Turkish Ezme

What Is Turkish Ezme?

Ezme is simply a finely chopped Turkish herb crockery aliases dip that you tin make successful 10 minutes. Today, I’m sharing my mom’s version, on pinch nan tips I’ve learned from her, to make it authentically spicy aliases much gentle.

This year, I made it my ngo to stock immoderate of my favourite kebab recipes, and you simply can’t talk astir kebabs without mentioning their eventual pairing: Turkish ezme. 

Pronounced precisely arsenic it looks, this agleam herb crockery (or dip) is 1 of nan astir authentic dishes you’ll find alongside kebabs successful Turkey.

Often described arsenic a Turkish “salsa” by those trying it for nan first time, for those of america who grew up pinch this elemental dish, Turkish ezme is truthful overmuch more. It’s refreshing, a small spicy, and nan cleanable companion not only to kebabs but to immoderate grilled meats.

Originating from nan regions champion known for their kebabs, Gaziantep, Urfa, Adana, and Mardin, Turkish ezme is simply a staple that’s profoundly woven into nan kebab tradition. Each region puts its ain rotation connected it; Gaziantep’s type (referred to arsenic Antep Ezme) is usually spicier, while Urfa’s mightiness thin much tomato-forward.

If you’ve ever been to a kebab restaurant, you’ll cognize what I mean. The infinitesimal you order, they don’t inquire whether you’d for illustration ezme connected nan side. They conscionable bring it, often pinch a broadside of lavash aliases pita bread for scooping, on pinch different staples for illustration cacik (pronounced ja-juk, aka nan Turkish relative of tzatziki) and hummus. It’s portion of nan ritual, and to me, it’s arsenic basal arsenic nan kebab itself.

Traditional Turkish ezme is made pinch finely chopped onions, ripe tomatoes, and peppers mixed pinch reddish capsicum paste, citrus juice, and a fistful of spices. 

Depending connected really it’s prepared, it tin beryllium spicy (called Acılı Ezme) aliases much mild if you region nan seeds of nan peppers aliases trim backmost connected nan reddish capsicum flakes.

Ingredients You’ll Need & Why They Matter

The ingredients successful Turkish Ezme dip are simple, fresh, and rooted successful nan flavors of nan Eastern Mediterranean. While it uses mundane ingredients, location are immoderate nuances that I’d for illustration to stock to guarantee your type is arsenic adjacent to nan original.

Yellow Onion: Traditional Ezme is made pinch yellowish aliases achromatic onions. At first, a full bulb whitethorn look for illustration a lot, but erstwhile it’s finely chopped and mixed in, it melts into nan crockery and gives conscionable nan correct balance. 

While not traditional, reddish bulb would besides work, but it would person a somewhat sweeter flavor.

Garlic: The authentic type of this Turkish dipping condiment does not usage garlic, but my mom ever did, truthful I americium pursuing successful her footsteps. That mini tweak is what makes my family’s type unique. It tin beryllium omitted if you are a purist.

Kosher Salt: I usage kosher brackish not only to spirit nan wide ezme but besides to soften nan chopped bulb and garlic. It besides helps mellow their sharp, earthy flavors.

Tomatoes: Authentic Turkish ezme is traditionally made pinch tomatoes from nan Southeastern region of Turkey. Because of nan hot, barren climate, those tomatoes are little juicy than what we often find present successful nan US.

For nan champion results, usage firm, not overly ripe, tomatoes specified arsenic Roma, heirloom, aliases moreover cherry tomatoes. Whatever you choose, it’s important to region nan seeds.

Ezme should beryllium juicy capable to scoop up pinch breadstuff but not watery. If taking nan seeds retired feels for illustration excessively overmuch work, you tin chop nan tomatoes finely and strain them concisely done a good mesh sieve to get free of nan excess liquid.

In nan wintertime months, erstwhile bully tomatoes are harder to travel by, immoderate group move to canned full peeled tomatoes. While that tin activity successful a pinch, I find nan sensation of caller tomatoes makes nan biggest quality successful capturing nan existent tone of ezme.

Green Peppers: The authentic look uses Turkish sivri biber. The sanction virtually intends “pointed pepper,” and that’s precisely what it looks like: long, thin, and tapering to a point. 

Since I cannot get my hands connected sivri biber present successful nan US, I usage Anaheim, jalapeno, aliases serranos arsenic an alternative. I region seeds to support nan herb levels mild, but if you for illustration yours spicy (and want to make an acili ezme recipe, arsenic we opportunity successful Turkish), consciousness free to support some.

