Although Rize culinary culture has recently undergone transformations, as in the general culture, it continues to preserve its traditional structure, especially in the villages. Due to the narrowness of the agricultural lands in the region and the climate conditions, a limited number of vegetables and fruits are grown (Agricultural lands are mostly devoted to "tea" and, since the 1990s, to partly "kiwi" cultivation). While beekeeping and honey production (Anzer Honey, Deli Honey) are still widespread, molasses production (grape molasses, pear molasses/honey) continues.
The main raw materials of the local cuisine are corn (corn flour), kale, beans, squash, as well as vegetables such as anchovy, which is one of the first things that comes to mind when the Black Sea is mentioned. However, animal products (meat and dairy products) are also among the elements that enrich and complete Rize cuisine. Since it is not possible to preserve food by drying it in the sun in Rize, which has a cloudy and rainy climate for most of the year, pickle and brine production also come to the fore.
Hamsikoli (Anchovy Bread):
It is made from pickled anchovies that are at least one year old. Boneless anchovies, sifted corn flour and plenty of greens (leeks, cabbage, chard, onion, parsley...) are kneaded together. Tallow or butter can also be added to the mixture. The prepared dough is placed on a baking tray (formerly "pleki") and cooked.
Muhlama:
In some regions, also called kuymak, muhlama is made from corn flour, butter and stringy cheese. Chopped cheese and water are added to the corn flour roasted in butter and cooked until the cheese melts. It is served hot.
Rice with Anchovy:
The swords of the anchovies are removed. Rice, mint, black pepper, and currants are mixed in a separate place and turned into dough. First, a row of anchovies is placed on one side of the tray, and the prepared mixture is spread in the middle. Anchovies are placed on top again and put in the oven.
Cabbage Rolls:
Rice, onion and cabbage leaves are used as ingredients. Rice is roasted in oil, onion is added and roasting is continued, then spices are added if desired. The prepared stuffing is wrapped in boiled cabbage leaves. Korkota (shredded corn kernel, cracked corn) can also be added to the sarmas.
Pickle Pan:
Pickle Tavali is made from pickled beans. Onions are fried in olive oil until they turn pink. The pickled beans are taken out of the dice and left in water, then squeezed and placed in the fried onion. They are fried together, spices are added if desired, and cooked for a while longer. It can be served cold or hot.
Laz Pastry:
It is a dessert that is loved and eaten in Rize and has been an indispensable part of special days, weddings, festivals and various celebrations for years. The pudding to be put inside the Laz Borek, a pastry dessert, is prepared by mixing wheat flour, sugar, a little salt, eggs and milk and boiling. Then, phyllo dough is rolled out from wheat flour like baklava. First, four pieces of phyllo are laid on the tray, the prepared custard is spread on top, six more pieces of phyllo are laid, butter is melted and poured on top, it is cut and put in the oven, after it is taken out, the sherbet is put on top.
Brother-in-law's delight:
It is a type of cake that mothers-in-law make for their sons-in-law among the marriage traditions throughout Rize and send to the groom's house by making a bundle every time they visit their daughters. Sugar, eggs and yoghurt are put in a bowl, mixed until the sugar melts, and melted warm butter is added on top. Lemon juice and baking soda are added to this mixture, then flour is added and a dough with the consistency of an earlobe is obtained. Egg-sized pieces of dough are shaped by hand and stretched like Turkish delight and placed on a greased tray and baked in a pile or in the oven.
Cornbread:
The basis of local foods is usually corn and corn flour. There are two stages to cooking corn bread. One is to prepare the pileki for baking the bread, and the second is to knead the bread dough,
Pilekis are arranged from smallest to largest, from three kilos to six kilos. Let's say we decide to make bread in a three kilo pileki; we light a nice fire, put iron legs on both sides of the fire, and place the pileki on these irons with its mouth down.
The fire heats the pileki well, leaving plenty of embers and ashes. In the meantime, a jug of water is placed on the edge of the burning fire to knead the bread dough with hot water. While the pileki is cooking on the fire, we prepare the bread dough on the other hand. In the oldest times, the bread basin was made of wood and was made as a pull. We take three kilos of flour from the barn and add it to the bread basin. Since the salt is thick, it is put in a bowl and cleaned with hot water, then melted and poured into the middle of the flour in the basin, and enough hot water that burns hands is added and the dough is kneaded well. In the meantime, the hot water burns the hands and the dough sticks to the fingers. For this reason, the woman who kneads the dough takes a pan and some cold water with her and completes her work by occasionally dipping her hand in this cold water and cleaning her fingers. When the kneading is done, the dough is made into a round shape and a pinch of flour placed in the basin is sprinkled over it. This flour prevents the dough from sticking to the pileki. Adding some sugar, some honeyed lobya flour, and some olive oil to the bread dough gives it flavor. Milk and eggs can also be added. After the dough is kneaded as described, it is time to bake it.
