Enginar (Artichokes)

City life took a lot of getting used to but I found it vibrant and exciting. During the winter months, we lived in Şişli, a very congested area in Istanbul. Our apartment was one of many sandwiched along a street without a pathway. I  regularly gazed out of the window watching pedestrians dodging the traffic as they walked in the road. 
One day, when I stood by the window, a woman in the apartment directly opposite caught my eye. She opened the window and started to climb outside. Whilst balancing on the window ledge she held on to the window frame with one hand. I started to panic, I thought I was going to be a witness to a suicide attempt. Then, she pulled out a cloth and started to clean the window. I couldn't believe my eyes. Cleaning ladies from Turkey must be the bravest and most skilful.
Along with the visual entertainment of our busy street I embraced the sounds that accompanied it. "Enginar (en geh nar), enginarci" a man yelled on a daily basis. Feeling relieved that the man was not in search of a long lost relative called enginar, I learnt that he was selling fresh artichokes.  A basket appeared from no-where tapping against our living room window as it descended. I rushed to see where it was coming from. As I stretched my neck to look above me, I saw a woman leaning out of her window levering  the basket by string very slowly to the street below where the man was standing. He put some artichokes in her basket and  then the woman  pulled  the string back up towards her as the basket banged against our window again . 
When the children were young, I  practised this basket manoeuvre in our home asking the  children to place their toys in the basket whilst I pulled it upstairs to their bedroom. It didn't last very long!

Enginar is a seasonal vegetable in Turkey. It's difficult to find decent fresh ones in England so Amir buys them uncooked and preserved in a jar from the local Turkish supermarket. There are a few different ways of cooking them. This is the traditional Turkish way, eaten as a meze (starter) or a vegetable accompaniment. 

4 large or 8 small uncooked artichoke cups

100g peas

1 large potato 

2 medium carrots

8 onion shallots or 1 onion (optional, I don't use)

half a small squeezed lemon

100ml oil

2 and a half heaped tablespoons of sugar

salt to taste
1 tablespoon of chopped dill

If you are using artichoke cups from a jar, they will need to be drained.

Dice the potato and carrots, slice the onion if you are going to use.

In a saucepan place the oil and diced vegetables and start to simmer for 5 minutes.

Add artichokes and peas. Cover with water and cook for 5-10 mins.

Add lemon, sugar and salt and cook for a further 10 mins.

Add dill.

Simmer in the pan until water has reduced and you are left with just enough sauce for the vegetables to lay on and artichokes should be soft.
Serve chilled or my preference is at room temperature.

The other way of cooking artichokes is classed as the Turkish Jewish way (seferadi). Cooked in a rich lemon sauce.

It is the same as the above minus the extra vegetables. 

Cook the artichoke cups in the oil, water and lemon juice adding the sugar and salt. The liquid will reduce to make a nice tangy sauce.

Before meeting Amir I had never eaten an artichoke. There are many other English people that are not familier with this vegetable and how to cook it. If you buy it fresh from the supermarket I can guide you through how to cook it. You can even eat the stalk and part of the leaves!