Christmas Supper Club at Mamoosh Riverside, Newhaven.
Welcome, to my November food journey and a return to my hometown.
November is the month of bonfires when our souls need need something warming with a little fire! I remembered a dish from my childhood that I hadn't eaten in over 30 years: Yaprak İçi, a traditional bean and lentil stew from Osmancık/ Türkiye, mid Northern territories.
Yaprak İçi means “vine leaf filling”. Traditionally, we eat it with vine leaves, using them as little scoops to pick up the stew. But don't worry if vine leaves aren't easy to find our Mamoosh pittas make a delicious replacement or top with crunchy croutons or pitta chips.
And that's the thing about this dish: it's never really just about the food.
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I remember enormous pans cooking over open fires, feeding what felt like the entire neighbourhood. At home, everyone would squeeze into whatever space was available, pulling up chairs or sitting on the floor. It was noisy, generous and full of life.
Those gatherings bring back memories of my dear mum and some of her friends. They were the people who cooked this dish, shared it with us and made it part of our lives. I hadn't realised how much I missed those flavours until made the dish again.
Sadly, Yaprak İçi is becoming less common, and fewer people seem to make it these days. This is my bit to keep it alive. Recipes carry more than ingredients and instructions; they are filled with stories, traditions and memories of the people who passed them on to us. I wouldn't like this one to disappear.
So, I called my aunt Aygül Tuncay for her recipe and got cooking in my test kitchen. Thirty years disappeared in a spoonful and a special thank you to my aunt for bringing back these childhood memories.
Let's get cooking!
Yaprak İçi — Turkish Bean and Lentil Stew
A hearty, natural vegan stew packed with black-eyed beans, green lentils, chickpeas and bulgur wheat, finished with fresh herbs, lemon and a good kick of Aleppo chilli.
Ingredients:
- 200 g dried black-eyed beans
- 200 g dried green lentils
- 200 g dried chickpeas
- 150 g coarse bulgur wheat
- 100 ml mild olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp Aleppo chilli flakes, or to taste
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 40 g fresh dill, finely chopped
- 40 g fresh mint, finely chopped
- 1 bunch spring onions, finely chopped
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
You'll find coarse bulgur wheat in Middle Eastern grocery shops, online and in some larger supermarkets.
Method
1. Soak the pulses
Place the black-eyed beans, green lentils and chickpeas in a large container and cover with plenty of water, roughly twice their volume. Soak for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight in the fridge.
Drain, discard the soaking water and rinse well.
2. Cook the pulses
Transfer the soaked pulses to a large saucepan and cover generously with fresh water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently, skimming off any foam from time to time.
The chickpeas and black-eyed beans generally take longer to soften than the lentils, so keep checking them. Cook until the chickpeas and beans are tender but still hold their shape, and the lentils are cooked but remain whole. This should take around 30 minutes, although timings can vary.
Drain and set aside.
3. Build the stew
Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until lightly golden, taking care not to caramelise it.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another minute. Add the cooked pulses, bulgur wheat, salt, black pepper, Aleppo chilli and lemon juice.
Pour in enough water to cover everything. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently until the bulgur and pulses are tender and the flavours have come together.
Stir occasionally and carefully to avoid breaking up the beans and lentils. Add more water whenever needed. Bulgur absorbs a surprising amount of liquid, so don't be afraid to top it up.
You're looking for a thick, hearty stew with some lovely liquid remaining — not a dry mixture, but not a soup either.
4. Finish with fresh herbs
Once everything is cooked, turn off the heat and stir in the chopped dill, mint and spring onions. The generous amount of fresh herbs brings wonderful fragrance, freshness and flavour to the stew.
Taste and adjust the seasoning, lemon and chilli to your liking.
5. Serve and enjoy
Serve while warm, with vine leaves if you can find them. Otherwise, dunk in fresh Mamoosh pittas, or sprinkle over crunchy croutons or pitta chips for extra texture.
A few little tips
- Adjust the heat: We traditionally enjoy this dish quite fiery, but you can use more or less Aleppo chilli to suit your taste.
- For a meaty version: Use meat stock instead of water and add diced beef or lamb, simmering until the meat is tender. For a vegan version, stick to water or vegetable stock.
- Cooking ahead? Yaprak İçi is lovely the following day, but the bulgur will continue to absorb liquid as the stew rests. Add a splash of water when reheating and warm gently until you reach the consistency you like
- The secret is the herbs: If making the stew ahead, leave the fresh dill, mint and spring onions out until just before serving. Reheat the stew first, then stir in the herbs to keep their flavour fresh and vibrant.
A final thought
With Bonfire Night approaching, this is the kind of food I love most: simple, generous and full of history. Make a big pot, bring out the bread, and share it with the people around you.
For me, every spoonful is a reminder of my mum, the people I miss and a tradition I hope won't be lost.
Food tastes better when it's shared, and some recipes deserve to be remembered.
Afiyet olsun! Enjoy!
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