How Do Turks Use Chickpeas, Bulgur & Lentils? (Pantry Secrets Ep. 2)

In this second episode of my Turkish Pantry Essentials series, I’m diving into the grains, legumes, and pastas that form the heart of everyday Turkish cooking that will change your daily meal prep.
Here is more you can find on our blog post we shared with my daughter: https://www.turkishfoodtravel.com/2025/07/19/the-most-essential-ingredients-in-turkish-cooking-2/
Here is the first episode of the series: Essential Ingredients in Turkish Cooking: Flavor Builders https://youtu.be/Fkep9PZ1b48
From rice and bulgur to lentils, chickpeas, white beans, erişte, and şehriye—you’ll see what I always keep in my pantry, and how I use each one to make flavorful, traditional dishes.

🥘 Dishes featured in this episode include:
Perde Pilavı (Rice and chicken pie wrapped in dough)
Etli Lahana Sarması (Stuffed cabbage with spiced rice & minced meat)
Fasülye Pilav (White beans and rice)
Tavuklu Pilav (Pilav with chicken and chickpeas)
Ezogelin Çorbası (Spicy Lentil Soup)
Vegetable Bulgur Pilav
Kısır (Bulgur Salad)
İçli Köfte (Stuffed Bulgur Shells)
Erişte

Green Lentil Soup With Erişte
Ingredients
For soup:
1 onion
1 tomato
1 carrot
Some tomato paste
Garlic (if you want)
Olive oil
Green lentils
Hot water
Erişte
Black pepper, salt

For butter sauce:
Butter
Dried mint

💬 Have a question about one of these staples? Let me know in the comments!

▶️ Watch Episode 1 (Pantry Basics & Spices): [https://youtu.be/Fkep9PZ1b48?si=5NW5AQUtSdpKlw4b]

📌 Full recipes are linked below.
Perde Pilavı (Rice and chicken pie wrapped in dough): https://youtu.be/TzuNbb33eSM?si=QvLAuoRobJeIwmz6
Etli Lahana Sarması (Stuffed cabbage with spiced rice & minced meat): https://youtu.be/Xo5CdcxMJAQ?si=S4OtxihgeiCugj6X
Fasülye Pilav (White beans and rice): https://youtu.be/T3FnmFTMD7E?si=g8ukSZ8bGcUAvN6-
Tavuklu Pilav (Pilav with chicken and chickpeas): https://youtu.be/RuxTmERLXKU?si=2yOySmZx6pYdLbMO
Ezogelin Çorbası (Spicy Lentil Soup): https://youtu.be/H6Ecys3y3xw?si=QjYu6YxNeM2GZv8t
Vegetable Bulgur Pilav: https://youtu.be/P26vA9T8fkQ?si=CaybSNQZp4LgAAS9
Kısır (Bulgur Salad): https://youtu.be/7MoZl457UFE?si=XyYX41TZSLYhmUMa
İçli Köfte (Stuffed Bulgur Shells): https://youtu.be/O6tFduKWt3I?si=q2rvD8yuY4yaK3r1
Erişte: https://youtu.be/3fIjVd4myVA?si=z5TPunkkb02z8fLa

00.00: Introduction
01.05: Rice
03.18: White Beans
05.28: Chickpeas
07.35: Red Lentils
09.20: Green Lentils
11.45: Bulgur
13.18: Thin Bulgur
15.00: Erişte
16.00: Vermicelli Pasta-Orzo Pasta

Join this channel to get access to perks:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwVIj-OqEjXNqKpItChRrMQ/join

►SUBSCRIBE ► ►► https://bit.ly/3iirrRC
►FOLLOW ME FROM INSTAGRAM ► ►► http://instagram.com/turkishfoodtravel
►MY WEBSITE ► ►►http://www.turkishfoodtravel.com
► Facebook: ► ►► https://fb.me/turkishfoodtravel
► Don’t forget to subscribe and press the notification button: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwVIj-OqEjXNqKpItChRrMQ?sub_confirmation=1

