Salut ! I hope you guys enjoyed this episode :) Remember to share this video on Twitter, Facebook, Reddit etc... It feels good to feel your support and it also always help me a lot. Here is the 'Kofte' recipe from this ep, coming up straight from Refika herself 😁✌️: ------------------------------------------------ Turkish Grandma Köfte Recipe ------------------------------------------------ ½ kg (1,1 lbs) ground beef (plate, rib or brisket) 3 full tablespoons bread crumb 3 little onions 1 tablespoon yogurt or 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar 1 egg 2 tablespoons olive oil 15-20 stems of parsley 1,5 teaspoons black pepper 1,5 teaspoons sea or rock salt 1,5 tablespoons cumin 1 tablespoon coriander seed 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 teaspoon cinnamon ------------------------------------------------ Grate 3 onions or use food processor for it. Make sure that onions are not planed too much, like puree. Puree makes köfte mixture too juicy to shape the meatballs. Mix ½ kg of ground beef , onions, 1 egg, 3 onions, 1 egg, 3 full tablespoons of bread crumb, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of yoghurt ; you can also use 2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar instead, in a large bowl. Yoghurt, vinegar or any acid helps to tenderize the meat. Add 1,5 teaspoons of black pepper ,1,5 teaspoons of sea or rock salt, 1,5 tablespoons of cumin, 1 tablespoon of coriander seed, 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Knead around 7-8 minutes until the meat and spices are mixed very well. Add finely chopped 15-20 stems of parsley and keep kneading a bit more. Cook a small ball of köfte to taste; if it needs, add more salt or spice according to your taste. Divide the köfte mixture into 15-20 balls and press them to flatten. If you want, you can make other shapes as well. Press them between your palms and fingers of your both hands. Be sure that they are not loose. If they are loose, it will be hard to cook. You can add a little more bread crumbs always to keep the mixture together. Put the cast iron pan on medium heat. When the pan is hot enough, place the köftes in to the pan. Don’t flip the köftes before one side is cooked, otherwise they can fall apart. When they are cooked, it will be easier to flip them. Acouple of minutes will be enough to cook each sides of köftes. Rest the köftes for another couple of minutes before eating. Voila! You are ready to eat Turkish grandma köfte!
the ultimate meatball recipe is one you find your two year old finding anything to stand on to get to the counter where they are at. before you even finish making the rest or serving them. Now her thing at 5 is cheesy grits. Which is a bit unique using cream and cultured butter along with a 18 month aged cheddar But she loves them and would eat nothing else if i did not get her to try other things. I am trying to introduce her into Gourmet foods. I can't wait for her to try truffles. She is a bit young but soon the creamed eggs though did not go over well so i am not sure what she will think of either white or black truffles.
Hi. You can try Romanian mici or mititei. It's something like kofte ( they are not balls:)) ) you eat at restaurant in Instambul. I guess are enough Romanians in France so you don't need to come to Romania to learn about 'mici'. Also thanks for sharing with us all this amazing versions of meatballs.
I did recommended a collab with you in the comments of his last video. I guess it was his plan all along. Nice to have you both, but it was a "rich man's departure" lol.
You are amazingly kind, genuine and suh a pleasant person. It makes me want to come to Turkey and enjoy your delicious food. You are a great ambassador!
Turkish Cuisine is totally underrated. im german and i have many turkish friends and everytime i get invited to eat with them its like a rollercoaster of awesome flavours. love goes out to the turkish food and people! EDIT: and as someone with hungarian decent i share their love for papricas :D
So true, here in Cologne we love going out to a Turkish restaurant always a great time and the whole food is amazing. We actually had home made Köfte today 😍👍
Mamaris turkey is also a beautiful place to visit. The bazaar is insane. Also most shops offer you a drink and tend to haggle. I suggest you look up some of the customs about this before you go. Showing some one the bottom of your foot is an insult for one thing. Also Ephesus is another place to see if you can. Not only is it a historical site but the tour took us to a quaint little inn that had amazing food.
I love the way Refika talked about transmitting our energy into the food we make. I totally relate to that. I feel that when I have the time and energy to make a nice meal for family and friends, it is one of my favorite ways to say, “I love you!” When I get to see the happiness on their faces when they eat, I can tell they have received what I have offered.
Yeah, I totally get that, my gift to my cousin for her wedding was a meal that I made for them. I made all the little things they love, garlic chips, grilled ginger batons, guava mary, all paired with my salt and pepper steak and chips. Seeing their happiness when they ate gave me goosebumps. I have since never forgotten that feeling and I keep trying to make it happen again and again.
ikr! it's actually became an idiom almost in Turkish. It's about the experience, the roots of the dish going back thousands of years, and of course, how much you put your love while making the dish.
@@howycwap There is a variety of kofte called "spit kofte", spitting is not involved but it is sticky so the not very appetizing name, it is quite delicious and good for sandwiches.
I cannot properly explain how much I love this series and seeing the interaction with these cooks from all over, sharing our individual traditions and specializations. Thank you so much Alex.
OMG she is a delight! Those meatballs looked fab, and I can't wait to see your take on a classic. You've also inspired me to create a 'series' like you do. I love the way your stories unfold. Not sure i'll pull it off as well as you do but it'll be fun trying! Been a subscribers since you had about 200k subscribers. You've come a long way brother!
