Zeytinli hellimli kek is a Cypriot bread muffin that’s filled with savoury black olives (zeytin) and creamy halloumi (hellim) cheese cubes . The key ingredient is fresh coriander which provides a sweet fragrance that complements the earthy aromas of the chopped onions. The addition of dried mint, dried dill and ground cinnamon enhance the flavours further with refreshing herbal notes and subtle sweetness. The muffins are made with yeast, providing a bread-like texture and cr

Semizotu salatası, or purslane salad , is a delight to eat. Purslane has a fresh, tangy flavour with subtle lemony notes that blend beautifully with chopped tomatoes, cucumber and aubergine. The leaves are tender, plump and succulent, providing a unique texture that pairs perfectly with the other vegetables. We use a vinegar and olive oil dressing that enhances the brightness of the purslane - though you can also use lemon juice instead of vinegar if you prefer citrus flavour

Pazılı kuru bakla salatası is a vibrant and healthy Turkish salad . The dried broad beans (kuru bakla - 'kuh-ruh bahk-lah') have a creamy texture and a rich, earthy, nutty flavour with a subtle sweetness, similar to that of chickpeas. The beans are perfectly balanced by the mellow, mildly earthy-sweet flavours of chard and lifted by the lemon and olive oil dressing. The salad is best made when chard is in season. We use a green chard variety from Cyprus, which is available

Gömeç salatası is a light and healthy Cypriot salad . Mallow leaves (gömeç - ' gyuh-mech') have a mild, slightly earthy flavour similar to that of chard, but the leaves are silky in texture and the stalks are firmer. The salad is dressed simply with lemon juice and olive oil, so as not to overpower the mild flavours. You can also add chopped garlic to the dressing for a bolder flavour. Wild mallow leaves grow all over the countryside in Cyprus during early spring, with locals

Yumurtalı gömeç ve patates is a simple and delicious Cypriot dish, ideal for a quick, light lunch. Mallow leaves (gömeç - 'gyuh-mech') have a mild and earthy flavour that is similar to chard, but with firmer stems when fried. Like yumurtalı ıspanak , this dish is simply seasoned with salt and ground black pepper for a hint of warmth. The difference is the addition of fried potatoes which add richness. Both vegetables pair perfectly with the crispy fried eggs and black olives.

Fasulye salatası is a classic Turkish cannellini bean salad that is often enjoyed as a refreshing meze, side dish or light lunch....

Kıymalı garavolli makarna is a hearty and comforting Cypriot pasta dish . Pronounced 'kiy-mah-luh gah-rah-voh-lee mah-kar-nah', the conchiglie pasta shells become filled with the rich and fragrant beef and tomato sauce, ensuring every bite is packed full of flavour. Dried oregano and ground cumin provide earthy flavours that are perfectly balanced by the fresh chopped parsley. The ground cinnamon and chopped onions add sweetness which works well with the minced beef and nutty

Enginar dolması (en-gee-nahr dohl-mah-suh) is a delightful Turkish dish to eat. The minced beef, tomato, onions and herbs in the filling work together to add rich flavours, with the lemon juice contrasting the earthiness of the artichoke. Adding rice to the filling provides texture and makes it firm and easy to scoop out with a fork while eating. The Cyprus artichokes used in this recipe are widely available at Turkish supermarkets in winter months when they are in season. T

Mercimek çorbası is a comforting and nutritious lentil soup that you may know from Turkish restaurants. Pronounced 'mehr-jee-mek chor-bah-suh', the Cypriot version of the dish (this recipe) uses a generous amount of lemon juice as a key ingredient for a fresh, zesty flavour and bright golden hue. Chopped onions add an earthy fragrance that balances the creamy lentils, while ground black pepper brings gentle warmth. As we use plenty of lemon juice in our recipe, you may wish

Pazı dolması (pah-zuh dohl-mah-suh) has a delicate, spinach-like flavour from the chard leaves, which pairs beautifully with the lemony rice filling. Compared to yalancı dolma (which shares its ingredients), it has a softer bite. This dish is perfect for the summer months when chard is in season, especially served with a dollop of creamy yoghurt. It can be enjoyed either warm or cold. Preparing pazı dolması can be a little fiddly at first, as the cut leaves can be triangular

Cacık is a refreshing Turkish yoghurt dish that is often served as part of a meze (appetizer), as a side dish , or enjoyed on its own with bread for dipping. Pronounced 'jah-juk', it's simple to make and combines creamy yoghurt with grated or chopped cucumber, garlic, dried mint and a drizzle of olive oil. With the cooling flavours of cucumber and mint, it is usually served in the summer, but can be eaten year round. You can coarsely grate the cucumber or finely slice it depe

Ekmek kadayıfı (ehk-mehk kah-dah-yuh-fuh) is a popular Turkish syrup-soaked dessert and like tel kadayıf , it is often made for celebrations like Eid. It has numerous regional variations in its preparation and in its most simplest form, is topped with a generous dollop of kaymak (a rich clotted cream) which perfectly balances its sweetness. Ekmek means 'bread' in Turkish, as the dessert is made with a special type of dried sponge cake that is rehydrated with a fragrant ros

Şehriyeli pilav is a staple Turkish side dish served with most Cypriot stews and oven dishes. Pronounced 'sheh-ree-yeh-lee pih-lahv', it combines long grain rice with fried tel şehriye (broken vermicelli), giving it a fragrant, nutty flavour and adding a touch of colour. The dish has a delicate balance of textures, with the slightly chewy şehriye contrasting the soft, tender rice perfectly. Traditionally, before mass production of şehriye, women in Cypriot villages would gath

Sütlü erişte is a delicate, rose-scented, creamy Turkish dessert . Pronounced 'soot-loo eh-reesh-teh', the name means 'milk noodles' as it features a type of Turkish egg pasta noodle called erişte which is used in a variety of dishes, from savoury soups to sweet treats. Erişte is also known as kesme, which translates to "a cutting," referring to its traditional preparation method of cutting dough into short, thin strips by hand. Although longer, tagliatelle pasta has a simila

Pancarlı patates salatası is a vibrant and hearty Turkish Cypriot salad with earthy and refreshing flavours. Pronounced 'pahn-jar-luh pah-tah-tess sah-lah-tah-suh', it brings together tender boiled Cyprus potatoes and sweet beetroot to create a contrast in taste and colour. The salad is dressed with a light and tangy mix of extra virgin olive oil, malt vinegar and a hint of freshly chopped garlic which work well together to enhance the flavours of the vegetables. Dried mint

Barbunya salatası is a vibrant Turkish red kidney bean salad that's packed full of Mediterranean flavours. Pronounced 'bar-boon-yah...

Etli fiyonk makarna is a quick alternative to mantı (meat-filled Turkish dumplings) as it borrows the same filling ingredients. Pronounced 'et-lee fee-yonk mah-kahr-nah', the minced meat is deeply fragrant from the addition of earthy dried oregano and ground cumin, while the chopped parsley and ground cinnamon balance these flavours with a hint of sweetness. Farfalle pasta is used in this recipe for its similarity in texture to mantı, thanks to its flat shape and slightly che

Sarımsaklı yoğurt, is a versatile Turkish garlic yoghurt side dish that pairs beautifully with roasted vegetable dishes like türlü and classics like mantı and dolma. Pronounced 'sah-rum-sahk-luh yoh-urt', it is easy to make, simply by blending finely chopped garlic with yoghurt. Cacık is very similar to sarımsaklı yoğurt, but the addition of cucumber provides cooler flavours that are better suited to the summer. This makes sarımsaklı yoğurt easier to use year-round, where i