Turkish Cuisine: 3 Steps to Preparing Ciğer Sarma
Follow three simple steps to prepare the popular dish.
A taste from Northwestern Turkey
Offal has a significant part in Turkish Culinary Culture and Ciğer Sarma, a very famous dish in Edirne, a city in Northwestern Turkey, is one of these delicacies offered by this part. it is another amazing dish prepared within the scope of 'Turkish Local Cuisines' course within the Gastronomy and Culinary Arts Department at Yeditepe University.
Ciğer Sarma: A Dish from the Old Capital of Ottoman Empire Ciğer Sarma: A Dish from the Old Capital of Ottoman Empire (2020) by Sibel OzilgenOriginal Source: Faculty of Fine Arts, Gastronomy and Culinary Arts Department
3 steps to prepare Ciğer Sarma
The dish is basically baked spicy rice pilav wrapped in lamb caul fat. This spicy rice is called İç Pilav in Turkish Cuisine. And this rice preparation is common in all regions of Turkey with slight differences. Generally, it is used for stuffing but can be served as a pilaf as well. The rice is prepared with onion, lamb liver, pine nuts, black currant, ground allspice and ground cinnamon.
Ciğer Sarma: A Dish from the Old Capital of Ottoman Empire Step 1: Caul Fat Preparation (2020)Original Source: Faculty of Fine Arts, Gastronomy and Culinary Arts Department
Step 1: Caul fat preperation
The caul fat is washed under running water before use. Then, it is left in cold water, with lemon juice, for 60 minutes. Next, the caul fat is drained and rewashed under running cold water. This procedure is repeated three times. The caul fat is then dried, divided into 8/10 square pieces (15-20 cm).
Step 2: Preperation of iç pilav
In a deep pot, butter is melted. And then the onions are added and cooked until they get caramelized. Then, rice is added and sautéed. Finally, spices and currants are added alongside with boiling water. When the rice is cooked/absorbed all the water, the lamb livers, with the skins removed, cut into cubes and sautéed in butter in a separate pan. Finally, they are added to iç pilav and mixed.
Ciğer Sarma: A Dish from the Old Capital of Ottoman Empire Step 3: Folding and Baking (2020)Original Source: Faculty of Fine Arts, Gastronomy and Culinary Arts Department
Step 3: Folding and Baking
The portioned caul fat is placed in a flat bowl with some parts hanging from the sides. İç pilav is added and sealed like a bundle. Then the stuffed caul fat is turned over and placed on a baking tray.
Ciğer Sarma: A Dish from the Old Capital of Ottoman Empire Step 2: The Filling (2020)Original Source: Faculty of Fine Arts, Gastronomy and Culinary Arts Department
This procedure is repeated for all caul fats. The tray is then placed in an oven.
Ciğer Sarma: A Dish from the Old Capital of Ottoman Empire In-Depth Look into Preparation of Ciğer Sarma (2020)Original Source: Faculty of Fine Arts, Gastronomy and Culinary Arts Department
Crispy and Juicy
The dish is baked until the caul fat layer is browned and crispy.
Instructor: Exec. Chef. Fahri Demir
Creator: Prof. Dr. Sibel Ozilgen
Editor: Ozan Aydın
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