@Benghali In Platforms sure, but it's also about sharing, cooking together, knowing each other, adopt someone's other traditions and, all considered, building a better and peaceful world.
@@andreaferrigno Aaa! My friend, you’re talking about utopia. But is that possible? The way I see it the world is growing more cold and people and countries are getting more hostile towards each other. As long as there’s greed in this world, there will never be utopia.
You can‘t ever get authentic or good Turkish food in Germany. It’s like 1.567.987 Imbiss-places and maybe 10 restaurants in the country and none of them knows what they’re doing. I‘ve been born and raised in Turkey and spent 9 years of my adult life in Germany. I know what I’m talking about. Sorry :-(
For the love of humanity, PLEASE do a video on Lahmacun! I learned about that stuff from my refugee friends from Mosul, Iraq. They take a lot of influence from Turkish cooking. This midwestern American needs some serious Lahmacun lessons. Everyone I make it for is dumbfounded, and seriously, nobody here knows about it. That stuff is the GOAT no cap
For those that dont know, its a flat layer of dough (resemblimg a pizza) topped with a tomato, pepper, ground meat (usually seasoned with paprika or other spices) paste which is baked and served with lemon (sometimes parsley and tomato)
I just watched Refika's video and come here to see yours. I am so glad you and Refika's collab. She is really good cook and person. I hope you enjoyed your time in Turkey.
honesty I think "kofte" is the biggest revolution since the french revolution. It has broadened my mind. It is a meatball, but it is not a ball. that's so philosophical and deep
I am so happy to see this video Alex. Köfte is absolutely great especially with piyaz (bean salad). And Refika is probably one of the best guides you could have had when it comes to introducing local Turkish cuisine.
@@worldcitizeng6507 ŞEKERSİZ ! Means sugar free. ŞURUPSUZ ! means syrup free:) but you must look for KURU BAKLAVA. I mean we have exactly what you want just baklava no syrup. Yw
@@cakmamylee no one ever tell me there is such option! I will try it next time... maybe when I visit Egypt end of the year. I saw on TH-cam they have similar instantly made "noodle" looking sweets, pouring the liquid dough on a big hot flat pan, it instantly cook
Köfte, Alex, Refika in İstanbul!!! What else I can expect from youtube... It is so nice to see you appreciate the authentic flavours. Hope to see you again in Turkey
Hey Alex! I'm glad you enjoyed your trip. Thank you for presenting our cuisine in such a good way and giving our beloved Köfte the attention it deserves!!! There are a lot more things about the Turkish cuisine I think you would be amazed to discover. Again, thank you for this. We were honored to have you.
I'm just realizing that I've been making a type of köfte all my life, my family makes 'hamburger' patties this way, almost all ingredients in this recipe, it's my great great grandmother's recipe and she was Lebanese, I think my nan adapted a family recipe and transformed it into hamburgers and instead of chilli flakes we put ancho chilli to make it more Mexican, I'm very intrigued.
Alex, your videos remind me every time I see them of the inextricable link between food and culture, and they continue to cultivate my passion for cuisine. Thank you for what you do, and keeping young home cooks like me motivated :)
the way u transition those clip is amazing,you have a talent for cooking,for science,for programming,making videos.....now that im thinking you know everything mdr
Wow, this is fantastic. Two great TH-cam chefs meeting, sharing recipes. A lot of great flavors around the world to learn and respect. Food is about tradition, love and sharing - and a great way to learn about other cultures.
@Alex This entire series is like a savoury black hole! I love it so much, i was so down at the start of this epidemic and felt so lost in the kitchen due to scarcity. But you re-invigorated my cooking fire! Thank you!
Actually, this reminds me more of the “burgers” here in the Philippines. Instead of balls, it’s more patties. Made with carrots and onions, and goes best with mushroom gravy.
I could not be happier and more appreciative of this video, one of my favorite Turkish gastronomy people, Refika, being in this video is also a treat! Thank you for shining a light on my beautiful city, Istanbul, and our source of pride, Turkish cuisine Alex. Also, as a Turkish living in France, I appreciate this video even more
actually the famous Greek chef AKIS just started his new FOOD TOUR TV show in Greece on Monday also, showcasing all the Greek food all over his country.
I absolutely love the passion Refika has describing the flavors and techniques of the food. And the city itself is gorgeous. This was a delightful stop on your meatball adventure, Alex.
4:01 as a turkish man i can confirm to you that whenever ur eating outside in a city there will atleast be 2 cats just walking under the tables and againt your legs, lmao
This episode was so, so heartwarming to watch. Seeing you cook and eat with people you love, who love food just as much as you do, in places like that, brings me so much joy. You two were right: it doesn't get much better than this.
Alex. I’m a huge fan. I’ve seen every single one of these videos. The camaraderie and flat out love you and this lady showed each other is exactly why I love cooking. The bond it creates between people is inspiring. Thank you, truly, for allow us to share this intimacy with you my friend. I hope one day to cook with you. Have a great day.
That comment about grandma's pure love streaming through her cooking is spot on. Grandma is calm and her good vibes stay in her recipes...so your energy fills your cooking. Wow, that's a revelation!