Red Pepper Paste (or Tomato Paste): Red capsicum paste is yet different accepted constituent utilized successful astir kebab and meze recipes. I bargain excavation online. Tukas’s reddish capsicum paste is my favorite. However, herb paste is simply a bully substitute.

Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed citrus juice is nan best, but if bottled juice is each you person connected hand, that would activity successful a pinch.

Fresh Herbs: I kept nan look elemental and only utilized caller parsley, but my mom ever added a fewer tablespoons of chopped caller mint and dill successful summation to parsley. If you are increasing your ain herbs, this is simply a awesome look to put them to bully use.

Sumac: A sprinkle of sumac is nan finishing touch for this Turkish salad. I bargain sumac online, but you tin find it successful nan Middle Eastern/Mediterranean conception of your market store. If you can’t get your hands connected it, you tin omit it. Your crockery will still sensation great.

Urfa Chili Pepper (or Aleppo Pepper aliases Red Pepper Flakes): For a steaming finish, usage nan accepted Urfa chili (Urfa biber). If you for illustration a spot much straightforward, little smoky, agleam finish, usage Aleppo chili (Pul biber). If you do not person either of those, a pinch of immoderate reddish capsicum flakes you person connected manus would besides work.

Optional Add Ins:

Classic Turkish ezme is usually made pinch nan ingredients I listed above, but depending connected nan region and sometimes nan productivity of nan chef, you will find different variations. The add-ins beneath are not accepted successful each version, but they are awesome ways to build connected nan guidelines and make it your own.
Pomegranate Molasses (optional): You’ll often spot restaurants decorativeness disconnected this Turkish reddish condiment pinch a drizzle of pomegranate molasses, particularly if they are serving it arsenic a portion of a meze platter. 

While it is an optional constituent successful this recipe, if you are into Mediterranean cooking, I highly urge investing successful a bottle. It provides a unsocial depth, a fruity tartness that can’t beryllium replicated pinch conscionable citrus juice.

When shopping for pomegranate molasses, look for a marque that lists only 1 ingredient: pomegranate concentrate. That way, you’ll get nan purest sensation without added sweetener aliases preservatives. The 1 I ever bargain online is Eastanbul.

Olive Oil: A tablespoonful (or two) of oliva lipid drizzled astatine nan past infinitesimal makes it richer. I urge an other virgin oliva lipid that is mild successful flavor, specified arsenic Garcia de la Cruz.

Walnuts: A adjacent relative of Turkish ezme is simply a crockery called Gavurdağı Salatası. In immoderate parts of Turkey, it’s communal to adhd a fistful of chopped walnuts, which makes nan crockery richer and adds a pleasant crunch. You tin operation them successful pinch nan vegetables aliases simply sprinkle them connected apical arsenic a garnish.

Pomegranate Seeds: For a beautiful popular of color, a juicy burst of sweet-tart flavor, and a delicate crunch that makes nan crockery consciousness moreover much special, you tin adhd (2 tablespoons) pomegranate seeds.

How to Make Turkish Ezme?

Making this authentic look is amazingly simple, and it each starts pinch fresh, high-quality ingredients. This Turkish dip gets its signature texture from chopping everything very finely by hand, which gives nan crockery its unique, crushed consistency. Here is really I make it successful my kitchen:

Step 1 – Mince and Soften nan Aromatics: On a ample cutting board, finely chop nan bulb and garlic. Sprinkle them pinch kosher brackish and mildly knead nan substance pinch your hands.
Adding nan brackish not only helps soften nan earthy onions but besides mellow their sharpness. Transfer nan substance to a medium-size mixing bowl.

Step 2 – Add nan Fresh Vegetables: Using a crisp knife, cautiously region nan seeds from nan tomatoes and chop them finely. If you’d alternatively not fuss pinch seeding, chop them and springiness them a speedy property done a good mesh sieve to region nan other liquid.

Next, region nan seeds from your peppers and chop them arsenic finely arsenic possible. When cutting peppers, I highly urge wearing gloves if you person them. The oils tin origin a burning sensation connected your hands and sting really severely if you accidentally touch your eyes.

Transfer nan tomatoes and nan peppers to nan bowl. Some cooks usage a nutrient processor for convenience, but I find it’s easy to over-process and extremity up pinch much of a puree of vegetables. I deliberation hand chopping is worthy nan effort, particularly if you are looking for nan astir authentic type of this Turkish reddish sauce.

Step 3 – Mix successful nan Flavorings: Stir successful nan reddish capsicum paste (or herb paste), citrus juice, chopped parsley, sumac, and Urfa chili flakes (if using).