Merhaba, I’m Aysenur Altan from Turkish Food and Travel. Welcome to the second episode 
of Turkish Pantry Essentials series. Today, I’m inviting you to explore one of the most practical and nourishing corners of the 
Turkish kitchens, our grains and legumes. These powerful ingredients like rice, 
chickpeas, bulgur not only fill our pantries but also carry the flavors, 
stories and traditions of centuries. Whether you make quick marajim chbosu lentil 
soup, fluffy Turkish rice pilaf or chickpeas, these staples are always here to support 
and inspire. Let’s take a closer look at what I keep in my pantry and how these 
ingredients shine in everyday Turkish cooking. Let’s start with the rice. This is the backbone 
of many side dishes. It can be a main dish too. We mostly use medium to long grain, less 
starchy rice. Our most common ones are balo and osmanuk. And we have lots of different 
types throughout the Anatolia and Marmara region as well. Pilaf is so important in our 
culture. It is almost a measure of a cook’s skill. Turkish pilaf has to be fluffy with 
enough butter. If you use orzo or vermicelli, which I’m going to talk more about in a bit, it 
has to have a nutty flavor and beautiful aroma. One of the most elegant and festive rice 
dishes in Turkish cuisine is par pilav. A layered pilav with spiced rice, 
chicken, almonds, and pine nuts, all wrapped in a golden pastry crust. The filling 
is rich and fragrant with cinnamon, black pepper, and broad soaked rice. Then it’s packed into 
a mold lined with a soft yogurt-based dough. It even has a special way of decorating with 
almonds. And after baking, it comes out with a golden crust and a surprise waiting inside. At 
the same time, you can find the full step-by-step par pilav recipe in the archive. Just check the 
link below if you’d like to try it yourself. Rice is also essential in many types of dolma 
and sarma — stuffed or rolled vegetables like bell peppers, grape leaves or cabbage as you see 
here. This version is made with a spicy rice and minced meat filling, gently seasoned with onion, 
tomato paste and warm spices. Once rolled into blanched cabbage leaves, they are arranged in 
a pot or tray and baked in the oven with a rich tomato sauce on top. It’s a comforting, hearty 
dish, especially loved during the colder months. Next, right to the rice, you often see beans, 
and there is a good reason for it. White beans are used in one of the beloved home-cooked 
dishes in Turkey: kuru fasulye. Usually, it is slow-cooked with onions, tomato, 
pepper paste. Sometimes we can add meat, but it is always best with rice. In my version 
I shared how you can make it using Instant Pot. Here I used horoscini, but you can also use 
navy beans, which when I search looks like şeker fasulye. Let me show you how big it 
got after it is soaked — pretty big, oops! Traditionally, we make it in big pans or 
even clay pots. Same in the Instant Pot: I begin by sauteing my onions, then more of a 
tomato paste and a little bit of pepper paste. Then add the soaked white beans, continue to 
saute a little bit. I like to add a little bit of flour just to give some nutty flavor 
and to help thicken the sauce. Add more water or broth and let it cook. I like to naturally 
give time to release the steam so it continues to cook and becomes like a melt-in-the-mouth 
texture. We always serve it on top of the rice or separately in a deep plate with a fluffy 
rice pilaf on the side. It’s a blessing. And another beautiful recipe you can make 
using white beans is fasulye piyaz. It’s a beautiful refreshing summer salad you can 
make using white beans. Throughout Anatolia, we have different white bean types like şeker 
fasulye, horoz fasulye, and bigger ones. And speaking of comfort, it is not complete 
without chickpeas. Chickpeas are another pantry hero. They are used in hearty stews, sauteed and 
then wrapped in breads — very famous street food especially in the southeastern part of Turkey. And 
then another very staple street food and home food would be nohut pilav, rice with chickpeas on the 
streets. You can find it in push carts or street vendors or even as a small eatery in restaurants. 
They either serve it with chickpeas with rice or with chicken pieces as well. And I also have that 
recipe on my channel. It’s a beautiful comforting dish all in one pan. I often make it especially 
during winter when I don’t have much time. Once you have cooked chickpeas in the fridge, it is 
very easy to make. You boil a chicken and make a rice pilaf with its chicken broth. After 
it is cooked, you add the chicken pieces on top and continue to cook everything. Make sure 
to check the link below for the full recipe. You might not be used to using dried beans, 
but it is very easy to cook with and keeps for a long time in the pantry — for years even. 
The best thing you can do is cook one package after soaking overnight, either in the pressure 
cooker or regular pan with enough water. After it is soft enough, drain the water and pour it 
into a container. It is not hard to break them apart and use in my soups or add some into 
my rice dishes, and it is very nutritious. Now let’s move to the lentils. Starting with the 
red lentils. Red lentils are very easy to cook. You don’t have to soak them. It is very nourishing 
and a good source of protein. In Turkey probably every cook begins to make their first dishes 
making mercimek çorbası — red lentil soup. In almost every restaurant, the first soup you can 
get would be mercimek çorbası. There are some different types, either lokanta restaurant-style 
or with vegetables and spicy version as well. We call ezogelin çorbası. In this version, we use 
red lentils, a little bit of rice and also bulgur at the end. First, we cook the lentils and rice. 
Meanwhile, we saute an onion, tomato, and pepper paste — some of the pantry essentials from the 
part one. And after it is cooked, we bring them together. As a final touch, you add a little bit 
of thin bulgur. Beautiful, spicy, and delicious. And another version of using grains and legumes 
in a beautiful soup is bakliyat çorbası. Well, bakliyat means in Turkish legumes. 