3:27 I totally agree with the concept that energy is passed on your food when you cook. My mom would always say that she would fail at cooking her rice whenever she was upset. She would kind of lose the cooking timing that would make her rice so freaking good :>:
Alex... I love what you do. Your interest in food and its preparation is inspiring to all those who follow your channel. Another thing about you is that the people with who you cook and learn from are genuinely enjoying your company and the zest for life that you bring.
how do you keep finding such awesome people to teach you about their culture? people just keep taking you into their lives with such care and honestly that's really heartwarming to watch. I'll be certainly looking forward to your recipe
I am so happy that finally some "bigger" foreign youtuber is exploring the wonderful food culture of my homecountry. Thank you very much for spreading the love we give through our food Alex!!! Thank u 💘
Alex! You and Refika have such a beautiful chemistry and love for all that goes into and surrounds food. This was really wonderful to see. Especially in today's world, where things simply seem to be getting more and more "closed". Thank you both for sharing your insight and care.
this dude is just so fucking genuine & authentic. Coming from a family of chefs and appreciators of food, this dude's spirit about & love for not just the flavor but the craft & the experience makes him feel like family to me. Glad i discovered you alex!
Alex, I cannot describe how much you have inspired me. I’ve seen your channel grow, and even tough I’m a teacher, You’ve provided me with enough creativity fuel that made me chase my passion, today I’m a Coordinator, working with hundreds of people, taking part on global projects and awesome new ideas. You are awesome! If you ever come to Brazil, I’ll be pleased to show you around.
It gets better as you go east, especially around Hatay, Antep because of more Middle Eastern influences. Aegean Turkish food is boring. Everything tastes the same, onions, tomato paste, protein. Nobody likes spices. Source; myself an Aegean guy.
@@ibec69 This is what i meant with my previous comment. Have spent lots of time in turkey and where I’ve been, everything is basically the same taste. Oil, onion, tomato paste and meats. Very little spices and few vegetables.
@@Jonsson474 I know what you mean. It was a failure when I cooked Indian for my friends because everyone complained it was too spicy, not hot but aromatic spicy. Hardly anyone touched the food. These days I make a big tray of lasagna. Most people are conservative food wise and just want to eat their mother’s food, nothing else. To be fair, there’s a new wave of chefs these days trying different things, combinations but it costs like $70 for a 4-5 course meal so out of reach for most people.
I’m binge watching your videos having discovered you through the vagaries of the Algorithm and I am super impressed. In a crowded TH-cam category you really stand out. I think it is because of the way you tell a broader story, about what you are doing, why you are doing it, where you are doing it. I have to get back in my kitchen soon.
salut alex! this series where youve traveled to further learn about a dish you love so that you can make your own “perfect” version is so fascinating! you should try doing this with other foods as well!
Hi Alex! My name is Atif, And I stumbled across your channel a few months ago. What a fantastic job you do and what an awesome series on meatballs! I recently have been cooking meatballs myself and you have inspired me to explore a bit with it as well. But aside from the regular goodness you do, your work with the series is is phenomenal. No exaggeration, I’m talking Anthony Bourdain level stuff! Not only is it educational and entertaining from the cooking aspect but I really felt the emotion in all of your interactions as you traveled. Definitely inspiring work, and especially inspiring for me because I am currently in the frustration of wanting to start a TH-cam channel myself but unfortunately not having his skill set or a passion to drive me in a particular vision. That being said, I’m still going to start and see if something works. Thank you for being an accidental mentor!
Im not sure why i liked this so much but i think its because two people who love what they do got together and clearly shared a love and passion for what they do, loved every minute of it
In Serbia we call these "ćevapi" and they are a speciality in southern part of the country, they are even somewhat famous and are called "leskovački ćevapi(roštilj)"
They are different from the turkish versions, it can actually be argued which came first, the albanian meat balls or the turkish ones, the introduction to this dish came after the ottoman empire came to the balkans. Slavs also have a variation of this dish, the way everything is made and the recipe is different between these countries. What I want to say is that Turkish cuisine is influenced from the Balkan cuisine, the other way around too. Either way I am happy that I am able to enjoy all these kinds of food lol
honestly so fun to see alex, as someone whith a VERY scientific approach to food, someone who tries to control every variable, meet up with a culture which is based upon strong tradition but also, when it comes to execution they just wing it...he struggled to explain why the köfte was so great because he probably just used some basic everyday ingredients, a tried and tested seasoning routine and a lot of gut feeling and love for cooking...turns out you cant blue fridge theorize your way to the psychological factor of cooking, eating and friendship
Great episode Alex. You managed to capture the experience perfectly, I could almost smell the sea breeze, taste the wood smoked meat and feel the love and emotion of sharing such an enjoyable meal in such an amazing setting. Also, I want a wall of copper pans like that one day!
Love the vibe between you two. Great as usual Alex, it's so much fun to follow your adventures, and it was awesome to see you visit my home town the last episode :)
I just love this meatball series. Seem the only thing the Swedes did to the Turkish recipe was make the balls round and ad lingonberry. I think I would love all these meatballs whereever they came from
First of all we use pork meat, and cream, it's vastly different. second of all it's a lie swedish meatballs are from turkey. globalist propaganda taken out of context, the king Carl XII got the allspice and other spices from turkey, that's all. There are recipes from 1000 years ago with meatballs using cream + breadcumbs + juniper + salt all ingredients are native scandinavian. so there goes your pride I guess, but dont worry I will restore it, the turkish spices are superior to juniper and that's the reason we have turkish spiced inspired meatballs today, yummy! (edit) I just found out that those spices originate from india........ but turkey seemed to be a great vendor of those spices at that time and until this day, keep exporting spices turkey not "immigrants" please
finally one of wellknown youtube cooking channels shows some turkish cuisine!!! at first when i saw the meatball series i thought man these people really miss out on the juicy cheesy and flavorful turkish meatballs. and here at last, the episode of one of our amazing dishes. i know for a fact all around the earth everyone has their special touch to the consept of meatball but i feel like the turkish version is so good, so versatile and actually its my fave (obv. im biased) i hope other people will like it as well.
