Leeks, Carrots and Rice Cooked in Olive Oil (Zeytinyağlı Pırasa) Recipe

Turkish Leeks in Olive Oil (Zeytinyağlı Pırasa) Dish 

         Turkish Leeks in Olive Oil (Zeytinyağlı Pırasa) Dish Recipe 

         In this post, we are going to share one of our winter's dishes. We mostly cook this dish in Winter season, but you can find this vegetable through out the year. This dish is "Leeks, Carrots and Rice Cooked in Olive Oil". We can call it as "Turkish Leeks in Olive Oil (Zeytinyağlı Pırasa) Dish". Why we call this dish as "Turkish Leeks in Olive Oil (Zeytinyağlı Pırasa) Dish". Because, according to our moms, dads, grand parents and maybe their Grand Grand parents; everything in Anatolia is unique, vegetables to meats, meats to legumes,  legumes to fruits. Shortly, all edible things are unique in Anatolia. So that, we add the "Turkish" word to beginning of meal's name. Also, our Leeks base dishes are very unique and very delicious too. You may like our 100% Vegan Easy-pumpkin-dessert-recipe .

 

         Leeks base dishes and byreks (pastries) are very popular among the Turkish people. Turkish Leeks in Olive Oil (Zeytinyağlı Pırasa) Dish is one of dishes with olive oil. Actualy, in Anatolian Cuisine (Turkish Cuisine), there is a serie of meals cooked specifically with olive oil (virgin olive oil), called "Zeytinyağlı yemekler" (in english, we can say that: dishes with olive oil). These dishes are Vegetarian and are mostly eaten cold (not icy cold, it is room tempetrature), some of them can also fall into the category of side dishes we call them "Mezzes". You may like our Stuffed-zucchini-kabak-dolmas-dish-recipe ,  Turkish-navy-bean-salad-piyaz-recipe ,  Stuffed-sun-dried-bell-peppers-in-olive-recipe ,  Fresh-okra-in-olive-oil-recipe ,  Fava-beans-with-olive-oil-recipe .

Leeks, Carrots and Rice Cooked in Olive Oil Recipe

         People Who Love Leek and Don't!

         Leeks are such a beautiful vegetable and it is member of the onion family. Leeks base dishes are cooked very often in Turkey. But, we are not sure that everyone like it. Because, in Turkey,  while, some people like this dish very much. Some people don't. And, generally children and teenagers mostly don't like it. So we can say that; "There are two different kinds of people in Turkey (Anatolia): Those who love leeks, and those who don't". We don't know that what about the rest of the world is?. But, we think that the situation is the same for the world; "There are two different kinds of people in this world: Those who love leeks, and those who don't". Actually, leeks, like garlic and onions, contain many beneficial things for the good health. According to medical science; Raw leeks or cooked leeks are consumed regularly by the people, because, leeks are very useful for the cardiovascular system oh human organism.   

Leeks are member of the onion family

         How to Make Turkish Leeks in Olive Oil (Zeytinyağlı Pırasa) Dish?

         As, we mentioned to above of the this post, this leek meal is one of those meals cooked with olive oil and is generally eaten cold (not icy cold, it is room tempetrature). Turkish Leeks in Olive Oil (Zeytinyağlı Pırasa) Dish is one of the finest Turkish comfort food dishes ever. When you try it one day for lunch or dinner, you feel yourself certainly better on next day (day two).

Chop leeks not only white parts, but most of green parts too

         When you cook it. You may or may not use onions, since leeks itself is related to onion, it is member of the onion family. But our moms and grandmoms added a bit of onion to give extra taste, when they cooked it. So that, we prefer adding a bit of onion to give extra taste. It is up to you. You may use onions or not.  We tried and find that if you increase the olive oil + onion, Leeks dish can almost have a dip - like texture, great for scooping up with Turkish flatbread or pita (No-yeast-cotton-soft-bread-recipe). Also, when we cook Turkish Leeks in Olive Oil (Zeytinyağlı Pırasa) Dish, we always add a little bit of sugar in this type of olive oil dish, because of the reason for this olive oil with high acidity giving a bitter taste to the dish; therefore, in order to make it less bitter and tastier, we recommend that you add a little sugar. On the other hand, some of our friends and neighbours advise that: Because of the leeks are of the onion family, cook leeks dish without onions and add the lemon juice just before you eat. These are options of leeks dish and whicever option you want, you may try it. 

