A flavoursome Turkish Cypriot dish of fried vegetables and tomato sauce. This Cypriot vegetable stew is best eaten with olive bread to soak up the juices, but it’s also good with rice or pasta.
Following on from the gorgeous olive garlic halloumi spelt bread I made a couple of weeks ago, I now bring you my version of another Cypriot recipe, Turlu. It’s a kind of vegetable stew from the Turkish side of Cyprus. It’s very tasty and the aforementioned bread makes a perfect accompaniment.
Cypriot Vegetable Stew
As a big fan of Middle Eastern food, this is the sort of dish I tend to throw together without thinking too much about it. However, on this occasion I used an authentic recipe as my starting point. Sadly, it has long since disappeared from the web.
I followed the advice to make a separate tomato sauce before adding it to the gently fried vegetables. With our runner beans going nuts down at the plot, I also added a fair few of those, but cooked them separately to the other vegetables.
As expected, the turlu was delicious. It satisfied both my Mediterranean heritage and CT’s fondness for a good stew.
Copper Country
I grew up in tin and copper country here in Cornwall. So I was interested to find out that Cyprus is also famous for its copper mining. In fact the name Cyprus means copper.
One day I hope to make it to the Copper Isle and sample some authentic Cypriot cuisine. Maybe we can swap a few recipes. I’m sure I could twist CT’s arm with the promise of some impromptu botanising. The spring flowers would make a great tonic after the grey days of winter.
Other Cypriot Recipes You Might Like
- Fasulye with dukkah roasted tofu via Tin and Thyme
- Fried halloumi salad with baked pomegranate grapes via Fuss Free Flavours
- Olive garlic halloumi spelt bread via Tin and Thyme
- Spanakopita via Tin and Thyme
- Turkish zucchini fritters via Tinned Tomatoes
Keep in Touch
Thanks for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make this Turkish Cypriot vegetable stew, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. And do please rate the recipe. Have you any top tips? Do share photos on your preferred social media site and use the hashtag #tinandthyme, so I can spot them.
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If you’d like to see some more stew type recipes, follow the link and you’ll find I have quite a lot of them. All delicious, of course.
Choclette x
Turkish Cypriot Vegetable Stew. PIN IT.
Cypriot Vegetable Stew – The Recipe
Cypriot Vegetable Stew aka Turlu
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion sliced
- 1 large courgette (zucchini) chopped
- 1 red pepper deseeded and chopped
- 1 yellow pepper deseeded and chopped
- 1 chard or large handful of beet tops (including stalks) – roughly chopped
- 2 large handfuls of tender runner beans topped, tailed and chopped into 1 inch pieces.
- 8 medium sized ripe tomatoes chopped
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 small red chilli deseeded and finely chopped (optional)
- 100 ml tomato passata
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- good grinding of black pepper
- ⅛ tsp sea salt (or to taste)
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- small bunch of parsley finely chopped
Instructions
- Gently fry the onions in a large pan with 2 tbsp olive oil for a few minutes, then add the peppers and fry for another couple of minutes. Add the courgettes, stir and fry for another minute or two. Add the beet tops, stir and cover the pan allowing the veg to cook gently for ten minutes or so.
- Simmer the beans in a little salted water until tender, then add to the pan of vegetables.
- Gently fry the tomatoes, garlic and chilli in the remaining olive oil. Add the passata, spices, salt and thyme and allow to simmer with the lid off for a few minutes.
- Stir the tomato sauce into the vegetables, cover and simmer for a further 10-15 minutes. Stir in the parsley reserving a little to scatter over the top.
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
Sharing
This Cypriot vegetable stew goes to Jac over at Tinned Tomatoes for her very popular Meat Free Mondays.
I’m also sending it off to Corina over at Searching for Spice for a new to me challenge, Cook Once Eat Twice. This vegetable stew from Cyprus, as is often the case with this sort of food, was even better the next day. It meant we could sit down to a nice easy meal and all we had to do was reheat it.
Janice Pattie says
What a great vegetable stew. There is no doubt that Mediterranean countries really know how to use vegetables to the max.