Step 4 – Thoroughly Combine: Using a ample spoon, mildly operation everything together until each nan ingredients are good incorporated and evenly coated. Don’t unreserved this step, arsenic ezme should consciousness for illustration 1 unified mix, not abstracted vegetables.

Step 5 – Finish and Serve: You tin service it consecutive from nan bowl, but if you want to do it nan measurement we do it successful Turkey, past transportation it to a mini to medium-sized oval plate. Drizzle pinch pomegranate molasses aliases oliva lipid (if using) and service correct away, ideally pinch immoderate lukewarm pita aliases lavash connected nan side.

Make Ahead and Storage Tips

Make Ahead: This Turkish dip really tastes moreover amended aft it has rested. I often make it a fewer hours successful beforehand and fto it chill successful nan fridge truthful nan flavors tin deepen and meld.

Keep successful mind that nan juices will settee arsenic they sit, truthful you whitethorn person to drain them earlier serving.

Storage: Leftover ezme keeps good for 2-3 days erstwhile stored successful an airtight instrumentality successful nan refrigerator. Just beryllium judge to springiness it a bully operation earlier serving, and again, drain nan juices arsenic needed.

Freezing: This crockery is champion erstwhile enjoyed fresh, truthful I do not urge freezing it arsenic it will suffer its signature texture erstwhile thawed.

Expert Tips from My Turkish Kitchen

Use a good mince erstwhile chopping by hand: The concealed to ezme’s classical texture is really finely everything is chopped. You don’t want large chunks successful there. Take your clip erstwhile chopping; it is portion of what makes this look truthful good.

Dealing pinch excess juice: Earlier, I mentioned removing nan seeds from nan tomatoes to get nan authentic texture that ezme is known for. But if you don’t mind immoderate other juice, that’s perfectly good too. It will still sensation caller and delicious.

Using a nutrient processor: My mom would astir apt move successful her sedate if she saw maine recommending a nutrient processor erstwhile making ezme. Traditionally, everything is chopped by hand, and I still judge that’s nan champion measurement to get nan correct texture. That said, I cognize it tin beryllium a existent time-saver, particularly if you’re making a large batch.

If you do determine to usage one, here’s what I recommend:

• Start pinch nan harder vegetables (onions, garlic, peppers) and chop them finely earlier adding nan softer tomatoes.
• Once you adhd nan tomatoes, usage short pulses alternatively of moving nan instrumentality continuously. This helps you debar ending up pinch a puree and keeps that somewhat crushed consistency that makes ezme special.

Make it your own: Once you’ve made nan basal look I shared below, effort creating your type by adding a spot much power (there is simply a logic group inquire for ‘acili ezme’, nan spicy type of this dish) aliases incorporating immoderate of nan optional ingredients I mentioned above.

How to Serve Turkish Ezme (The Ultimate Kebab Side Dish)

Ezme is 1 of those dishes that goes pinch almost everything. While it’s a classical alongside kebabs, its fresh, tangy spirit besides makes it a awesome lucifer for different Mediterranean favorites, from grilled meats to mezze platters.

• With Kebabs aliases Grilled Meats: Ezme is nan eventual broadside to dishes for illustration Adana Kebab aliases Chicken Kebab. Its acidity and herb thief equilibrium nan richness of nan meat, which is precisely why it’s specified a communal pairing successful Turkey.
• Part of a Meze Platter: Add it to a Mediterranean-inspired mezze platter alongside hummus, baba ganoush, and muhammara. Don’t hide nan lavash, Turkish pide bread, aliases pita bread (or pita chips) for scooping! This crockery is meant for sharing.
• As a Spread aliases Sandwich Topping: Use leftover ezme arsenic a dispersed for sandwiches aliases wraps nan adjacent day. It’s particularly bully connected my Grilled Lamb Burgers, adding a bright, tangy footwear that makes them moreover much special.

FAQ’s

Other Turkish Salads You Might Like:

If you’re already convinced to make this Turkish ezme crockery recipe, you’re already connected your measurement to creating a awesome feast. Here are a fewer much caller and delicious Turkish crockery recipes to service alongside your grilled meats:

• My go-to Turkish summertime salad, Piyaz, is A zesty and refreshing crockery made pinch achromatic beans, reddish onions, tomatoes, and parsley, each tossed successful a elemental lemon-olive lipid dressing. It’s a cleanable complement to rich, grilled meats.
• For a elemental broadside crockery that will beautiful overmuch activity pinch immoderate grilled nutrient and vegetable, look nary further than my Turkish Shepherd Salad.

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