Sabancı finds culinary remedy for gluten allergy

The book, titled “Glütensiz Gurme Lezzetler” (Gourmet Tastes without Gluten), offers 170 delicious recipes not only to people who are suffering from celiac disease or are sensitive to foods containing gluten but also to gourmets interested in the culinary arts of fine food and drink or haute cuisine.

Mehmet Gök, the chef of the Four Seasons Hotel in İstanbul's Beşiktaş district, prepared an excellent breakfast table at a recent press conference for Sabancı's new book, featuring corn flour pancakes, honey, fresh strawberries, a Mediterranean omelet as well as an omelet with spinach and goat cheese. At the breakfast, which was ideal for people who suffer from food allergies, we wanted to find out more about Sabancı's new book, which brings together the seemingly contradictory ideas of gourmet and gluten-free. When we hear the word gourmet, delicious food and rich cuisine undoubtedly spring to mind. However, a life without gluten means foregoing wheat, barley, rye and some other grains. Generally, people who have celiac disease eat food without gluten. For these people, who constantly have to monitor their diets throughout their lives, it is difficult to find something suitable to eat as gluten is included in most meals. Special food substances are being produced for people with celiac disease in many European countries; however, Turkey does not have any such substitutes. We asked Sabancı questions to satisfy our curiosity about this issue.

How did you decide to write this interesting book?

Recently, I have heard many complaints from my close friends and relatives with regard to their sensitivity to some food substances. Also, I had dyspepsia, fatigue and felt sleepy after eating a meal, but I didn't associate these factors with sensitivity to food. After a number of my friends took tests and got rid of their complaints, I also decided to take some tests.

What was the result of the tests?

I learned that I am sensitive to 77 food substances, including cheese, milk and yogurt, following the test. I started to research what I can eat, bought a great number of cookbooks and sought cookbooks from the institution in which I took the test. I came across many food substances unknown to me while searching the recipes. In addition, the recipe book did not have the necessary pictures of the meals.

What were they? Doesn't Turkey have these food substances?

For example, I didn't know about substances like gluten-free flour, tapioca flour, ground almond, chickpea flour, potato starch and powdered egg. In spite of the fact that I tried to find them, I could not find any of them in Turkey at the time, and I became very angry as I was unable to cook the meals in the recipe books. Therefore, I was determined to start a new diet by myself.

How did you focus on your book while trying to maintain a good diet?

I had been preparing special food for myself because the books could not help me. On the other hand, I was cooking different food for my family. However, my family started to taste and enjoy my food rather than their usual food. They all started to say, “Why don't you cook this food for us?” As a result, I decided to cook my meals, which are special food because of my disease, for all my family members. Furthermore, I had been inviting my friends and relatives to our home and preparing many diet foods for them. None of them realized that the food they were eating was diet food.

How did you solve your problem regarding the lack of food substances?

I researched what flour without gluten or tapioca flour was and used these instead of other substances. I also want to help people who were not able to find these replacement ingredients like me because they can easily cook the recipes with ingredients from grocery stores.

Did your complaints lessen following your diet?

Yes. I had an eye rash that I noticed cleared up two weeks after starting the regimen. I was very happy. My friends and family urged me to write a book consisting of my different recipes.

When did you start to prepare the book?

It was 2008. My book mainly consists of recipes based on Turkish cuisine. The book is for anyone who loves the Mediterranean and Aegean kitchen or who wants to live healthily. Furthermore, I hope that it will help people who have celiac disease, gluten enteropathy.

Sabancı's book is a first in the country

Mücver or zucchini fritters (for 6 people) 

Ingredients: 3 medium-sized zucchinis, grated; 1 egg; 4 tbsp corn flour; 50 grams (2 slices) white cheese; 3 or 4 onions, minced; a quarter of a bunch of parsley; a quarter of a bunch of dill; a quarter of a bunch of mint; 1 tbsp baking powder; 1 tbsp salt; 3 tbsp olive oil; 1 tbsp sunflower oil; oil for frying.

Preparation: Place the grated zucchini in a colander. Add the corn flour, egg, minced onions, parsley, mint, baking powder, salt, olive oil and sunflower oil. Stir the mixture until you have a thick batter. In a deep fryer, over medium-high heat, pour the oil to a depth of 1/4 inch (approximately seven millimeters). When the oil is hot, use a serving spoon to drop spoonfuls of the batter in the oil, being careful not to crowd the pan. Fry, turning over once, until brown on both sides, two to three minutes per side. With a slotted spoon, transfer the fritters to paper towels to drain. Keep warm until all the fritters are cooked.

Crispy meatball with potatoes (for 6 people)

Ingredients: 500 grams minced meat; 3 medium-sized potatoes; 1 egg; 1 medium-sized onion, minced; 1 slice corn bread, crumbled; 1 tbsp pine nuts; 1 clove garlic; a quarter of a bunch parsley; a quarter of a bunch dill; a quarter of a bunch thyme, ¼ tsp black pepper; 1 tsp salt; 5 tbsp olive oil.

Preparation: Grate the potatoes. Place the grated potatoes and olive oil into a pan. Add the minced onion, pine nuts, minced meat, egg, crumbled corn bread, parsley, dill, thyme, salt and garlic. Combine all ingredients and shape into meatballs, about 1½ to 2 inches in diameter. Broil the meatballs in a large saucepan.