Meze Magic: Summer Edition in English

Cooking course in English
Meze Magic: Summer Edition in English
Vegetarian dishes from the Turkish summer table
with Aysegül Öztekin

In Berlin, Turkish cuisine is more present than almost any other - yet many people only know a small part of its remarkable diversity. Behind it lies a culinary culture full of outstanding vegetarian dishes.

In this summer edition, we will prepare fresh Turkish meze using everything the season has to offer: eggplants, tomatoes, green beans, different varieties of peppers, zucchini, lemons, plenty of fresh herbs, and good olive oil. The recipes are perfect for barbecues or a classic meze evening with friends and family.

Together, we will learn Mediterranean cooking techniques and prepare deeply aromatic dishes made for sharing - very much in the spirit of Turkish food culture.

Menu:

• Sigara Börek - Crispy börek filled with sheep's cheese
• Zeytinyağlı Taze Yeşil Fasulye - Braised green beans in olive oil
• Babagannuş, Hatay-style
• Fırında Sebze - Oven-roasted vegetables with garlic yogurt sauce
• Kısır - Turkish bulgur salad with herbs and pomegranate
• Crispy kadayıf with walnuts and vanilla ice cream

Aysegül Öztekin

While growing up in a Turkish-German family where good food had always played an important role Ayşegül became a vegetarian at the age of 13. Together with her mother and aunts, she rediscovered the vegetarian treasures of Anatolian cuisine. Some recipes were lovingly refined, while others - such as lahmacun - were creatively reimagined in vegetarian versions.

From a neighbor from Hatay, one grandmother from Central Anatolia, and another from the Black Sea region, she learned not only different flavor profiles, but also a wide range of techniques and culinary traditions.

Between 2019 and 2021, she brought these inspirations to a wider audience through pop-up events. Since then, she has continued cooking in various formats, sharing her enthusiasm for vegetarian Turkish cuisine with great joy and knowledge.