![BOWKYLION - วิงวอน (ex-change) [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/cLdnZWDaO-w/mqdefault.jpg)
Salut ! I hope you guys enjoyed this episode :) Remember to share this video on Twitter, Facebook, Reddit etc... It feels good to feel your support and it also always help me a lot.
Here is the 'Kofte' recipe from this ep, coming up straight from Refika herself 😁✌️:
------------------------------------------------
Turkish Grandma Köfte Recipe
------------------------------------------------
½ kg (1,1 lbs) ground beef (plate, rib or brisket)
3 full tablespoons bread crumb
3 little onions
1 tablespoon yogurt or 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 egg
2 tablespoons olive oil
15-20 stems of parsley
1,5 teaspoons black pepper
1,5 teaspoons sea or rock salt
1,5 tablespoons cumin
1 tablespoon coriander seed
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon cinnamon
------------------------------------------------
Grate 3 onions or use food processor for it. Make sure that onions are not planed too much, like puree. Puree makes köfte mixture too juicy to shape the meatballs.
Mix ½ kg of ground beef , onions, 1 egg, 3 onions, 1 egg, 3 full tablespoons of bread crumb, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of yoghurt ; you can also use 2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar instead, in a large bowl. Yoghurt, vinegar or any acid helps to tenderize the meat.
Add 1,5 teaspoons of black pepper ,1,5 teaspoons of sea or rock salt, 1,5 tablespoons of cumin, 1 tablespoon of coriander seed, 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.
Knead around 7-8 minutes until the meat and spices are mixed very well.
Add finely chopped 15-20 stems of parsley and keep kneading a bit more.
Cook a small ball of köfte to taste; if it needs, add more salt or spice according to your taste.
Divide the köfte mixture into 15-20 balls and press them to flatten. If you want, you can make other shapes as well. Press them between your palms and fingers of your both hands. Be sure that they are not loose. If they are loose, it will be hard to cook. You can add a little more bread crumbs always to keep the mixture together.
Put the cast iron pan on medium heat. When the pan is hot enough, place the köftes in to the pan.
Don’t flip the köftes before one side is cooked, otherwise they can fall apart. When they are cooked, it will be easier to flip them. Acouple of minutes will be enough to cook each sides of köftes.
Rest the köftes for another couple of minutes before eating. Voila! You are ready to eat Turkish grandma köfte!
Alex This is pretty much my mom’s köfte recipe loll
Salut !
the ultimate meatball recipe is one you find your two year old finding anything to stand on to get to the counter where they are at. before you even finish making the rest or serving them.
Now her thing at 5 is cheesy grits. Which is a bit unique using cream and cultured butter along with a 18 month aged cheddar But she loves them and would eat nothing else if i did not get her to try other things.
I am trying to introduce her into Gourmet foods. I can't wait for her to try truffles. She is a bit young but soon the creamed eggs though did not go over well so i am not sure what she will think of either white or black truffles.
You have to check out polish "mielone"
Hi. You can try Romanian mici or mititei. It's something like kofte ( they are not balls:)) ) you eat at restaurant in Instambul. I guess are enough Romanians in France so you don't need to come to Romania to learn about 'mici'. Also thanks for sharing with us all this amazing versions of meatballs.
Alex!! It was so cool to have you here at the studio. I'm glad you enjoyed our made-up köfte recipe!
Refika Cooks It was a big surprise for me seeing you in an Alex Video 👍🏻 Epic 👏🏻 love you both
You are so cute! I hope we can see you in Alex' future videos
I did recommended a collab with you in the comments of his last video. I guess it was his plan all along. Nice to have you both, but it was a "rich man's departure" lol.
You are amazingly kind, genuine and suh a pleasant person. It makes me want to come to Turkey and enjoy your delicious food. You are a great ambassador!
It's so cool to see you in Alex's video i was so suprised!! loe you Refikaaa
I feel like I am watching some guy get his PhD in Meatballs. I’d like to read the dissertation once you’re done lmao
You mean: eat the dissertation :D
Show up for the interview: "Sir, thank you, my PhD was in meatballs."
@@windowzombie this has probably been done honestly haha. I've seen a lot of weird dissertations.
He is studying to become a leading meatballogist.
8:36
"That's why I love you so much. Really do invest in understanding of food."
Don't we all, Refika
Alex, I don’t know if you can see my comments here but you should check out the video I linked in the comments for Italian meatball recipe
Turkish Cuisine is totally underrated. im german and i have many turkish friends and everytime i get invited to eat with them its like a rollercoaster of awesome flavours. love goes out to the turkish food and people! EDIT: and as someone with hungarian decent i share their love for papricas :D
KaY0otik Cuisine. Cousine er... it's your uncle's daughter.
