Citadel of Küçük Ada, Turkey

The city of Kuşadası (Bird Island) is located on the southwest coast of Turkey, on the Aegean Sea, 90 km from Izmir and 18 km from Ephesus. The area surrounding Kuşadası was first settled around 3000 BC by the Lelegians and Carians. The land was fertile for growing grapes, olives and figs. Its harbor made it an important part of trade routes, and became even more valuable when nearby Ephesus’s harbor was no longer usable due to the course of the Caystros River changing. With such a desirable location, Kuşadası underwent many invasions and changes in dominating forces through the years, among them the Persians, Romans, Byzantines, Genoese, Venetians, and Ottomans.
Just off the coast of the city is Pigeon Island (Güvercin Ada, also known as Küçük Ada or Little Island), which is now connected to the mainland by a narrow causeway. A stone citadel was built on Pigeon Island during the Byzantine Empire. The Citadel has a keep at the top of the hill, giving it an unobstructed view for quite a distance, two towers, and a single gate. During the revolution of Thomas the Slav (820-823) against the emperor, one of his lieutenants, Zacharias, was captured and imprisoned on the island.

The Citadel was used as a defensive outpost through the years, protecting Kuşadası against invading forces and pirates from the sea (for which it also acquired the name Pirate Island). Ironically, legend has it that during the 1500s the island was used by Kheir-ed-din Barbarossa (Ottoman admiral and privateer, or pirate, depending on point of view) as a base from which to operate through the Mediterranean Sea, and also as a place to stash his treasure.
During the Mora Uprising in the first half of the 1800s the Ottomans fortified the Citadel and used it as protection against attacks from forces gathered on other islands. Some of the cannon remain today, though they are no longer mounted.

Today the Citadel of Küçük Ada is host to a lighthouse, a restaurant, and a nightclub, and is a popular local hang-out. There is an aviary with several bird houses, and with migrating birds still descending on the island, it is a great place to birdwatch. The island is also popular with divers, for the rocks scattered nearby in the sea give sanctuary to stingrays, sponges, morays, sea turtles, and octopi.

 

Lamejun

Lamejun cook at a very high temperature, but they’re very thin. Depending on your oven, you may want to lower the heat slightly. To freeze, stack the lamejun in pairs, meat sides facing. Reheat in a 350-degree oven.

DOUGH

1	package active dry yeast
1	cup warm water
1½	teaspoons sugar
¼	cup canola oil
3	cups flour
	Extra canola oil (for the bowl) 1. In a bowl, stir the yeast and ¼ cup of the water; set aside for several minutes. 2. With a wooden spoon, stir in the sugar, oil, remaining ¾ cup water, and 2¾ cups flour until the dough comes together. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup flour on a work surface. Turn the dough out and knead for 3 minutes. 3. Oil a bowl and turn the dough into it. Cover with plastic wrap; set aside for 1 hour or until the dough doubles in bulk. MEAT 1¼ pounds lean ground lamb ½ cup finely chopped fresh parsley ½ green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 2 teaspoons salt ½ teaspoon ground allspice ½ teaspoon ground black pepper 1½ teaspoons paprika ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper 1¾ cups crushed tomatoes 3 tablespoons tomato paste Extra flour (for sprinkling) 1 lemon, cut into wedges (for serving) 1. In a bowl, combine the lamb, parsley, bell pepper, garlic, salt, allspice, black pepper, paprika, cayenne, tomatoes, and tomato paste. With clean hands, mix thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or for up to overnight. 2. Set the oven at 500 degrees. Place a rack in the oven’s lower third, another in the upper third. Dust 2 baking sheets with flour. 3. Sprinkle flour over a work surface. Away from the floured area, turn out the dough and knead for 1 minute. Divide the dough into 12 pieces. Roll each into a ball and set on the floured surface. Cover with a clean cloth and rest for 15 minutes. 4. Working on the floured surface with floured hands, flatten a ball of dough. Roll into an 8-inch round. Transfer to a baking sheet (put 2 rounds on each sheet). With a ⅓-cup measure, scoop up lamb mixture and use an offset spatula or your hand to distribute the meat on the round, leaving a ¼-inch border. Repeat with the remaining rounds and filling (bake lamejun 4 at a time). 5. Bake for 12 minutes, switching the position of the sheets from back to front and top to bottom halfway through baking, or until the meat is cooked through and the crust is brown. Set the rounds on wire racks to cool. Repeat with remaining dough and meat. Serve with lemon.

Maqluba

'Maqluba,' which translates to 'upside down.' When the meal has finished cooking, you take the pot and flip it upside down onto a large serving platter, and everybody helps themselves, Original recipe makes 6 servings.

Ingredients:

7 cupswater

2onions, chopped

1 tablespoonchopped garlic

1 teaspoonground cinnamon

1 teaspoonground turmeric

2 teaspoonsgaram masala

1 pinchsalt and ground black pepper to taste

2 cupscooking oil

2 cupslamb meat, cut into small pieces

1 largeeggplant, cut into 3/4-inch slices

2 zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch slices

1 cupbroccoli

1 cupcauliflower
1 1/2 cupsjasmine rice

1 (16 ounce) containerplain yogurt

Directions

1. Bring to a boil the water, onion, garlic, cinnamon, turmeric, garam masala, salt, and pepper in a large pot. Add the lamb; reduce the heat to low and simmer 15 to 20 minutes. Separate the lamb from the liquid and set aside. Transfer the liquid to a bowl.
2. While the lamb mixture simmers, heat the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Fry the eggplant slices in the hot oil, assuring the pieces do not touch, until brown on both sides; remove to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Use the same procedure to fry the zucchini and the cauliflower. Cook the broccoli in the oil until hot and remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
3. Layer the lamb into the bottom of the large pot. Arrange the eggplants, zucchini, broccoli, and cauliflower on top of the beef in layers. Pour the rice over the beef and vegetables, shaking the pot gently to allow the rice to settle into the dish. Pour the reserved liquid from the beef over the mixture until it is completely covered. Add water if needed.
4. Cover the pot and simmer over low heat until the rice is soft and the liquid is absorbed, 30 to 45 minutes. Remove the lid from the pot. Place a large platter over the pot and flip the pot so the dish is 'upside down' on the platter. Serve with yogurt on the side.