Cooking on a mangal (barbecue) is so central to Turkish Cypriot culture that until very recently outdoor cooking was considered the only way to prepare food year-round. It comes as no surprise then that Meliz’s Kitchen, the new Turkish Cypriot cookbook from Meliz Berg contains an entire chapter dedicated to cooking over the mangal and is a treasure trove of inspiration for your next al fresco feast. Here, we’ve rounded up a selection of four favourite barbecue recipes from the book to get you started, from succulent chicken kebabs to tender lamb chops, a simple seafood grill to a goes-with-everything salad.
Meliz Berg’s Chicken Kebabs
Bring the tastes of authentic Turkish-Cypriot cooking to your own back garden with Meliz’s classic succulent chicken kebabs. Marinated with honey, pomegranate molasses, pepper, and paprika, they make for a flavourful centrepiece.
Meliz Berg’s Grilled Tiger Prawns and Squid
Meliz enhances the delicate flavours of prawns and squid with a sweet, garlicky marinade. The perfect pescatarian barbecue dish.
Meliz Berg’s Lamb Chops
These lamb chops are marinated in milk to tenderise the meat and make the chops extra juicy. Best served hot and fresh from the grill, dipped in a spicy chilli sauce and a cooling minty yoghurt.
Meliz Berg’s Sumac, Tomato, Onion and Parsley Salad
A fresh and simple salad, which marries the citrusy tartness of sumac with a sweet salad dressing. Quick to make and packed full of flavour, this is a perfect side to any summer barbecue.
Find all of these recipes and many more in
Meliz’s Kitchen: Simple Turkish-Cypriot comfort food and fresh family feasts
Comforting and easy go-to meals for busy family life
From breakfasts and traditional stove-top dishes to barbecue recipes and crowd-pleasing desserts
A celebration of the melting-pot of delicious spices and fresh flavours that make a Turkish-Cypriot kitchen
