[Sca-cooks] Dinner in the Topkapi Serai

K C Francis katiracook at hotmail.com
Thu Nov 15 15:23:03 PST 2007


> From: sclemenger at msn.com> Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Dinner in the Topkapi Serai> > Wow, Urtatim! I would have risked a *lot* of foul weather for a feast like that! Yum!> What was your favorite dish in the menu?> --Maire
Replying as a guest at the feast, my favorite dishes were:
 
Manti (Meat-filled Dumplings in Yogurt Sauce)Filling: Lamb, chickpeas, wine vinegar, cinnamon, salt, pepper;Purchased Wonton wrappers: wheat flour, egg, salt;Sauce: yogurt, sumac, garlic-- served to Mehmed II in 1469 and in the palace in autumn in the 16th C-- from the recipe by Shirvani Very tasty, our table asked for more and I would have eaten 3rds if it hadn't been served so early in the feast.   Mahmudiyye ("Mahmud's dish" - chicken with fruit and noodles)Chicken, salt, honey, almonds, apricots, grapes, fine wheat noodles, butter-- in winters menus at Topkapi, as well as in feast menus of the festivals of 1539-- from the recipe by Shirvani
 
This saucy dish was delicious.  a delightful combination of sweet and savory.  Senbuse Mukellele ("Crowned Triangles" - Fried Almond-Filled Pastries)Almonds, cane sugar, purchased phyllo dough, rose water, cinnamon, butter-- mentioned in "Nazmut-tebayi" (an early 15th C. medical work), served at two religious ceremonies in 1556, and in feasts of the circumcision ceremonies of 1582-- from the recipe by Shirvani
 
These were incredible light little bites.  I got two from our tray and I saw extra on the head table tray so I went up and 'begged a boon".  Having just gifted them with a box of wire and bead jewelry for royal gifts, they were more than happy to share the extra.   Muhallebi (Delicate Rice Flour Pudding)Milk, cane sugar, rice flour, butter, rose water, cinnamon, salt-- served to Mehmed II, in the feasts of circumcision ceremonies, in the palace-- from the recipe by Shirvani
 
This was a nice contrast to the little crispy bits and is aptly described. 
Urtatim, you ROCK!
Katira al-Maghrebiyya
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