So true, here in Cologne we love going out to a Turkish restaurant always a great time and the whole food is amazing.
We actually had home made Köfte today 😍👍
I am German too and Turkish food is so important for me and my friends (who are Turkish) it is true soul food
@KaY0otik it's not underrated friend Turkish cuisine of the the 3 big cuisine.
Thanks a lot for the compliments m8
I had no idea Turkey was so beautiful. I hate the way our media system in US shows other countries. They are generally 10x more beautiful in reality.
It's Istanbul, previous Constantinople, the capital of the old world. Their other cities are not like that.
@@armLocalhost some areas of other cities are. but on the whole istanbul is very different
Mamaris turkey is also a beautiful place to visit. The bazaar is insane. Also most shops offer you a drink and tend to haggle. I suggest you look up some of the customs about this before you go. Showing some one the bottom of your foot is an insult for one thing. Also Ephesus is another place to see if you can. Not only is it a historical site but the tour took us to a quaint little inn that had amazing food.
Thats because they dont want to upstage the fairly boring american cities. You cant buy history.
like they say its a collective culture everyplace has something famous and different
I love the way Refika talked about transmitting our energy into the food we make. I totally relate to that. I feel that when I have the time and energy to make a nice meal for family and friends, it is one of my favorite ways to say, “I love you!” When I get to see the happiness on their faces when they eat, I can tell they have received what I have offered.
Yeah, I totally get that, my gift to my cousin for her wedding was a meal that I made for them. I made all the little things they love, garlic chips, grilled ginger batons, guava mary, all paired with my salt and pepper steak and chips. Seeing their happiness when they ate gave me goosebumps. I have since never forgotten that feeling and I keep trying to make it happen again and again.
I think the "energy" is because she forgot to take off her ring. If you are this deep in the food you should take yor ring off.
Seth Gilbertson it is the reason I cook roo..
"The flavor comes from the hand" this was an under-appreciated quote in my opinion. Very nice.
ikr! it's actually became an idiom almost in Turkish. It's about the experience, the roots of the dish going back thousands of years, and of course, how much you put your love while making the dish.
extra salt if the chef picks his nose
@@howycwap There is a variety of kofte called "spit kofte", spitting is not involved but it is sticky so the not very appetizing name, it is quite delicious and good for sandwiches.
Yeah true. When i cook i wipe my ass with my hand for extra fragrance and complex flavour. Scat flavour.
@@MG-ul3mi Ah, a fellow man of flavour
I really love your new take on long-length, multiple episode series exploring a single subject
He's done that previously, but true its great :)
You have entered a new level Alex!
I cannot properly explain how much I love this series and seeing the interaction with these cooks from all over, sharing our individual traditions and specializations. Thank you so much Alex.
OMG she is a delight! Those meatballs looked fab, and I can't wait to see your take on a classic. You've also inspired me to create a 'series' like you do. I love the way your stories unfold. Not sure i'll pull it off as well as you do but it'll be fun trying! Been a subscribers since you had about 200k subscribers. You've come a long way brother!
She is so cool. I love how they just connected together. It addes to the whole experience.
Well then go check out her english channel
I believe this serie is not merely about meatballs. It's about building a better world. No kidding. 😉❤️
Per Anderson, Uh, I think you misread the comment
@Benghali In Platforms sure, but it's also about sharing, cooking together, knowing each other, adopt someone's other traditions and, all considered, building a better and peaceful world.
@@andreaferrigno great comment and thinking process. I wish more people were as intelligent when commenting
Alex explains at 9:24 the scope of these journeys
@@andreaferrigno Aaa! My friend, you’re talking about utopia. But is that possible? The way I see it the world is growing more cold and people and countries are getting more hostile towards each other. As long as there’s greed in this world, there will never be utopia.
Once I went to this random turkish grill in Berlin, ordered Köfte and had the best meat experience of my life.
You can‘t ever get authentic or good Turkish food in Germany. It’s like 1.567.987 Imbiss-places and maybe 10 restaurants in the country and none of them knows what they’re doing. I‘ve been born and raised in Turkey and spent 9 years of my adult life in Germany. I know what I’m talking about. Sorry :-(
Lukas S Oh by the way Refika did once a video on Döner in Frankfurt. It was so bad she couldn’t take a second bite!
F B well, german-turkish food may be its own thing, but there is definetly great quality, if you know where to look.
I have been to Turkey a few years ago, I discovered some of the most tasty food.
Turkey is a amazing culinary culture
Thank you 😊
This was AMAZING! I only just made Refika's Köfte recipe today for my fiancé. It was to die for.❤️
petition for Alex to make Refika's lahmacun wish come true
Yesss!
Hell yea!
For the love of humanity, PLEASE do a video on Lahmacun!
I learned about that stuff from my refugee friends from Mosul, Iraq. They take a lot of influence from Turkish cooking. This midwestern American needs some serious Lahmacun lessons. Everyone I make it for is dumbfounded, and seriously, nobody here knows about it. That stuff is the GOAT no cap
YES!!! LAHMACUN FTW
@Luke Perret Any of them, I'm guessing. I'm Midwestern and worked as a professional cook for years, and this is the first I've heard of it.
@@theprojectproject01 It's a Turkish dish and it's not that common in other midwestern countries. But google it! I'm sure you will love it.
