is made from flour, egg yolks, lemon juice, and water, with red pepper as garnish.
It's poured over the meatballs, then served with bread or salad on the side. The dish is typically eaten with a spoon.
MOST ICONIC Ekşili köfte
Sulu köfte is a Turkish stew made with köfte meatballs, onions, and rice. They are cooked in a sauce consisting of butter, tomato paste, and water. The name of the dish means watery köfte, referring to the thin, soup-like sauce. Tiny cubes of potatoes and carrots can also be added to the stew in order to elevate its flavors even further.
It is recommended to garnish the dish with chopped parsley, then serve it accompanied by Turkish bread on the side.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Harput köftesi are traditional Turkish köfte meatballs originating from Elazığ (formerly Harput). The dish is made with a combination of ground beef, basil, onions, bulgur, tomato paste, salt, paprika, black pepper, and parsley. The mixture is shaped into small balls, and the meatballs are then simmered in a combination of oil, water, and tomato paste.
Once done, Harput meatballs are served immediately in warmed plates.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Kabak dolmasi is a traditional dish made by stuffing zucchinis with a combination of ground beef or lamb, rice, onions, and tomatoes. The dish is flavored with parsley, salt, and pepper. When served, this meze dish is traditionally accompanied by plain yogurt or garlic yogurt.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Kadinbudu köfte (lit. lady’s thigh köfte) is a Turkish dish made with ground beef or lamb, rice, onions, eggs, flour, oil, and various spices. It is believed that the unusual name stems from the Ottoman era because it resembled women’s thighs at the time.
The meatballs are coated with flour and beaten eggs, then fried in hot oil until golden-brown in color. On the interior, the meat should remain tender and succulent. The dish is typically served either with french fries or pan-fried potato wedges, onions, and tomatoes.
MOST ICONIC Kadınbudu köfte
Domates dolmasi is a traditional dish that's also popular in Azerbaijan. It consists of stuffed and cooked tomatoes. The tomatoes are stuffed with a combination of ground lamb, rice, onions, parsley, olive oil, mint, and seasonings. They're then placed upright in a big pan and cooked until tender and the stuffing is fully cooked.
Once done, the stuffed tomatoes can be topped with a sauce consisting of the flesh of scooped tomatoes, red pepper paste, and olive oil. Garnish the dish with red pepper flakes and serve it with a bowl of plain yogurt on the side for the best experience.
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