Key Ingredients

• Basmati Rice: A long, slender grain rice with a fluffy texture and separate grains when cooked. It has a nutty and aromatic flavor, and is the rice of choice for Middle Eastern cooks.
• Water or broth is the base for cooking rice. You can use either, but vegetable broth adds extra depth and savory notes to the rice.
• Extra virgin olive oil is a healthy alternative to butter to help separate and fluff the rice once cooked.
• Turmeric is an extraordinary spice, with vibrant colour and distinctive flavor, and it is also packed with a number of health benefits. It is a natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory known for supporting digestion and boosting immunity.
• Onion, garlic, and ginger: Three fresh aromatics enhance the flavor of the rice.
• Fresh herbs: Cilantro adds flecks of green to the golden rice along with its incomparable fresh and herbaceous flavor. If you are not a cilantro lover then feel free to leave it out or replace it with fresh parsley, dill, or a combination of all three.

How to Make Turmeric Rice

• Rinse the rice. Wash 2 cups of basmati rice in cold water and strain. Repeat until the water runs clear. Rinsing removes starch from the surface of the rice, resulting in fluffy, separate grains. 
• Sauté the aromatics. In a medium non-stick saucepan set over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. When the oil shimmers, add 1 medium, finely chopped onion. Cook, stirring, until the onion softens and turns translucent. Add the 1 crushed or grated garlic clove and 1 teaspoon finely-grated fresh ginger and stir until aromatic, about 30 seconds.
• Add turmeric and rice: Sprinkle in 1 teaspoon ground turmeric, followed by the rice, and stir until evenly mixed with all the aromatics. 
• Add liquid and boil.  Pour in 2 1/4 cups vegetable broth or water and add 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt. Bring to a boil.
• Simmer the rice: As soon as the rice comes to a boil, gently stir in 1 1/2 cups finely chopped, and tightly packed fresh cilantro, dill, or parsley, making sure it is evenly distributed throughout the rice. Then reduce the heat to low. Cover tightly and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.
• Rest, fluff, and serve: Remove rice from heat and leave covered for 10 minutes to allow the rice to steam. Uncover and gently fluff with a fork. Spoon into a dish and serve.

Perfect Pairings

• Kebabs: Salmon Kabobs; Juiciest Grilled Lamb Kabobs; or Joojeh Kabob (Persian Chicken Kabob)
• Vegetarian: Cauliflower Steaks, or Borani Kadoo.
• Fish: Tomato and Pepper Poached Cod; or 15-Min Spicy Baked Salmon with Lime and Harissa.
• Meat: Saffron Citrus Lamb Lollipops; Persian Braised Lamb Recipe (Mahiche); or Apricot Chicken Recipe.

Key Ingredients 

• Extra virgin olive oil: The characteristic of this dish is that it is cooked in olive oil (zeytinyağı), which provides a rich, full-bodied flavor and is healthy.
• Onion becomes sweeter and more mellow as it cooks, a lovely match for the slightly bitter chard in this dish. Either red or yellow onion would be lovely. 
• Red chili pepper adds a delicious but not overpowering spiciness and aroma to this lovely dish. Look for any red medium-hot pepper, such as Fresno. You can also substitute with 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
• Garlic provides an aromatic foundation and pungency to the dish.
• Tomatoes: Diced canned tomatoes add body, thickness, and moisture to the dish, while double-concentrated tomato paste, a must-have ingredient in Turkish cuisine, adds rich, intense tomato flavor and color and helps thicken the texture.
• Swiss Chard: I love the earthy, slightly bitter taste of chard. When cooked, its initial raw bitterness mellows out quite a bit, and it becomes tender, with a hint of pepperiness too. You can use any color chard in this recipe.
• Rice: As it cooks, the rice absorbs liquid and releases starch that naturally thickens this dish and makes it more substantial, too. Short-grain baldo rice is a popular choice in Turkey, though arborio or long-grain varieties work well, too.

How to Cook Swiss Chard, Turkish Style

• Prep the Swiss chard. Wash 1 pound of Swiss chard, and halve the leaves through the stems lengthwise. Chop the leaves into 1/2-inch pieces. Set aside. 
• Sauté the aromatics. Heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a large, wide saucepan over a medium–high heat, add 1 finely chopped medium onion and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until starting to soften. Add 1 seeded and finely chopped red chili pepper (such as Fresno), 4 finely chopped garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon double-concentrated tomato paste, and 1 cup diced canned or fresh tomatoes to the pan. Stir to combine and cook for 2 minutes. 
• Add the Swiss chard. Lower heat to medium and stir in the chopped chard, and gently combine until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup rinsed rice and stir to combine well. 
• Simmer and steam. Add 2 cups hot water, season with a good pinch (about 1/2 teaspoon each) salt and freshly-ground black pepper, give it a good stir, then cover and cook for 20–25 minutes over a medium-low heat until the rice and vegetables are cooked and tender. 
• Steam and serve. Turn the heat off and leave to rest for 10 minutes, covered. Serve the vegetables and cooking juices with a dollop of yogurt and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil over top.