Choclette says
Oh indeed and I’m so glad they’ve had such a good influence on our own cuisine one the last few decades.
Janice says
What a sensational recipe! It’s perfect for the gluts of the season and I love the addition of spices.
Choclette says
This is probably the sort of food we eat the most in the summer when all this glorious Mediterranean vegetables are in abundance.
Helen @ family-friends-food.com says
That looks seriously yummy. I bet it was great with your Cypriot-inspired bread dunked in it. Mmm.
Choclette says
Thanks Helen, I just love this sort of food.
the caked crusader says
As luck would have it I’m on the look out for veggie stews at the moment – this one looks a keeper!
Choclette says
Thanks CC, I’ll certainly be making it again – next year!
Mark says
We spent a lovely month in Cyprus and really enjoyed the food from there. This dish looks lovely – can’t wait to make it.
Choclette says
Thank you Mark. I would love to go to Cyprus.
Johanna @ Green Gourmet Giraffe says
This looks lovely – it is the sort of stew I used to make a lot but haven’t made a lot lately – when I see your version I really want a big bowl of it.
Choclette says
I find I go in and out of making certain types of food Johanna – you must be in an out stage when it comes to this one.
Adriana says
I’ve never heard of this, what a beautiful dish! It looks like it would smell delicious! Thanks for sharing! X
Choclette says
Thanks Adriana. It did indeed smell good – always a bonus 🙂
rebecca says
this looks delicious
Choclette says
Thanks Rebecca. It was and even better the next day.
Camilla says
Sounds like a really warming dish, love the cinnamon in there too:-)
Choclette says
Thanks Camilla. Cinnamon is probably my favourite spice.
Dom says
oh this reminds me of the summer… how i’d love the warmth and sunshine… oh, well it’s quite warm I guess. Love how wonderfully hearty and healthy and humble this looks, and so tasty. Love the cumin, cinnamon and cloves, it must be quite pungent! Glorious!
Choclette says
Haha, yes, Summer seems to have reemerged. I’m currently in a tea shirt and just about to go off to the beach. I just love all those Mediterranean flavours – pungent does it for me 🙂
Jessica {Swanky Recipes} says
I hosted a 3 month visit with my Turkish friend earlier this year and I really do like the food too. We must of tried a new recipe every night. This stew sounds amazing. I’ll have to give it a try!
Choclette says
Oh that sounds utterly blissful Jessica. I’d love to have a live in Turkish cookery teacher 🙂
Sherri @ Watch Learn Eat says
I’ve never had this stew before but it sounds great! And the colors look beautiful! Perfect for a chilly fall evening!
Choclette says
Thank you Sherri, it’s a dish well worth trying.
Emily says
Never heard of this but it looks and sounds delicious! Thanks for including my recipe too x
Choclette says
It’s actually very similar to many other dishes in the region, all delicious of course 🙂
Janie says
Mmmmm, today is just the day for a stew isn’t it??! Love the use of spices in this one Choccy, bet it smelt heavenly whilst cooking.
Janie x
Choclette says
Oh it did smell good Janie and tasted of summer too – always a bonus.
Emma says
I adore how simple it is to travel simply via your plate…
Choclette says
It certainly saves a few pennies Emma 😉
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
Comforting and so tasty too..a wonderful veggie stew..
Choclette says
Yes, thanks Angie. Sadly the last of our summer vegetables have been picked and no more courgettes or green beans until next year.
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy says
This is definitely my kind of meal! Really comforting, but still healthy too!
Choclette says
Haha, thanks Dannii. Most of my meals are pretty healthy, it’s the cakes and puddings where I go awry 😉
Jemma @ Celery and Cupcakes says
Oh this looks so lovely! A perfect winter warmer which would be great on a wet and miserable day like today!
Choclette says
Yep, I really crave colour at this time of year Jemma. Thank you 🙂
Nadia's Healthy Kitchen says
Looks delicious and comforting, just the kind of thing I need for these cold, rainy days! 🙂
Choclette says
Yes, it’s a bit miserable at the moment and you’re right, it’s a good meal to remind us of the sunshine.