Yeni Raki Global

5 Turkish Comfort Foods for Homesickness

araffy meal of meat and vegetables on a table with a bottle of water

​​​​We do not need to be full of sad thoughts, but sometimes people want to go back to their roots. Their house, their routine, the breakfast prepared by their mother, or the rakı that was drunk in one ​​of the seaside towns on a beautiful summer evening. They sometimes miss choosing appetizers from the mezze tray that comes, the whiteness that happens when rakı glasses are filled with water, talking with his friends not only by mouth but also with heart, the sound of waves, voices of friends... Some scents have the power to make us feel like we are at home. A meal cooked on the stove, anise mixed with water or the scents of a spice... Whenever you eat, the food that relieves you, no matter how far away from home, you will stop and think a little in the fast-flowing life, and then you will feel complete. After reading this article, we may not be able to take you to a seaside town, but we surely can recommend five dishes for you which will make you feel better.

Haydari Recipe

'Comfort food' does not always have to be the main course, and it cannot be thought that a rakı table will be completed without the most popular yogurt mezze. We can now proudly say that you can find two flavors that make you feel like at home all over the world; Yeni Rakı and yogurt. The ingredients of which are easily found in every refrigerator and it is quite easy to diversity this practical mezze. You can also make a 'kuru cacık' with a thicker yogurt and little slices of cucumber in it. Watch the recipe and start cooking.

Burnt Eggplant Dip Recipe

A house filled with the smell of roasted eggplant on the stove means it has become a real house. This mezze, where sooty flavors from roasted eggplants meet with mayonnaise, is also an exquisite bread top recipe. Whether you add it to the sandwich that you prepared for the day or you can fill the eggplant mezze quota of the next Yeni Rakı table... In any case, it will satisfy you with its smoky taste. For this delicious recipe, if the eggplants are ready, we will give you the other ingredients that you need. 

**Ingredients:**​

  • 3 eggplants

  • 5 cloves of garlic

  • 2 tbsp of mayonnaise

  • 3 tbsp of olive oil

  • 1,5 tsp of sea salt

  • Beetroot stalks

  • Parsley

The method of the dish is pretty simple; Pierce the eggplants with a knife, drizzle with oil and roast them on the stove until their flesh is soft and smoky enough and mix it with other ingredients and that's all. 

Easy Kebab Recipe

​No Turkish table is complete without well-cooked meat or meatball. This dish, which you need only minced meat, onion and plenty of spices, is one of the easiest kebab recipes to prepare at home. It is not possible for a person to feel relaxed as the delicious, heart-warming smells start to come from the slowly cooking meats on shish. If you want to go further, prepare a colorful salad and serve some Yeni Rakı, open your favorite playlist​ and think about the days you eat this with your family and friends. You can also watch the video below to skip any steps.

 

Meatball Recipe

Meatballs are at the top of the dishes, where everyone has their own tricks. If you want to eat a meatball that is crispy on the outside and really soft and yummy inside, we'll give you a complete list of what you need for this divine food.

Ingredients:

  • ​2 slices bread

  • 1 cup Yeni Rakı

  • 3/8 c. olive oil

  • 1/2 chopped onions

  • 1 lb. lean ground beef

  • 1 egg

  • 3 tsp. diced mint​

  • 1 minced garlic

  • 1/2 tsp. oregano

  • 1 tsp. absolute

  • Red onions

  • Bell peppers

  • Cherry tomatoes

  • Pepper to taste

On the day you make these meatballs, invite your friends who miss this taste as much as you do, serve the rakı and surprise them with a little bit of 'ocakbaşı' moment at home. If you took some special spices from your hometown when you move abroad, and believe that they will really suit this recipe, do not hesitate and add them also.

Zeytinyağl​ı Yaprak Sarma Recipe

The most special flavor of Turkish cuisine, capable to make you feel like you are at home even looking to its picture; leaf wrap with olive oil and rice aka the 'zeytinyağlı yaprak sarma'. The last meal we chose for you contains some challenges. This unique dish requires some effort, but it contains everything you need to keep you from feeling distant. Every bite you take will be full of good ​​​​​memories from home, Turkey. Almost nothing makes you feel this secure except some smells from childhood memories.

If you started to prepare your shopping list for this recipe that requires care and patience, we'll write what you need.​Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp. olive oil

  • 2 onions, minced

  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced

  • 1-1/2 cups uncooked long-grain white rice

  • 3 tbsp. tomato paste

  • 2 tbsp. dried currants or raisins

  • 2 tbsp. pine nuts

  • 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

  • 3 tbsp. freshly chopped mint leaves

  • 1 tbsp. dried dill weed

  • 1 tsp. ground mace

  • 1 tbsp. ground sumac

  • 2 tbsp. pomegranate molasses

  • 18-oz jar grape leaves

If the list is complete, you can find the recipe here. Enjoy your meal in advance.

There are countless dishes in Turkish cuisine that we call ''Comfort Food''. If your comfort foods are among the ones we gave, reward yourself and make that meal today. When dishes start to cook, it is time to order Yeni Rakı. Invite a couple of friends who miss the house like you, choose the playlist for your mood and feel at home even if you are not in a seaside town.