What is Zeytinyağlı?

Zeytinyağlı is a category of dishes in Turkish cuisine where we cook vegetables, sometimes along with grains, gently with olive oil. 

We eat zeytinyağlı dishes at room temperature or chilled, especially in summertime. My family also loves this dish hot on cooler days, with a dollop of yogurt and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Zeytinyağlı dishes are great to prepare ahead of time. In fact, leftovers taste even better the next day as the flavors develop.

Substitutions

• Use other greens: Spinach, kale, beet greens, or large leafy collard greens all work in place of chard. I sometimes like to add a few scallions and their greens, too.
• Use other grains: Substitute rice with coarse bulgur or quinoa. They will add wholesomeness and nutty flavor to the dish. 
• Use fresh tomatoes: Instead of a can of chopped tomatoes, you can use fresh, ripe tomatoes when they’re in season. As they may not have the same intense tomato flavor as canned tomatoes, you may need to add another tablespoon of tomato paste.

Perfect Pairings

When the weather is warm, we traditionally eat this dish cold or at room temperature as part of a mezze spread. On cold days, we enjoy it hot. Here are a few ideas for how to serve it. 

• Bread on the side: Serve this swiss chard recipe with crusty olive bread to mop up the delicious juices, along with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Flatbreads can be lovely here too. 
• Dollop with yogurt: Plain yogurt is a major staple in Turkish cuisine that accompanies most savory meals. Its cooling, creamy, tangy taste is fantastic with savory dishes, and it is packed full of goodness and gut-friendly, too. I like using creamy whole milk Turkish or Greek yogurt, though you may opt to use a lower-fat or plant-based version, too.
• Add feta: Instead of yogurt, this dish is lovely topped with crumbled feta and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
• Add a few eggs over: For a more substantial meal, you can crack a few eggs over the greens, cover, and cook—it is delicious!

Baghrir is a traditional North African semolina pancake made with yeast and cooked on only one side. With a gentle tang and a tender, spongy bite, it’s a pancake unlike any other. As they cook, steam rises through the batter, creating hundreds of tiny holes across the surface—hence the nickname “thousand-hole pancake.”

These holes are essential to how baghrir absorbs toppings while remaining light and tender. People enjoy Baghrir across Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria, where it’s closely tied to home cooking, family gatherings, and everyday hospitality.

It’s commonly served warm with mint tea at breakfast tables and becomes a near-daily presence at sunset at iftar, fast-breaking meals during Ramadan. While similar pancakes are found throughout the region, Moroccan baghrir is especially prized for its light, airy crumb and fine, lace-like texture.

How to Make Fava Bean Dip

• Get ready. Soak 1 1/4 cups (8 ounces) dried split fava beans in water overnight. Before you start cooking them, discard the soaking water and give them a quick rinse. 
• Simmer the beans. In a medium pot, add the rinsed fava beans, 1 medium peeled and quartered onion, and 3 peeled garlic cloves along with 3 cups water. Add additional water to cover the beans, if necessary. Bring to a boil on high heat, and then turn down to low to medium heat to simmer for about 12 minutes. Test a bean at this point; it should be “al dente,” soft with a little bit of bite. If they’re not, keep simmering (and checking them) for a few more minutes until tender. 
• Throw in the herbs. Add 1 packed cup (1 ounce) each fresh dill, parsley, and cilantro leaves and tender stems to the pot, stir, and let simmer for another 5 minutes. 
• Blend and season. Using an immersion blender, blend all the ingredients in the pot together until you have a thick, pureed mixture of uniform consistency. Add 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper, and 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, and give it a taste. Adjust seasonings to your preference. 
• Brown the shallot. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a pan on medium heat. Slowly sauté 1 finely sliced shallot until browned and caramelized, about 5 minutes, stirring constantly to avoid burning. 
• Finish and serve. Finally, pour the dip into a serving dish. Sprinkle with Aleppo pepper. Add the browned shallots and serve warm, or leave to cool to your desired temperature.