Carrots, Chopped in rounds or half moon,

Tomato paste or pepper paste

Butter to taste your dish

Leeks dish cooking proces

Turkish Leeks in Olive Oil Dish Cooking Process

Lemon juice makes dish tastier

         Here it is our Turkish Leeks in Olive Oil (Zeytinyağlı Pırasa) Dish Recipe;

      Serving: 4-5 People,  Preparation: 10 minutes, Cook Time: 25-30 minutes, Cuisine: Mediterranean & Anatolian Cuisines,  Food Type: % 100 Vegan, 

         Ingredients:

     - 4 Regular Leeks, washed very well and chopped in 0,50-0,85cm (nearly 1/3 inch) rounds, (not only white parts, but most of green parts too)

        - 1 Onion, finely chopped,
        - 2 Garlic cloves  finely chopped, (it is optional)
        - 2 Carrots, Chopped in half moon or rounds,
        - 1/4 Cup Rice, washed well,
        - 1/3 Cup Olive oil,
        - 1 Teaspoon Butter to taste,
        - 1 Tablespoon Tomato paste (or pepper paste, or both),

        - Juice of one Lemon, if you want more limon, you may add more than the Juice of one Lemon,

        - 2/3 or 1 Cup Hot water, To cover the your leeks, 
        - 1 Teaspoon Granulated sugar,
        - 1 Teaspoon Salt,

         Preparation:

         First of all, in a medium pot, put olive oil on medium heat for about a minute. Then, add onions sauté until they are translucent. You should cook it until soft but not brown. Then, add your garlic and sauté for about one more minute. Bye the way, Please, watch out!!!! This is an olive oil dish and browned onions in olive oil dishes changes the taste completely. After this process, add your tomato paste (or pepper paste, also you can use both of them) and add a spoon of butter and continue stirring for half a minute. Then, add carrots and granulated sugar stir for 3 more minutes, add your leeks and stir for a couple of minutes until wilted, add rice and cook for a minute. Then, add lemon juice, salt and 1 cup of hot water to barely cover the leeks. Cover and cook on low heat until rice is cooked well. If the your dish is getting too dry before the vegetables and rice are cooked, you can add more water (Half a cup each time). But, Just do that gradually and do not add too much water. Because then it feels sort of a soup and also most of the taste goes to the liquid. On the other hand, someone like this dish with too much luquid, but someone doesn't. We recommend that add enough water just to cook the your vegetables moist enough and to cook the your rice while keeping them all from sticking to the bottom of the pot. 

Sliced lemons would be available on the table for extra drops of fresh lemon juice on top

         When your dish cooked, let the Turkish Leeks in Olive Oil (Zeytinyağlı Pırasa) Dish cool down to room temperature in its own pot, lid closed. Transfer to a serving plate and serve at room temperature or cold (it means that a bit colder than room temperature, not icy cold). when Turkish Leeks in Olive Oil (Zeytinyağlı Pırasa) Dish is served, sliced lemons would be available on the table for extra drops of fresh lemon juice on top. it brings up the flavors beautifully. You may like our soups' Recipes; Chicken-soup-with-batterdough-recipe ,  First-istant-soup-tarhana-recipe ,  Red-lentil-soup-recipe .

         ENJOY

Leeks in Olive Oil (Zeytinyağlı Pırasa) Dish

       Please let us know how this "Turkish Leeks in Olive Oil (Zeytinyağlı Pırasa) Dish Recipe" turns out for you in the comments. We are always so eager to hear from you.

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