“Balyk Ekmek” is a dish of Turkish cuisine that most resembles our hot dog. But there is one thing but, the sausage in it is replaced by a fish. Here are just “fish in bread” along with vegetables and spices much tastier, nourishing and healthier than the famous fast food. Therefore, let us learn how to cook this dish, which once you try, you will want to eat again and again.
The story of the creation of the dish
Before you start cooking, let's find out about the history of its creation. “Balyk Ekmek” was first made by fishermen many decades ago. They fished in the Bosphorus or Sea of Marmara, and then drove to the Galata Bridge. It was they who once thought that to increase revenue, you can sell not only the fish itself, but also dishes from it. To do this, grill plates were put right at the marina and the fishermen began to fry the fish fillet from freshly caught fish, which were then put in a cut loaf. Buyers immediately appreciated such a dish, sales of “fish in bread” grew every day, and in order to attract even more new customers, the fishermen only had to shout “Balık Ekmek!” From time to time, and then again go headlong into cooking delicacies loved by both the Turks and the tourists who visited this hospitable country.
Cooking “Balyk Ekmek” in Istanbul by Uncle Emin
As in any business, the creation of “fish in bread” has its own subtleties and secrets, which means that there are those who are especially successful in preparing this dish. In Istanbul, such a person is the fisherman-cook Emin Ust, whom everyone knows as Uncle Emin. But even more often he is called the nickname "Mario", which he received because of his appearance, exactly resembling a character of the computer game of the same name. This good-natured man in full bloom knows how to cook such a delicious fried fish in spices, which just melts in his mouth. And in combination with a tortilla and the most tender dough and vegetables, it causes the client a feeling of the highest pleasure.
Ingredients for Making a Dish
However, in order to try “fish in bread”, it is not at all necessary to go for a snack “Balyk Ekmek” to Istanbul, as each of us can cook it without leaving our house. But first of all, for this you need to acquire the necessary ingredients:
- 1 kg of wheat flour;
- 0.5 l of milk;
- 1 tsp yeast
- 2 tsp salt and as much sugar;
- 1 tsp sesame seeds;
- 2 tsp mustard;
- chicken egg;
- 0.25 liters of vegetable oil;
- a pair of garlic cloves;
- a sprig of greenery;
- dorado fish fillet;
- spices and pepper to taste;
- one leaf of lettuce;
- half cucumber, tomato and onion.
Cooking a tortilla
In order for you to get “fish in bread” no worse than Mario's Balyk Ekmek appetizer, it’s very important to properly prepare the tortilla in which the fish fillet will be located. To do this, in a convenient dish we combine flour, milk, yeast and half a teaspoon of salt and sugar to make a cool dough that does not stick to your hands. Then we cover it with plastic wrap and give it a little rest. After that, divide the dough into small balls weighing about 100 grams and roll each of them in the form of an oval. After that, grease each crust with egg white, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and then send the dough to the oven, where it will be baked at a temperature of 200 0 until a golden crust forms.
Cooking sauce
Based on how the Balyk Ekmek is prepared in Istanbul according to the recipes of fishermen, the original sauce occupies an important place in the preparation of the dish. To create it, first of all, we separate the egg yolk from the protein, squeeze the garlic and finely chop the greens.
After that, in a small container we combine mustard, yolk, as well as the remaining salt and sugar. All this is thoroughly kneaded until a homogeneous mass is obtained, and then we pour vegetable oil into a container with a small stream, without stopping stirring. Then we add garlic and greens to the sauce, again we thoroughly stir and set aside for a while in the refrigerator to cool the sauce.
Cooking fish
But still, the most important part of creating the Balyk Ekmek snack is the preparation of the fish. Dorado fish fillet, which is used in Turkey, is best suited for this purpose, however, mackerel, mackerel, salmon and a number of other fish are also suitable for your discretion and taste. First you should prepare the fish, cleaning it from the scales, cutting off the tail, fins, head and getting rid of the insides. Next, cut the fish along, remove the ridge and get rid of the bones with tweezers. After that, wash the fish fillet, dry it with a paper towel, rub it with spices and pepper to your liking. We spread it on a baking sheet and send it to the oven, where the fish will be baked at a temperature of 180 0 C for 25 minutes.
Gathering a snack
After we have prepared the sauce, fish and tortilla, we begin in accordance with the recipe (with a photo) "Balyk Ekmeka" step by step to combine all these semi-finished products into a tasty and satisfying snack. However, before you combine them together, you still need to prepare the vegetables - tear the lettuce, cut the cucumber and tomato into slices, and chop the onions in half rings. After that, we cut each cake in half and generously lubricate both halves with the resulting sauce. Next, put some circles of tomato and cucumber inside the tortillas, add onions, put a part of the salad leaf, and put the baked fish between the vegetables. After which we either put the snack on a plate, decorate it with a slice of lemon, or simply wrap it in a napkin and immediately proceed to eat it.
"Balyk Ekmek" in pita bread
If you have little time, you can slightly change the principle of preparing snacks, and skip the step of creating a tortilla, instead of which you can use pita bread. In this case, you only need to cook the baked fish, as well as make the sauce, mixing your favorite spices, two tablespoons of olive oil and the juice of half a lemon to save time. In addition, of course, it will be necessary to cut cucumbers and tomatoes into rings, and chop the onions in half rings, refusing, if desired, a leaf of salad in general.
Next, we begin to assemble the snacks. To do this, unfold pita bread on a smooth working surface and grease it with cooked sauce. After which, having retreated 5 cm from the edge, put tomato circles on it, put half onion rings on them, put half of the fish fillet on top of the vegetables, and then place the cucumber circles. Then we put 5 cm of pita bread set aside, and bending the left and right edges, we wrap the pita bread with fish in a tight roll. In the same way we wrap the second roll with fish. Then grease them with vegetable oil and place in a pan, grill or in the oven so that the rolls are fried until crisp.
The fastest cooking variation
If the guests are about to dawn, there’s absolutely no time left to prepare the sauce and wrap the fillet in pita bread, then you can make “Balyk Ekmek” according to the recipe in its simplest variation, replacing the tortilla with an ordinary loaf, and the sauce with mayonnaise. To cook such a “fish in bread”, first of all, as usual, we remove it from scales, head, tail, fins and entrails, cut along, and then, instead of baking, put it in a pan and fry on both sides for a golden crust . After that, put the fillet on a paper towel to get rid of excess oil, and while this happens, cut the vegetables and cut along the loaf. Then grease both halves of the bread with mayonnaise, and then put the fish and vegetables on one of them. We connect both parts of the loaf, and we get a hearty “fish in bread”. Optionally, before serving to the table, you can cut such a “Balyk-Ekmek” across to make small closed sandwiches.
But this is not all variations of fast food. Any housewife can cook such a "fish in bread", which he wants, showing his imagination. You can boil the fillet, take a smoked fish or steam it. The sauce can be made by sorting out all the possible spices and seasonings so that it best suits your taste. You can also choose a variety of vegetables, focusing on your taste sensations and preferences. So turn on your imagination, and your “Balyk Ekmek” will be irresistible!