Our Easter break at Turkey brought us closer to rich cultural experiences. One of them was Gozleme, a food dish we savoured every day by the beach side at Antalya.

It was a no brainer that this was going to be my evening snacks for our next potluck. We are 6 couples with 11 kids which means lengthy hours of sweat and love in the kitchen to make Gozleme. Since I had eaten them freshly made the only apprehension for me was to prepare a bulk quantity in advance to serve it the next evening at a friends place.

Spoke to few of my friends and it was clear that there is no chance I can roll them out and stuff it and fry it to serve fresh on the day. They beautifully encouraged me to give it try.  Our potluck fine starts at 12:45 p.m. so an evening before was my lovely cooking day. Researched the web to find out about storing tips for stuffed gozleme, cooked gozleme, only dough etc.

Lots of ideas on how to store it and the best option to me  was to store cooked gozleme although I still needed assurance and to be calm I stepped out and reached out to the turkish cooks at a Turkish kebab joint nearby. Discussed my Gozleme plan. Their feedback matched and that pushed up my confidence. So I unlocked those belts in my mind and full spirited prepared Gozleme and stored them in freezer bags (5 Gozleme in one big freezer bag) in the refrigerator for the next day.

At my friends too kept them chilled in her fridge. Warmed them in the oven for say 30 minutes before serving and then they hit the hungry heads – kids finished them with licks and adults loved them. SO I am thrilled to share the recipe!

Ingredients:

For Dough

1. Self-raising flour – 1.25kg
2. Greek Yoghurt – 1kg
3. Olive oil – as needed
4. Pinch of salt

For filling:

1. Minced Lamb meat – 1 kg
2. Coriander leaves – 1/2 bundle pack
3. Mint leaves – 1/2  bundle pack
4. Spices (the amounts I took based on my regular cooking skills, cannot provide measurements)
   1. sumac
   2. cinnamon powder
   3. Turmeric
   4. Red chilli powder
   5. Black pepper powder
   6. Cumin seed Powder
   7. Coriander Powder
5. Ginger paste
6. Garlic paste
7. Feta cheese
8. Cheddar cheese
9. Tomato ketchup (optional)
10. Salt (as per taste)
11. One onion finely chopped
12. Bell peppers mixed( green yellow red)

Method:

For Dough:

1.  Empty the flour in a big bowl
2. Add salt as per your taste and mix
3. Add yoghurt in batches and mix until all of it is added.
4. Now knead it into a soft and sticky dough
5. Add some olive oil at the end.
6. Cover the bowl with a cling film and keep it aside for 30 minutes. I had kept it for 4 long hours.

For Filling:

Meat:

1. Take a pan and put 1 spoon oil
2. Saute the chopped onions until they are translucent and have turned soft.
3. Now add all the spices + garlic + ginger paste
4. Saute for 30 seconds
5. Add lamb Minced meat to it.
6. Add salt
7. Mix well and let it cook.
8. Once the minced meat is cooked then empty it into a big bowl. The meat should be dry after cooking.
9. Chop coriander leaves and mint leaves and add them to the minced meat and mix it well.
10. Crumble feta cheese and keep ready in a bowl

Bell peppers:

1. Cut the bell peppers into thin strips.
2. Heat a pan with 1tbsp oil on medium flame
3. Add garlic, salt. pepper and bell pepper strips
4. Saute them for say 2-3 minutes or until it turns tender.
5. Empty them into a bowl.

Preparation:

1. Divide the dough into even balls of the same size.
2. Roll out each dough ball using a rolling pin. It should sit thin so that u can see the other side of the surface
3. The dough may be sticky so use flour on the surface for making it an easy job.
4. Now start your filling in any order
   1. minced meat
   2. cheddar cheese
   3. feta cheese
   4. bell peppers
   5. squirts of ketchup
5. Now fold the dough into a semi circle
6. gently tap the curved edge with a spoon or your fingers to seal it.
7. Now brush some olive oil on one side of the package
8. Heat the frying pan and put the oiled side on the the pan to cook first.
9. Brush oil on the other side.
10. Cook each side until it turns golden
11. Gozleme are ready, cut them into three and serve with lemon and a glass of Ayran!

 

You can try out different stuffings, there are so many innovative ideas.

 

So where ever I look I keep analysing. It may not result in a resolved understanding but yea thoughts dont tire me.

Now ofcourse I wont spare my own self, so I do look at my face everyday in the mirror as a subject to study and analyse. I watch how it keeps changing so subtly.

Lately a red patch on my nose and cheeks was flaring up loud –  no it does not look rosy..it looks a bit unusual.

My different theories in association with my medical condition, I knew what had likely happened.

This only made me question what can I actually do to be in control?

1: sleep well

2: worry less

3: love without hesitation.

4: be realistic with everything I do – aim high, be realistic. As a parent life is challenging and very very tough sometimes rough..dont feel that u have sacrificed, enjoy them. Also understand that everyone understands.

5: drink water (warm)

6: be watchful of what u eat.

7: wear a hat always

8: wear sunscreen everyday

9: moisturise

10: oil ur hair,  head massage twice a week

11: exercise or run or walk or do a sport

12: read, read, read.

13: Turmeric powder + Sandal wood powder + rose water + olive oil + chickpea flour + milk – make a paste and apply it on your face everyday. let it dry and then rinse it off with water.

14: practise minimialism with pride

15: talk to your self .

16: be thankful, start your day as a blessing.