This fresh, crunchy Turkish style breakfast is the perfect way to kickstart your day thanks to a generous portion of veg.
Turkish breakfast is Saturday morning staple, rich in protein and veggies for the best start to your weekend.
All our favourite Middle Eastern treats can be typically eaten for breakfast. Think hummus, falafel, pitta breads, cucumber, tomatoes, fava bean dip and boiled eggs. With plenty of fresh veg and pulses eaten around most mealtimes Middle Eastern food is generally considered quite healthy. Balance the olive oil in dishes like hummus with lots of salad for a tasty take on Middle Eastern food.
Alongside this turkish breakfast, we also love some of the sweet treats which definitely aren’t healthy, like baklava. This special sweet is made up from layers of filo pastry, drizzled with spiced sweet syrup or honey and usually topped and filled with rich nuts. Delicious as an occasional pud. Middle Eastern food includes, but isn’t limited to, food from Turkey, Cyprus, Israel and Lebanon.
Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 250g halloumi, sliced thickly into 8 pieces
- 250g yogurt
- 400g tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 400g cucumber, sliced
- For the zhoug:
- 1 bunch parsley
- ½ bunch coriander
- 2 green chillies
- 2 cloves garlic
- 200ml olive oil
- pinch sugar
- ½tsp ground cumin
- ¼tsp cardamom
Method
To make the zhoug blitz all the ingredients in a food processor until finely chopped, adding water to get the consistency of a loose pesto. Season to taste.
Bring a pan of water to a rolling boil. Add the eggs and cook for 6mins for soft boiled. Immediately plunge in cool water and peel.
Bring a griddle pan to a high heat. Add the halloumi and fry on each side for 2mins, until golden and slightly charred.
Swirl the zhoug into the yogurt and spoon onto plates. Top with the tomatoes, cucumber and halloumi.
Top tip for making Turkish style breakfast
Look for strained, thick yogurt for the most authentic texture and flavour
