Kabaps (Kabobs).—Take some slices of mutton or beef, with a little of the fat and an onion, chop them very fine, add pepper, salt, and a little flour; mix all well together with a little water, so as to make a thick dough; then roll it round skewers and bake it in a slow oven. As soon as the gravy forms, take it off the skewers and put it on a dish with sippets of toasted bread, and throw the gravy over it.
Kabrac Dolmassi (stuffed vegetable marrows).—Take 1 or 2 kabracs (vegetable marrows), cut them in halves across, and scoop out the seeds and a little of the pulp; then rub in a little salt. Scrape off the rinds, then chop ½ lb. mutton very finely, add 1 large onion chopped very small, and a little parsley, also chopped, then season with a little pepper, salt, and about a pennyworth of uncooked rice. Mix all together and stuff the vegetable marrow with it, then put them to boil slowly, with only a small quantity of water in the saucepan.
Kourabiedes.—Break ½ lb. fresh butter into ½ lb. finest rice flour, add ½ lb. finely-powdered sugar and a pinch of salt, moisten into a rather firm paste with orange-flower water, knead lightly, and divide into balls the size of a mandarin orange, bake for ½ hour between buttered sheets of paper; powder with sugar when done.
Kufté.—Mince 1 lb. lean beef very small; add salt, pepper, and a chopped onion, grate the crumb of 2 French rolls, or a large piece of bread and mix it with the meat, and add 2 eggs; then mix all together into a dough. Then roll it into small sausages, first putting them into a little flour. Brown about ¼ lb. butter in a frying pan, and fry the meat in it, and when dished throw the butter over it.
Lokma.—Take 1 lb. flour, then beat up 10 eggs; mix them with the flour, and add a pinch of salt, then put in a glass of water to thin it a little. Take ½ lb. butter, brown it in a frying pan, and put the paste in small round pieces into it, let them brown slowly, taking care to turn them and keep them separate. Take 1 lb. white sugar and 1 teacupful cold water, and boil them in a clean saucepan; when the syrup is done, throw the balls in, and boil them until they are well sweetened, then serve them either hot or cold.
Ouzum Yaprac Dolmassi (dolmas with vine leaves).—During the spring in Turkey large quantities of the young vine leaves are gathered. They are then carefully placed in layers in large earthenware jars or pans that are not porous. The leaves for winter use have layers of salt placed between them, but those for summer use do not require it. Place a good handful of salt over each layer of leaves, and press them down tightly. When the jars are within 2 in. of being full fill them with water. Then place a piece of wood across the top, and put a stone on it to keep out the air. The Dolmas are made in the following way: Take 1 lb. veal, with a little of the fat, mince the meat very finely, and add salt, pepper, and a pennyworth of raw rice, and a large onion chopped very small. Mix it all together into a dough. Put an iron saucepan full of water on the fire; when it begins to boil throw into it 30-100 leaves, as you may require, and let them boil 5 minutes, stirring them well; then turn them out on a dish to cool; when cold break off the stalks, and roll a small quantity of the meat into each, taking care to close the leaf well. Place them carefully in layers in a saucepan without water, and closely, one over the other. Then take a good-sized piece of butter, brown it in the frying pan, and pour it over the dolmas. Half fill the saucepan with hot water, cover it and put it on a stove, to boil slowly until the dolmas are done. Care must be taken not to let them mix together. To get them well out without breaking, the saucepan must be turned upside down on a dish. Beat up an egg and mix it with a little flour, then put a small quantity of the water in which the dolmas were boiled into a smaller saucepan, and stir the egg into it. Pour this sauce over the meat.
Pilau.—Take 3 or 4 large tomatoes and boil them. When they are quite soft mash them well, adding a little salt, and put them back in the same water in which they were boiled, and add ½ lb. rice. When the rice has absorbed all the water, and is well done, take the saucepan off the fire, and put it to stand near, so as not to cool; then put a good-sized piece of butter in a frying pan, and when it is well browned mix it up well with the rice, and serve it hot.
Pouf Burek.—The Arab takes ½ lb. flour and 2 eggs, and makes a paste; then rolls it out thin; then grates some new cheese, chops some parsley very finely, mixes them, and spreads the mixture over the paste. She then doubles up the paste, or folds it once, and cuts out small round cakes with a coffee cup. She then puts a good-sized piece of butter in a frying pan, and when it is nicely browned she fries the little cakes in it, and serves them hot.
Prassas (leeks with oil).—Take 2 doz. leeks and wash them well, cut them in two, leaving only a small part of the white end, and throw away the rest; then cut them into pieces the size of dice, and throw them into water to wash them. Put a breakfastcupful of the best Lucca oil in a saucepan, and brown it slightly; then have ready 3 large onions cut up small, and throw them into the oil to brown a little. Mince a little parsley and mix it with the leeks, and then put them into the oil, adding 2 or 3 glasses hot water. Cover it well; season well; let it boil slowly until the leeks are done. Serve it cold.
Suburek.—Take 1 lb. flour and add a little water and salt, so as to make a thick paste, roll and divide it into 3 portions, then roll out 2 portions and put them aside to serve for rolling up the third portion. Then take 8 eggs, mix them with the third portion, roll it out very thin, cut it into 8 portions and throw them into boiling water on the fire, one after the other. When they are half-boiled or nearly done, spread one of the uncooked portions in a pie dish that is not very deep, and put 4 of the 8 boiled portions in it. Then take some minced beef or mutton, well seasoned and slightly browned in a frying pan with butter, mix a little minced parsley with it, and put it in the dish, then put the remaining 4 boiled portions over it and cover the whole with the remaining large portion, then brown a little butter in the frying pan and put it over the paste. Bake it in the oven. A very good dish.