While cooking all the legumes together, we again saute an onion and meanwhile make 
a sauce — this time using yogurt, flour, and egg — and bring them all together. The yogurt 
base here gives a creamy, tangy flavor. I’ll leave the links for the recipe in the description. It’s 
one of the dishes you never get tired of eating. Then we have the green lentils. We use this for 
cold salads, make a soup using erişte together or as is. If you make it a bit thicker, it can 
even be eaten as a main dish. I made my favorite green lentil soup special for this episode. 
Let me show you. Along with green lentils, I’m going to use an onion, carrot, tomato, 
some tomato paste and garlic — if you want, you can add. First, going to saute my onions 
in some olive oil. Meanwhile, going to chop my tomatoes and garlic and grate the carrot. Carrot 
is optional here. Traditionally, we don’t add, but I like to. It gives a sweetness and more vitamin 
and color to my soup. I’m just going to pre-boil my soaked green lentils. Soaking is optional, but 
it helps to cook it more evenly without cracking. Just going to partially boil for a couple of 
minutes to get the darker color out. Meanwhile, I sauteed my vegetables, added tomato paste 
and tomatoes and water. Now adding the green lentils back after draining the dark liquid, then 
continue to simmer. And while the green lentils are still al dente cooked, add the egg noodles 
— either store-bought or homemade. Continue to simmer. Added some black pepper and dried mint 
also goes well. You can either saute in some butter or add right in if you want to have 
it lighter. And here is our beautiful green lentil-ish soup ready. They are a great source 
of protein and a staple for meatless meals. Next, let’s take a look at bulgur — an ingredient 
even older than rice in Anatolia. A coarse bulgur is used for making bulgur pilaf. It is one 
of the easiest ways to make a satisfying side dish. It can be plain. You can saute 
some erişte pasta before adding the bulgur, which I will share in the upcoming episode with 
a hearty stew together as a new menu. Make a version with vegetables like peppers, tomatoes — 
it will be even more rich and flavorful. Here is a beautiful example of making bulgur pilaf with 
vegetables: I sauteed here some onion, carrots, eggplants, then tomatoes, tomato paste. Again, 
there’s even another traditional version we make using bulgur and green lentils only. Then you add 
the bulgur and continue to saute. Add the water, spices. Here I even added some cooked green 
peas and simmer everything until fluffy and well-cooked. In here, I served mine with crispy 
chicken and plain yogurt salad. Pairs perfectly with grilled meat, stew, and it is also 
more nutritious compared to the rice. And then we have thin bulgur, which has its 
own way of cooking and different dishes to use. We make a bulgur salad, kısır, which 
is a popular salad we have along with tea, especially in ladies’ parties when we 
have in the afternoons. Another one is of course çiğ köfte — spicy raw bulgur balls — 
traditional recipe from the southeastern Turkey. It doesn’t need boiling. You just soak 
it in some warm water just to cover up and within five minutes it will soak all the 
water and will be fluffy and ready to use. And another dish you can make with thin bulgur 
is içli köfte. It has a beautiful crust made with thin bulgur and a rich, flavorful sauteed minced 
meat filling — very popular dish throughout the southeastern part of Anatolia. You can find 
it in almost every restaurant as a hot entry or side dish as well. Traditionally, it is shaped 
into ovals like a lemon and then filled with the minced meat filling. But on my channel, I also 
showed a different, simpler version of how to shape using stretch film. If you love this 
kind of recipes, I highly recommend trying it at home. It’s so delicious and you can even 
freeze and keep it ready to deep fry and serve. When we talk about nostalgic and comforting 
staples, erişte is a must. Erişte is a traditional Turkish egg noodle. We usually make it at home, 
but this is store-bought version. It has egg in it. It’s usually made plain, but you can also 
make colorful pastas using spinach, beetroots, or turmeric. You roll out the dough, dry a little 
bit on stovetop to easily cut and then cut into different shapes. We usually cut like this or into 
triangles, and then dry completely to use during the winter. I will also add the link for the full 
recipe into the description. You can boil it like a pasta and serve it with cheese and walnuts. 
It is simple, satisfying, and so very Anatolian. And finally, we have these two small but mighty 
ingredients that make a big difference in flavor and texture. Either orzo or erişte tarhana. I 
love making rice pilaf with these. 90% I use this because I love the nutty flavor in it. And 
we also make beautiful soups with it — especially tomato soup with orzo pasta or use vermicelli. 
It cooks even in shorter time. Basically, you saute some tomato paste, add grated tomatoes 
if it’s the season, add chicken broth if you have, then cook the vermicelli together. And finally 
add some chopped parsley and serve with lemon. So simple yet nourishing, comforting soup. 
We even have ready sauteed brown vermicelli pasta to use with bulgur. They are salad mixed 
with bulgur as well to make it ready to cook. You can saute them yourself with some butter 
and then add the bulgur, same as the rice. So my friends, this is just the beginning. Once 
you have all these staple ingredients in your pantry — make sure to check the first episode 
as well — you can create dozens of Turkish meals with ease. These pantry staples may seem 
simple, but whether it’s a pot of lentil soup bubbling or a fluffy rice pilaf, these 
ingredients truly bring our kitchens to life. I hope this episode gave you some inspirations 
to explore Turkish cooking or maybe just reminded you of a comforting dish from your own 
memories. Please share it with me in the comments. And don’t forget this is just 
the second episode. If you haven’t watched the first one, don’t forget to watch 
and also wait for the third episode. Thanks for spending time with me today 
and I hope to see you in the next episode. [Music]