On our trip to Istanbul, I took my sister to a cooking class at Cooking Alaturka. I was mainly in it for the five-course meal with wine at the end – surprise! – and that was definitely the highlight.
The cooking class is fun. My first impression of Chef Feyzi was that he seemed like a typically surly exemplar of the species, but he turned out to have a great sense of humour.
The class is aimed at beginners. Students are involved in simple tasks like peeling and chopping. Chef Feyzi does the rest. However, this should not deter more advanced students; if you are a good cook you will probably get more out of it in the long run, since you will find it easier to recreate the dishes at a later date.
Chef Feyzi
This is the menu that we helped to prepare:
Ezogelin çorbası
Red lentil and bulgur soup with dried mint and chili pepper
...
Kabak mücveri
Courgette patties with herbs and cheese
...
İmam bayıldı
Aubergine braised in olive oil with onion and tomato
...
Etli yaprak dolması
Vine leaves stuffed with minced meat
...
İncir tatlısı
Walnut-stuffed figs in syrup
I was least excited about the soup, but it turned out to be one of the best dishes. It is quick and easy to make and hearty, wholesome and delicious to taste. I’ll be sharing the recipe for it shortly.
The courgette fritters were light, fresh and creamy on the inside and crisp on the outside – just as they should be.
Aubergine braised in olive oil with onion and tomato was perfectly nice, but after seeing the amount of delicious herbs, spices and aromatics that went into it, I was expecting a little more wow factor.
My favourite, hands down, was the vine leaves stuffed with spiced minced lamb and beef and studded with rice. These are served hot with their cooking juices and a dollop of yoghurt. Devine.
Walnut-stuffed figs were a pleasant sweet to finish and easy to make. I was stuffed at this point though, so I didn’t make much headway with them.
Overall it was a great experience and I would highly recommend it to anyone visiting Istanbul for a more than a few days. At 65 euros, all inclusive, it’s great value too.
Cooking Alaturka – Akbiyik Caddesi 72A, Sultanahmet, Istanbul; Ph: +90 212 458 5919, Mob: +90 536 338 0896