Passport & Plate - Roadside Menemen
Turkey | Monday, February 17, 2014 | 5 photos
Ingredients
Menemen:
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ large yellow onion
2 long green chili peppers, seeded and chopped
2 big, juicy tomatoes, diced
4 medium eggs, whisked
A handful of feta crumbles or mozzarella cheese
Garlic Yogurt Sauce:
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
6oz. (170 grams) plain Greek yogurt
Sea salt to taste
Squeeze of lemon
How to prepare this recipeThe Sauce:
Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
The Menemen:
Start by heating olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onion first and cook for a minute, then add green peppers. Fry for a few minutes until the onions and peppers start to soften up, then add tomatoes. Simmer for 5 minutes. Finally, stir in the whisked eggs, top with cheese, and cook for 2 minutes or until desired consistency is reached.
Menemen is traditionally served on the runny side, with bread to scoop up the gooey goodness. Serve with garlic yogurt sauce.
Afiyet olsun!
The story behind this recipeI was hitch-hiking with two fellow couchsurfers along Turkey’s coastline from Antalya to Istanbul, a distance of over 1000 km. We ended up on the side of the road in a dusty Turkish town by chance - dropped off by a generous driver who wished us well as we clumsily uttered Thank-you’s in Turkish.
As we made our way down the road in search of better thumbing locations, I heard a large vehicle slowing behind us. We watched as an enormous semi-truck pulled over and Osman the driver climbed out. Turning to my travel companions, I smiled. We had ourselves a ride.
Through a combination of gestures and broken English Osman asked us what the hell we were doing walking down the side of the road in a dusty Turkish town full of old beater cars rattling down worn-out streets. We simply replied “autostop…Istanbul!” and he understood. Osman pointed to his truck and signaled for us to get in.
Getting picked up by a big rig is the weary hitch-hiker’s dream: what’s better than high-rolling (literally) down the open road for free? Barreling north in our comfy cab, we struggled to converse with Osman. At one point he turned and made an eating motion with his hand, presumably asking about our favorite Turkish foods. Altogether we exclaimed “menemen!”
Shortly thereafter Osman pulled over at a grocery store and soon emerged with a bag of veggies and eggs. "Menemen!" he announced, holding the bag up for all to see. Wait…what? Menemen is an egg dish that must be prepared over heat. We hit the road again, this time rather curious and confused.
Half an hour later Osman pulled over once more, ushering us out of the vehicle. He opened a compartment in the truck’s underbelly, revealing a surprisingly well-stocked kitchenette. Working quickly, he started chopping green peppers and tomatoes while frying eggs. Osman prepared a roadside meal for us, complete with bread and tea. It was hands down the most memorable meal I’ve ever enjoyed – a prime example of Turkish (Truckish?) hospitality.
