Living within the Muslim community

If you’ve been living all your life among Christians, then you cannot know exactly what the Muslim lifestyle is until you see it with your own eyes and live in their society. It’s different! It’s not worse or better, but most of non-Muslim people will find it very different. And most of the time we observe their customs and traditions and we act very surprised and sometimes even bothered by their behavior towards us, without knowing and understanding the essence of their beliefs. We judge without knowing the truth about Islam and we assume we are better and we know better.

BULGARİSTAN’DA GEÇEN 1 AY

Bugün Bulgaristan’a gelişimizin birinci ayı bitti AGH ‘miz süper başladı ve süper bir şekilde devam ediyor . Projemiz arkeoloji projesi olduğu için yorucu haftalar geçirdik . Şuan adapte olmuş durumdayız. İnformal bir şekilde Bulgarca öğreniyoruz; markette, manavda veya şehir merkezinde genelde Bulgarca kelime kullanmaya çalışıyoruz .

Manti traditional Turkish dumplings

I wrote before about traditional Turkish cuisine, and I’ve share with you which ones are my favorite here. But today I have to make a special post just about Manti, the most famous dumpling from Turkish cuisine. Manti dumplings typically consist of a spiced meat mixture, usually lamb or ground beef in a dough wrapper, and either boiled or steamed. And there is the vegetarian version, which involves bigger patches of dough filled with a mixture made out of onion and potatoes fried in oil.

Hunat Hatun Madrasah - The old Seljuk school

The madrasa is part of the Mahperi Huand Hatun complex, which also includes a mosque, a hamam (Turkish bath) and a mausoleum. The entire structure in build out of stone, and it was completed in 1238, under the name of Mahperi Hatun, the wife of Seljuk Sultan Keykubad I (1220-1237) and mother of Sultan Keyhüsrev II (1238-1246). Seljuk Sultans had madrassas built (usually as medical schools), named after their wives as well as themselves. The archaeological evidence indicates that the hamam is the oldest building from this structure.  

The madrasa, which once taught Islamic Law, adjoins the mosque at its northwest corner. This was a Seljuk school, where people received education in culture, science and art. In madrasa, as in  today's high schools and universities, education was given in four main subjects; Religion and law, language and literature, philosophy and sciences. There was not an established period of time for education. Students would complete their education in different periods of time, since the requirement to complete education was to finish reading the school’s books. Educational sessions would start after the morning prayer and continue until the noon prayer. Then students would retreat to their study cells surrounding the courtyard.

Manti, Manti, Manti!!!

Manti are dumplings popular in most Turkic cuisines.

Manti dumplings typically consist of a spiced meat mixture, usually lamb or ground beef in a dough wrapper, and either boiled or steamed. ‘Manti’ indicates either singular or plural. Although is cooked also with potatoes in other variety.

In Turkish cuisine, although there are many different variations of manti in terms of shape and way of serving, the most praised type of Turkish manti is known as Kayseri mantisi, originally from Kayseri, Anatolian city, where we are! Kayseri mantisi is tiny and served with yoghurt, oil (caramelised with tomato paste) and seasonings. It can also be served with the water it was boiled in, and often in Kayseri it is consumed as a soup prior to the main dish. In Kayseri when a couple is engaged to be married, the mother of the groom visits the bride's house and during this visit the bride should prepare manti for her prospective mother-in-law. The smaller the manti dumplings are, the more the bride is considered to be skillful in the kitchen.

Kayseri Provincial Culture and Tourism Directorate. Interview

Interview: İsmet Taymuş

1-      Can you talk about yourself briefly?

Originally I’m from Iğdır. I completed my university education at Erciyes University and graduated from department of Business. I have been working for 19 years in Kayseri as the Provincial Director of Culture and Tourism.

2- What was your job before you were the provincial director of culture and tourism of Kayseri and Why did you choose this position?

I got the chance to teach in my student years, because this was my second university in the field of basic education. But after a while I gave up teaching and I became Founder and general secretary of the Institute of Health Sciences at Erciyes University. My student life passed with social activities such as mountaineering, folk dancing, and I even took part in the environmental clubs. Because of these activities and my social life and my second education at University, when my student life ended, I was accepted to Kayseri Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism. Thus my life was to begin here.