After making sure that the pile is cooked thoroughly (a drop of water left on the cooked pile evaporates immediately), it is removed from the fire with the help of a kukari and a piece of rag and set aside. The prepared dough is placed in the hot pile and if it is to be made into a rotisserie bread, the pile is uprighted with the rag, the dough inside is taken with the palm of the hand and placed upside down on the pile. Thus, the flour, which prevents sticking, has done its job. The embers and ashes in the fire are pulled aside and the pile is spread on the hot hearth stone from below and covered with a sheet metal and a light fire is lit on the sheet metal. The plekin is surrounded by the remaining ashes and embers. Thus, the bread in the pile is slowly cooked from the bottom, top and sides. If it is browned from the top, it means it is cooked. A good master skillfully lights the fire and leaves it as it is and does not see the need to check whether the bread is cooked or not.
Warm bread is delicious when mixed with butter and minci. It satisfies hunger wonderfully and leaves one wanting nothing else.
Korkoto Soup:
Ingredients: Two cups of korkoto, one cup of ayran, two tablespoons of butter.
How to make: First, korkoto is put into water, ayran and salt are added, butter is added and cooked. Nowadays; tomato paste is cooked in butter and poured over the soup when served.
Bean (Lobya) Soup:
Ingredients: Three cups of beans, tomato-sized suet, two medium-sized onions or leek leaves for each onion.
How to make: First, cook the beans in water. Onions or leek leaves are fried in oil in a separate pot until they turn pink, beans, suet, salt and water are added and boiled again until cooked. It becomes more delicious if bones are added. It is eaten with mint.
Chard Tavali or Chard Roast:
Ingredients: Four bunches of chard, three onions or equivalent leeks, five or six cloves of garlic, two tablespoons of butter
Preparation: Chop the onions into rings and fry in oil. Squeeze the boiled and drained chard and add it to the fried onions in oil. Add the crushed garlic and salt and fry for 10-15 minutes.
Pickle Roast or Pickle Pan:
Ingredients: One kilo of pickled beans, three onions or equivalent leek leaves, five cloves of garlic, two tablespoons of butter or equivalent olive oil.
How to make: The pickled beans are put in water one day in advance, the salt is removed. They are squeezed by hand so that no water remains. The onions are chopped into a crescent pan and fried with olive oil until they turn pink. Then the prepared pickle is added to the pan, crushed garlic and a small amount of pepper are added and fried for 10-15 minutes. It can be eaten hot or cold. In the past, it was eaten as a first course and with cornbread. A bite of bread would be stretched into the pan and a pinch of pickle would be taken with the help of the fingers and brought to the mouth. Nowadays, pickle is put on the table like roasted meat or salad and is taken as an appetizer.
Cabbage Rohtiko:
Cabbage rohtiko is not a separate dish but a food made from mashed cabbage. It is boiled with crumbled cornbread and butter. If sautéed, it becomes more delicious.
Boiled Cabbage:
Ingredients: Six bunches of cabbage, a tomato-sized piece of suet, a bowl of beans, two spoons of corn flour, two spoons of butter, nearly a kilo of bones, some hot pepper (Lava Pepper).
Preparation: First wash and clean the cabbage. Then, chop it by bending it by hand, boil it with the beans or separately and drain it. If the cabbage is not boiled and drained, its taste will be bitter. Put water in the cauldron, add all the ingredients, add salt and pepper, and cook for half an hour.
Anchovy Cigirta:
Ingredients: A bunch of chard, a bunch of spring onions or equivalent local leek leaves, two cups of fine corn flour or equivalent wheat flour, a bowl of salted anchovies, suet the size of an egg, Butter if you don't have olive oil for frying.
Preparation: Anchovies are put in water beforehand and sorted, cleaned of bones, anchovies, flour, chopped chard, onion and suet are mixed and kneaded lightly like bread dough, salt is checked. It would be better if egg is added. It is spread one centimeter thick or thinner and fried in a pan. Çığırta dough can be shaped into meatballs and fried.
Anchovies in Pileki or on Tile:
Preparation: Fresh anchovy heads are cut off, cleaned and salted. A corrugated tile is taken and a kumquat leaf or cabbage leaf is laid on it. The cleaned anchovies are arranged on the leaf, covered with the same type of leaf and another corrugated tile is placed on top and put on the stove or fire and embers are drawn on it and cooked. Pleki can also be used instead of tiles. The anchovies arranged on the tile are arranged on the pleki, covered with a metal sheet and a fire is lit on it and cooked.
Zucchini with Molasses:
The must to be made into molasses is boiled for hours in a large molasses pan, this boils and the must absorbs and begins to sweeten. There is now about half an hour left for molasses to become. At that time, the zucchini felis (the halves or three pieces of a zucchini cut lengthwise) previously prepared from white sweet squash are thrown into the molasses pan. The zucchinis cook with the sweetening must, gradually turning brown and becoming sweeter. They are collected from the molasses pan with a long-handled strainer. They can be eaten hot or cold.
Pepecura:
Ingredients: Three kilos of black grapes, one glass of corn flour, salt, it would be good to add a small amount of wheat flour.
Preparation: Grapes are crushed and the must is taken. If necessary, the grape pulp is cooked in a little water to remove the remaining essence in the pulp. Flour is slowly added to the grape juice that we put in a cauldron and brought to a boil, and sugar is added if necessary. It is cooked until it reaches the consistency of pudding. It is served cold in bowls and pans. It is more acceptable to wait a few days or even longer. The beginning of mold determines the waiting period. Pepecura can also be made by separating some of the must prepared for molasses.
