Turkish menemen is a Turkish dish made using eggs, peppers, tomatoes and onions (optional). It was first made by the Cretan Turks who came to the Menemen district of Izmir with the population exchange and takes its name from the district. Turkish scrambled eggs does not pose any threat to health. On the contrary, it contains plenty of vitamins A and C, folic acid, potassium, sodium and iron. These are vitamins that the body needs. In short, you can consume Turkish style scrambled eggs with peace of mind. For this, you can follow the Turkish scrambled eggs recipe step by step.
What is Menemen?
Turkish menemen is a dish made with tomatoes, peppers, onions and eggs. Green pepper is effective against cancer with vitamin C, beta-carotene, A, K, B1, B2 and E vitamins it contains and is very beneficial for eye health. Since the vitamins it contains are antioxidants, they delay aging (physically), protect the body against infections, and help cleanse our body. Onions are rich in sulphur, fiber, vitamins B and C, iron and thiamine. The acids it contains are especially effective against intestinal and stomach infections. Due to its natural antibiotic properties, it contributes significantly to cardiovascular health. Tomatoes are rich in vitamins C and A. In addition, tomatoes are an important source of nutrients for a smooth and healthy skin. In all these respects, consuming Turkish scrambled eggs is very beneficial for your health.
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Important Tips About Menemen
It is very important to use fresh vegetables in making Turkish style srambled eggs. Make sure that the tomatoes you will use are ripe and juicy. The tomato you prefer when making Turkish menemen must be fresh but ripe, seasonal tomatoes. The Turkish style scrambled eggs you will make with greenhouse tomatoes you will buy in winter will not be very enjoyable. Instead, you can prepare canned tomatoes for the winter at the end of summer and eat delicious Turkish scrambled eggs out of season. Even if you cannot find such tomatoes, it is recommended removing the seeds from the tomato before cooking the Turkish scrambled eggs. The core part may spoil the taste and appearance of the Turkish style scrambled eggs. Stir well with a spoon during cooking to blend the eggs with the tomatoes. In addition to the recipe list, you can add different spices, sprinkle parsley and dill. Be careful not to use margarine when making Turkish scrambled eggs recipe. You can cook it with butter instead of olive oil. For canned Turkish menemen for the winter, you can add the canned tomato recipe to your notes.
Menemen Ingredients
To make traditional Turkish menemen, you need the following ingredients. Olive oil and butter are both traditionally used in this dish. If you don't want to cook with butter, you can use olive oil (or vegan butter). Also, white or yellow onions are good. In addition, you can add green onions. Green peppers are hard to find outside of Turkey. Then, instead, you can use Pobrano pepper or coarse Anaheim pepper, which most closely resembles Turkish varieties. In Turkish scrambled eggs recipe the tradition is to mash fresh tomatoes by hand. You can also use Tomato Passata instead of fresh tomatoes. The most important ingredient is eggs. Finally, you can enjoy this dish with chopped parsley or chives if needed. Some people also like to add avocado slices, which might not be traditional. It is also a tradition to provide Turkish menemen with delicious bread which can be used as a spread by soaking Turkish menemen.
How to Make Menemen?
For the Turkish scrambled eggs recipe, you need to follow these steps. Wash your tomatoes thoroughly. Then, pour hot water on the tomatoes placed in a large container to peel the skins quickly and wait for 25-30 minutes. After that time has elapsed, take the tomatoes, peel them and cut them into cubes. But if you are one of those who make Turkish style scrambled eggs from grated tomatoes, you do not need to soak it in hot water, you can peel the skins and start grating. If you are done with chopping the tomatoes, chop the peppers into small pieces and put them in the pot. After roasting the peppers, put the tomatoes and close the lid of the pot and cook on low heat. Add salt to Turkish scrambled eggs, cooked on the stove so that menemen does not spoil. Then crack the egg and add it to this mixture. Turkish style scrambled eggs is ready when the eggs are cooked.
Menemen vs. Shakshuka
Shakshuka is a word used for two different types of food, such as stew. Although Shakshuka is more like an eggplant dish in Turkey, it is a type of Turkish menemen that is cooked and eaten with pleasure in the Jerusalem region. The reason for such differences may be the meaning of the word ‘shakshuka’. But although this dish is loved in Israel, its homeland is Libya. It is a Turkish appetizer prepared by pouring tomato sauce on vegetables such as eggplant, pepper, and zucchini. It is usually served with yogurt or garlic yogurt. For Shakshuka, the eggplants are first cut into cubes. It is kept in salt water for a while to release the tang. Onions and peppers are finely chopped. Tomatoes are also cut into cubes. Afterwards, the garlics are crushed or chopped according to preference. First of all, eggplants are fried in hot oil for making shakshuka. After frying, it is kept on a paper napkin for a while to remove excess oil. Afterwards, the sauce preparation process for şakşuka is started. For this, oil is poured into the pan. Onions, garlic and peppers are roasted in it. Tomato paste is added and the roasting process continues. Then tomatoes, sugar, salt and desired spices are added. After the tomatoes are roasted for a while, water is added. The Shakshuka Sauce which is prepared after draining the water, is blended with eggplant.