Aww, yiss, Lahmacun! Lahmacun > Doener
For those that dont know, its a flat layer of dough (resemblimg a pizza) topped with a tomato, pepper, ground meat (usually seasoned with paprika or other spices) paste which is baked and served with lemon (sometimes parsley and tomato)
I just watched Refika's video and come here to see yours. I am so glad you and Refika's collab. She is really good cook and person. I hope you enjoyed your time in Turkey.
honesty I think "kofte" is the biggest revolution since the french revolution. It has broadened my mind. It is a meatball, but it is not a ball. that's so philosophical and deep
Ulas Onal wait till you see icli kofte
@@qwertpoiuy430 Correct ranslation is "Introvert Kofte" LoL
@@utkua "introvert" lmao that poor kofte. "stuffed kofte" is better i think. türküm bide hbjczxvzjxhcvzhjvcxb
@@utkua lmao
Soo true. Never underestimate the power of the köfte
Here on Karkkila Finland, we have a place called Köfte, run by Turkish guys. Circle has closed.
do you enjoy it?
This lady is such a gem! It must have been wonderful hanging out with her, shes such a nice personality.
Refika has a great food channel both in turkish and english
My little heart can’t stand the amount of beauty in this video
I am so happy to see this video Alex. Köfte is absolutely great especially with piyaz (bean salad). And Refika is probably one of the best guides you could have had when it comes to introducing local Turkish cuisine.
A great episode about Turkish Köfte. If you interesting in learning Homemade Turkish Baklava one day, let me know :)
I will !
I tried Baklava twice, it's too sweet for me, is it possible to find it without the syrup?
@just moni can you write down no syrup in Turkish? Next time I will show it to the bakery when I revisit turkey again. Thanks 😊🙏
@@worldcitizeng6507 ŞEKERSİZ ! Means sugar free. ŞURUPSUZ ! means syrup free:) but you must look for KURU BAKLAVA. I mean we have exactly what you want just baklava no syrup. Yw
@@cakmamylee no one ever tell me there is such option! I will try it next time... maybe when I visit Egypt end of the year. I saw on TH-cam they have similar instantly made "noodle" looking sweets, pouring the liquid dough on a big hot flat pan, it instantly cook
kofte is one of my all time favorite foods.. I need to go back to Turkey
"Take it roll it punch it,
Repeat it.
Take it roll it punch it,
Portion it.
Take it roll it punch it, now grill it !
Gastronomic.
Gastronomic.
I was going to do that but you went ahead of me...
Sounds like a daft punk song
The Green Manalishi technologic
BARS
*raves in meatball*
Köfte, Alex, Refika in İstanbul!!! What else I can expect from youtube... It is so nice to see you appreciate the authentic flavours. Hope to see you again in Turkey
Hey Alex! I'm glad you enjoyed your trip. Thank you for presenting our cuisine in such a good way and giving our beloved Köfte the attention it deserves!!! There are a lot more things about the Turkish cuisine I think you would be amazed to discover. Again, thank you for this. We were honored to have you.
He needs to make a deeper city tour (in the future maybe?) imo just to discover the huge cuisine...
Splendid yes!!! there is so much to discover
Seeing you making and trying Turkish food makes my heart SO happy! One of my favourite channels on TH-cam. Keep up the good work!
TÜRK BULDUM
@@ulasonal Hahaha aşağıdaki yorumlarda bi türk daha var
@@ecebilgen4028 okudukça daha çok buluyorum çok mutlu oldum
Alex, thank you so much for introducing Refika to us! She is an amazing presence in the kitchen and I have subscribed to her too.
awww she's so cool and so cute!!!!
Refika has a channel
I am so surprised right now. She is my favourite turkish cook! Thank you for this amazing video. Lots of love from Turkey. ☺️
I'm just realizing that I've been making a type of köfte all my life, my family makes 'hamburger' patties this way, almost all ingredients in this recipe, it's my great great grandmother's recipe and she was Lebanese, I think my nan adapted a family recipe and transformed it into hamburgers and instead of chilli flakes we put ancho chilli to make it more Mexican, I'm very intrigued.
I need to try these. I love your passion for understanding and appreciating food!
they are actually really easy to make! let me know what you think once you've tried them.
This is the best video you've ever made, you top yourself every time Alex thank you so much!!!
Alex, your videos remind me every time I see them of the inextricable link between food and culture, and they continue to cultivate my passion for cuisine. Thank you for what you do, and keeping young home cooks like me motivated :)
the way u transition those clip is amazing,you have a talent for cooking,for science,for programming,making videos.....now that im thinking you know everything mdr
I really love this sort of cooking travel show.
The world needs more of this. Especially since Anthony Bourdain passed away.
These two have chemistry like crazy! I love them together
Wow, this is fantastic. Two great TH-cam chefs meeting, sharing recipes. A lot of great flavors around the world to learn and respect. Food is about tradition, love and sharing - and a great way to learn about other cultures.
This may be the first time I've seen a food youtuber acknowledge that they need to stop talking and eat the food hot.
@Alex This entire series is like a savoury black hole! I love it so much, i was so down at the start of this epidemic and felt so lost in the kitchen due to scarcity. But you re-invigorated my cooking fire! Thank you!
Actually, this reminds me more of the “burgers” here in the Philippines. Instead of balls, it’s more patties. Made with carrots and onions, and goes best with mushroom gravy.
