Search the Community

Coriander is not known much.. Only some local folks appreciate it, like the Southestern Anatolia people.. But it occupies a very important place in Antakya cuisine, and let me share a secret with you: if there is no coriander in the famous Antakya dürümü (stuffed rolls), it is never an Antakya dürümü in the real sense! Sure, the paste of a local variety a red pepper shouldn't be ignored. Coriander, or Coriandrum sativum, is called 'kişniş' in Turkey: Kishnish. As far as I know, only its seeds are used. It has a unique and strong aroma. Maybe because of this, it is not so widely used as maybe expected, considering its health benefits. Yes, its essential oil has antibacterial and antifungal features.. Other benefits are pronounced as well, and there is some literature about that, if you are interested in it, I'm sure you can find some reliable material, as I found.. As to its antimicrobial features, I guess this is why the Southeastern people use it, the region is hot, and local people love to eat meat.. Coriander seems to protect the meat.. But what is more important than this, its antimicrobial features help bowels keep the intestinal flora in balance.. Where to find? If you cannot find it at your local supermarket, try herbal shops, but try to find the product of the current season. How to use? if just for taste, you can add it into sauces, as seeds , when it was boiled , but for health benefits, grinding and adding it into food or sauces as raw, small particles is better.. You can even chew it, as I do..well, not much enjoyable but it worths..

Hi - does anyone know of a cooking school in Istanbul, I did an internet search and came up with some foreign owned schools but they were generally 90 euros for one recipe and dinner. I am not keen on paying 90 euros to cook my own dinner. I am really looking for a woman or a man (shouldn't be sexist) who is willing to teach someone how to cook the Turkish way.