Topik

When I first started driving,  my Father said "Lisa, I know you can drive well but just be wary of the other drivers around you". For this reason alone, I never had the courage to drive in Istanbul. Some of you Istanbulites are guilty in one way or another of being mad drivers. With your shear determination to squeeze in to a parking space just big enough for a motorcycle.  When you see your friend on the other side of the street, you don't just press your horn once to get their attention, you manage to hoot an entire symphony as if you were at a cup final football match. It's true, Amir tried it even in England, he saw a lorry with an Istanbul number plate and tooted the melody, sure enough the lorry responded.
I remember a Friday night, traffic was bad and we were on our way to Amir's Grandmother for shabbat meal. Amir spotted a man on the opposite side of the road standing by a mobile container. He got all excited and told me he was selling something called topik, an Armenian dish and explained that it was very rare these days to see someone selling it. That was the moment I held on tight, Amir was determined to get to the other side of the road to buy topik. It was all a blur as to how we managed to reach the other side but I remember drivers pressing their horns whilst Amir swerved in and out of the traffic to get to the topik. I thought to myself  it better taste good after all that. I was hoping that Amir would tell me that it was some kind of chocolate dessert, so I was a little disappointed when he said it was made with chick peas. They better be giant sized chocolate coated chickpeas then!
We arrived at Sarika's and rang the door bell. Her face always lit up at seeing us. Amir kissed her on both cheeks and pulled her ears affectionately and then handed her the topik. "Bu ne?" "what's that?" she asked. Amir smiled as he told her it was topik, Sarika was also delighted that he had found a portion of topik which was wrapped with white paper in a block shape.
We lit the candles and said the shabbat prayer and the topik was unwrapped. I admit, it looked rather bland. Amir sliced a piece and put it on my plate, I could taste the outer part was made with chick peas but the centre was a surprisingly sweet/savoury creamy cinnamon type of flavour.
I am happy to say that Amir no longer needs to drive like a maniac to get his topik as he has mastered making it perfectly at home.

makes 2 block portions (each block can serve 4)

1 can of drained cooked chick peas (500g)

2 medium onions

3 tablespoons of currents (50-75g) 

the small black Greek ones are best

2 and a half teaspoons of cumin

1 and a half teaspoons of cinnamon

4 teaspoons of sugar

5 tablespoons of tahini

pinch of salt

you will need 2 muslin squares of material approx 25cm x 25cm

Soak the currents in warm water to soften. 

Take the skin off all the chick peas and blend together to form a smooth paste. Add a pinch of salt.

Finely slice the onions and blanch, cover with water and cook until water has evaporated completely.

Add the drained currents to the onions and all of the other ingredients except the chick peas. Leave to cool.

Take a muslin square and dampen it.

Press half the amount of chick pea paste on top of the muslin.

Place half the amount of onion mix on top of the chick pea layer and carefully using the edge of the muslin fold over so that one side of the chick pea layer reaches the other then peel back the muslin and repeat on all sides until you have formed an oblong shaped closed parcel. The parcel must be tightly closed. Repeat with the other muslin. Wrap the parcels again with the muslin, immerse in water and boil or steam for 10 mins. Take out, leave to cool.

Put the parcels in the fridge over night.

When you want to eat it, take out of the fridge and let it rest until room temperature. Unwrap the parcel and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Slice and serve. Eaten as a starter or can be served with other meze type dishes.