Turkish cingen pilavi salad
Also known as ‘Gypsy Pilaf’, this Turkish recipe from Mediterranea: Life-perfected Recipes from Grandmothers of the Mediterranean by Anastasia Miari makes use of fresh vegetables and salty cheese
Marco Argüello
Esma tells me that though ‘Pilavi’ means ‘Pilaf’ and denotes a rice dish, Cingen Pilavi is actually a salad with no rice what so ever. The crumbled cheese or curd resembles rice and is the key component of the dish. It’s a recipe native to the west of Turkey, where Esma heils from, and in true granny form, was popularised as a means to use up the curd which was a by-product when making butter. It’s fresh, aromatic and full of flavour thanks to the combination of herbs and spring onion used. I particularly love Esma’s addition of Nigella seeds at the end, a powerful antioxidant to kick-start your day with.
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