Recipe: Grilled Fish Meatballs from Karsu’s Turkish Kitchen
With the cookbook Karsu’s Kitchen, Karsu immediately reached the number 1 position in the Bestseller 60. More than half a million euros has now been raised with the book for the earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria. A very beautiful gesture for a wonderful book. In Karsu’s Kitchen you’ll find 75 recipes from the rich Turkish cuisine, from vegetarian dishes to fish and meat, from tables full of mezze to simple, quick meals. And believe us: it’s delicious!
With Karsu’s Kitchen, you’ll embark on a culinary dream journey along tables laden with the most delicious Turkish dishes. The book is also filled with personal stories about her culinary journey from Istanbul to Hatay (a UNESCO Culinary World Heritage region in Turkey). These delicious fish meatballs remind Karsu of a special story about her mother.
‘On the Galata Bridge’
Karsu: ‘Whenever I eat balık ekmek (fish sandwich), I think of my mother’s story. In the 1970s, she and her family always went on holiday to Turkey in a Volkswagen van. When my uncles got a little older, they wanted some adventure: taking the train to Turkey for once. My mother and her sister went by car with their grandfather and grandmother. At that time, Europe and Asia were not yet connected by a suspension bridge; you had to cross by ferry. My grandparents always stopped in Istanbul to eat balık ekmek on the Galata Bridge, after which they crossed from Europe to Asia. And who did they run into there while eating fish? The five sons, who had just arrived in Istanbul by train and had also gone to the bridge for balık ekmek. An unbelievable surprise. No phones, nothing arranged, after three or four days of travelling… They never forgot the taste of that balık ekmek.‘
How to make balık köftesi (Grilled fish meatballs)
- Put the white onion, spring onions and parsley in a food processor and chop finely. Then add the salt, pepper, pul biber and white fish and process until everything comes together. Scoop the fish mixture out of the food processor and place it in a bowl. Wet your hands so the fish mixture doesn’t stick. Shape it into balls and flatten them with the palm of your hand. Place the köfte on a plate and sprinkle the flour into another deep plate. Coat the köfte in flour and place them back on the plate.
- Heat the peanut oil in a frying pan and fry the köfte until golden brown on both sides.
- Mix all the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl. Stir well and, if necessary, add small amounts of water to thin it.
- Serve the köfte in a Turkish bread roll with some little gem lettuce leaves, tomato slices and sauce.
Title: Karsu’s Kitchen
Author: Karsu Dönmez
Price: €34,99
Publisher: Kosmos Uitgevers
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