What kind of mushrooms are most common to use in the Philippines?
sounds like loco moco
That sounds sooo good ! I got to try that
@@phone4189 oyster or button is the most available
It might be good but that sounds horrible
I could not be happier and more appreciative of this video, one of my favorite Turkish gastronomy people, Refika, being in this video is also a treat! Thank you for shining a light on my beautiful city, Istanbul, and our source of pride, Turkish cuisine Alex. Also, as a Turkish living in France, I appreciate this video even more
This new series is on a level of any cooking show I might see on the TV. I applaud you Alex and look forward to your continued adventures.
actually the famous Greek chef AKIS just started his new FOOD TOUR TV show in Greece on Monday also, showcasing all the Greek food all over his country.
I absolutely love the passion Refika has describing the flavors and techniques of the food. And the city itself is gorgeous. This was a delightful stop on your meatball adventure, Alex.
4:01 as a turkish man i can confirm to you that whenever ur eating outside in a city there will atleast be 2 cats just walking under the tables and againt your legs, lmao
As another turkish man I can confirm this.
This episode was so, so heartwarming to watch. Seeing you cook and eat with people you love, who love food just as much as you do, in places like that, brings me so much joy.
You two were right: it doesn't get much better than this.
The two of you have such synergy in the kitchen. I was genuinely sad when you left.
Alex. I’m a huge fan. I’ve seen every single one of these videos. The camaraderie and flat out love you and this lady showed each other is exactly why I love cooking. The bond it creates between people is inspiring. Thank you, truly, for allow us to share this intimacy with you my friend. I hope one day to cook with you. Have a great day.
omg my 2 favorite youtube chefs combined together... love this video
That comment about grandma's pure love streaming through her cooking is spot on. Grandma is calm and her good vibes stay in her recipes...so your energy fills your cooking. Wow, that's a revelation!
3:27 I totally agree with the concept that energy is passed on your food when you cook. My mom would always say that she would fail at cooking her rice whenever she was upset. She would kind of lose the cooking timing that would make her rice so freaking good :>:
Alex... I love what you do. Your interest in food and its preparation is inspiring to all those who follow your channel. Another thing about you is that the people with who you cook and learn from are genuinely enjoying your company and the zest for life that you bring.
in Turkish when youre served nice food you tell the chef "elinize sağlık" as a sign of respect and thanks! :)
how do you keep finding such awesome people to teach you about their culture? people just keep taking you into their lives with such care and honestly that's really heartwarming to watch.
I'll be certainly looking forward to your recipe
That’s what I’m talking about my man this video was perfect. Beautiful beautiful beautiful.
I am so happy that finally some "bigger" foreign youtuber is exploring the wonderful food culture of my homecountry. Thank you very much for spreading the love we give through our food Alex!!! Thank u 💘
Can we just appreciate how good this video looks
Alex! You and Refika have such a beautiful chemistry and love for all that goes into and surrounds food. This was really wonderful to see. Especially in today's world, where things simply seem to be getting more and more "closed". Thank you both for sharing your insight and care.
This makes me as a turkish Person so happy!😂
Two of my favourite cooking channels in the same video! I didn't know I needed this collab. Thank you for visiting my home Alex
This is such a beautiful video. So cinematic.
this dude is just so fucking genuine & authentic. Coming from a family of chefs and appreciators of food, this dude's spirit about & love for not just the flavor but the craft & the experience makes him feel like family to me. Glad i discovered you alex!
this was so fun! now i have to figure out how to find Turkish food in ATL.
I love how Alex is fascinated by all the shapes of the meat and so on ... I can feel all the passion of gastronomy in his channel. Thank you Alex !
7:24 : New Daft Punk single !
Kossaro Croft Agreed.
Alex, I cannot describe how much you have inspired me. I’ve seen your channel grow, and even tough I’m a teacher, You’ve provided me with enough creativity fuel that made me chase my passion, today I’m a Coordinator, working with hundreds of people, taking part on global projects and awesome new ideas. You are awesome! If you ever come to Brazil, I’ll be pleased to show you around.
Sadly people think we Turks only have Döner, but we have a really rich cuisine thank you for that video.
Most taste the same though.
@@Jonsson474 No
It gets better as you go east, especially around Hatay, Antep because of more Middle Eastern influences. Aegean Turkish food is boring. Everything tastes the same, onions, tomato paste, protein. Nobody likes spices. Source; myself an Aegean guy.
@@ibec69 This is what i meant with my previous comment. Have spent lots of time in turkey and where I’ve been, everything is basically the same taste. Oil, onion, tomato paste and meats. Very little spices and few vegetables.
@@Jonsson474 I know what you mean. It was a failure when I cooked Indian for my friends because everyone complained it was too spicy, not hot but aromatic spicy. Hardly anyone touched the food. These days I make a big tray of lasagna. Most people are conservative food wise and just want to eat their mother’s food, nothing else. To be fair, there’s a new wave of chefs these days trying different things, combinations but it costs like $70 for a 4-5 course meal so out of reach for most people.
I’m binge watching your videos having discovered you through the vagaries of the Algorithm and I am super impressed. In a crowded TH-cam category you really stand out. I think it is because of the way you tell a broader story, about what you are doing, why you are doing it, where you are doing it. I have to get back in my kitchen soon.
i litterally can not hadle this, i love refika i love alex and they made a video together. Iconic 😍
Thank you for introducing me to Refika! I loved this episode, you guys are living the dream, as ye said, and it made me happy to see ye both so happy!
