[Sca-cooks] 15th C. Ottoman Bulghur w/Chestnuts
Johnna Holloway
johnna at sitka.engin.umich.edu
Wed Sep 19 19:45:59 PDT 2007
Marianna Yerasimos in 500 Years of Ottoman Cuisine has two pages
on bulgur. She mentions the various accounts that list it, including
the purchasing records from 1473 that record chestnuts and bulgur being
purchased
and cooked in the imperial kitchens.
She indicates that the chestnuts were omitted and return as an
ingredient in the pilavi
in the 18th century. She then gives an 18th century recipe for
Kestaneli Bulgur Pilavi. It's on page 131. It's bulgur, meat stock or
plain water,
chestnuts, onion, butter, raisins, cumin, allspice, dill, and salt. I am
not sure
how early that the allspice would have made its way east to the Ottoman
Empire.
I just read that it was one of the things Columbus brought back from the
New World,
but how soon it would have traveled from there east I don't know.
Johnnae
Lilinah wrote:
> I'd like to serve some version of bulghur wheat with chestnuts at my
> upcoming Ottoman feast. The dish is mentioned in many 16th C. menus.
> It was served at meals as a primary grain dish. Unfortunately there's
> no surviving recipe.
>
> So i'm trying to invent something - yes, not good for perfect
> historical accuracy - but there may be some diners who cannot eat
> rice.
>
> I'm trying to figure out a few things and i'd like to run them by folks here.
>
>
> -------
>
>
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