Turkish Tuesday #19

One of the trips I've yet to write about (the one to Afyonkarahisar), inspired me to make a Turkish classic that I'd never realized was quite so popular.   After returning from a day of buses, women's cooperatives, and rug-shopping, my hosts in Afyon worked together to create some Kisir for me.
Kisir is the Turkish equivalent of tabbouleh, but it's way better than normal tabbouleh.  In addition to having bulgur, cucumbers, tomatoes, whatever other veggies you have in your fridge, and parsley, Turkish kisir includes a healthy dollop of both red pepper and tomato salca (paste).  I think it's this salca and the mint and the ultra-fresh ingredients that make all the difference, because kisir is delicious!
Though I'd never known about it (or exactly realized what it was) before Afyon, experts (Turks) agree that kisir is one of the Turkish kitchen's most delectable dishes, plus it's really easy to make. Hence, it is perfect for my Turkish Tuesday suite.  
Two Tuesdays ago, now, I whipped up some of my very own kisir and ate it as a meal with some Ayran. (Yogurt+Water+Salt=one of Turkey's favorite drinks.)  I made way more than I could finish that night, so ended up taking it on a crowded dolmush with me that Thursday, on my way to Megan's house for dinner.  Though everyone was crowded, and elbows and shopping bags were in everybody's personal space, my big bowl of kisir received several nods of encouragement, and two teenage boys actually said (in Turkish), "Kisir? Wow! You know how to make that?". I replied, "Tabii." (Of course.)
This really is a new favorite, though.  Look forward to eating it with me soon!