This is a collaboration I definitely wasn't expecting.
salut alex! this series where youve traveled to further learn about a dish you love so that you can make your own “perfect” version is so fascinating! you should try doing this with other foods as well!
Çiğköfte is also amazing.
You've made me want to go to Turkey! Not just for the food, but the people who all seem wonderful. Thank you!
It looks so good. Please, share the recipe~
How is this video only 12 minutes long? This video was amazing! Perfectly edited and jam packed with entertainment. Amazing!!!!
Alex! This meatball series is some of your best work. Thank you and keep it up please!
If Alex was a cartoon character, this would be his outfit
French_man_with_striped_shirt.png
Hi Alex! My name is Atif, And I stumbled across your channel a few months ago. What a fantastic job you do and what an awesome series on meatballs! I recently have been cooking meatballs myself and you have inspired me to explore a bit with it as well. But aside from the regular goodness you do, your work with the series is is phenomenal. No exaggeration, I’m talking Anthony Bourdain level stuff! Not only is it educational and entertaining from the cooking aspect but I really felt the emotion in all of your interactions as you traveled. Definitely inspiring work, and especially inspiring for me because I am currently in the frustration of wanting to start a TH-cam channel myself but unfortunately not having his skill set or a passion to drive me in a particular vision. That being said, I’m still going to start and see if something works. Thank you for being an accidental mentor!
My favorite youtuber to watch with my American boyfriend Alex, cooking with my favorite youtuber to watch with my Turkish mother Refika!
Wow, what an incredible person Refika turns out to be! Thanks for introducing her!
3:06 LMAO she is adorable!
LOL she is!
LMFAO surely is
Splendid oh hi there
She has a channel
@@Dont145 yeah biliyorum msddhsdnlkvnbohafbl
Im not sure why i liked this so much but i think its because two people who love what they do got together and clearly shared a love and passion for what they do, loved every minute of it
Seeing my most loved chefs together is gorgeous. İ love you guys
Great to see you in Turkey with Refika love you both so much
In Serbia we call these "ćevapi" and they are a speciality in southern part of the country, they are even somewhat famous and are called "leskovački ćevapi(roštilj)"
They are different from the turkish versions, it can actually be argued which came first, the albanian meat balls or the turkish ones, the introduction to this dish came after the ottoman empire came to the balkans.
Slavs also have a variation of this dish, the way everything is made and the recipe is different between these countries.
What I want to say is that Turkish cuisine is influenced from the Balkan cuisine, the other way around too.
Either way I am happy that I am able to enjoy all these kinds of food lol
honestly so fun to see alex, as someone whith a VERY scientific approach to food, someone who tries to control every variable, meet up with a culture which is based upon strong tradition but also, when it comes to execution they just wing it...he struggled to explain why the köfte was so great because he probably just used some basic everyday ingredients, a tried and tested seasoning routine and a lot of gut feeling and love for cooking...turns out you cant blue fridge theorize your way to the psychological factor of cooking, eating and friendship
Alex you r the best.. hope to make all 350 types for you.. great story telling aswell.. bravoooo 😘🙏🌈
Great episode Alex. You managed to capture the experience perfectly, I could almost smell the sea breeze, taste the wood smoked meat and feel the love and emotion of sharing such an enjoyable meal in such an amazing setting. Also, I want a wall of copper pans like that one day!
Damn, you were in my neighborhood! I wish I could've catch you on the street just to say hi :(
Such a warm episode, so much love between you two :D
I laughed hard when you mixing that köfte like blender :D I really like your content alex, greetings from Turkey.
Love the vibe between you two. Great as usual Alex, it's so much fun to follow your adventures, and it was awesome to see you visit my home town the last episode :)
I just love this meatball series. Seem the only thing the Swedes did to the Turkish recipe was make the balls round and ad lingonberry. I think I would love all these meatballs whereever they came from
We dont add all those spices they have in köfte.
First of all we use pork meat, and cream, it's vastly different. second of all it's a lie swedish meatballs are from turkey. globalist propaganda taken out of context, the king Carl XII got the allspice and other spices from turkey, that's all. There are recipes from 1000 years ago with meatballs using cream + breadcumbs + juniper + salt all ingredients are native scandinavian. so there goes your pride I guess, but dont worry I will restore it, the turkish spices are superior to juniper and that's the reason we have turkish spiced inspired meatballs today, yummy!
(edit) I just found out that those spices originate from india........ but turkey seemed to be a great vendor of those spices at that time and until this day, keep exporting spices turkey not "immigrants" please
What an amazing adventure! I love all of your content but this series has to be my favorite so far.
Şu yorumlara bak... Allah razı olsun Alex ülkemizi ne güzel tanıtmış.
Ulas Onal vallahi aglayacagim
finally one of wellknown youtube cooking channels shows some turkish cuisine!!! at first when i saw the meatball series i thought man these people really miss out on the juicy cheesy and flavorful turkish meatballs. and here at last, the episode of one of our amazing dishes. i know for a fact all around the earth everyone has their special touch to the consept of meatball but i feel like the turkish version is so good, so versatile and actually its my fave (obv. im biased) i hope other people will like it as well.