Turkey has such a rich food culture that each region in Turkey has an astonishing variety of foods. Yahni is one of them. It is prepared in different ways based on the region. In some areas, Yahni is made with lamb and shallots, whereas in some regions it is made with chicken or beef and onions/shallots. The versatility of this dish makes it so easy to prepare. Instead of potatoes, you could use chickpeas or you could replace beef with chicken. Some people add carrots and other vegetables to it. Either way, it will taste wonderful. If you are a bread lover, dipping your bread into the Yahni juice will satisfy your palate.1 lb cubed beef (stew meat preferred)
2 large potatoes (cubed)
½ of small yellow onion (sliced)
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp olive oil
1 ½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
2 tbsp chopped parsley
2 cups water
Sautee the beef cubes for 3-4 minutes in the heated olive oil. Add the onions and sautee 2-3 more minutes. Add the potato cubes and mix together. Dissolve the tomato paste in the water and pour over the potatoes and meat. Add the salt and black pepper and mix again. Cook covered on medium heat until the water starts to boil. Once it starts to boil, bring the heat to low and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve hot.
I had a young turkish couple invite us for dinner and this dish was made..so good.
ReplyDeleteThey made it with ground beef and added , eggplant, beans, and other vegetables. They served it with yogurt based dips and we had it with bread and the traditional alcoholic drink with a side of water. So good. She added a homemade paste her mother made and id like to know the seasonings because this recipe is so simple it should be in my list of simples.
They made me feel like a child at home again!