Turkey’s Best Street Food: KUMPIR

Imagine strolling through the lively streets of Turkey and stumbling upon the most beloved food – the Kumpir! Today, we’re not just exploring this classic Turkish Baked Potato, but we’re adding the magic of Refika’s touch to it. With two unique recipes, there’s double the deliciousness awaiting you.

Sweet Potato Kumpir

Servings: 3
Difficulty: Easy
Cooking time: 30
Prep time: 10 minutes

3 sweet potatoes, baked
6-7 mushroom, chunked
11 cloves of garlic, peeled
2 big handful chickpeas, boiled or canned
6 piece(75 gr) cream cheese or 3 tablespoon, diced, 2 piece for each kumpir
1 cucumber’s skin, thinly sliced
3 pinches sesame seeds, roasted
Parmesan cheese, grated
3 pinches black pepper
3 tablespoons chili oil, optional, recipe below
Truffle salt, recipe below
1 teaspoon paprika

• Bake sweet potatoes in the air fryer at 180°C (356°F) for 15 minutes, flipping occasionally. If you want to use oven to bake potatoes check the link

• How To Make Kumpir | Turkish Version …

• In a bowl, mix the chickpeas with 5 or 6 cloves of garlic, a bit of chili oil, some olive oil, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Put them in the air fryer rack next to the sweet potatoes. After the first 15 minutes of cooking are finished, bake them together with the chickpeas at 200°C (392°F) for another 15-20 minutes until fork tender, depending on the size of the sweet potatoes.
• While the potatoes and chickpeas are cooking, sauté the mushrooms in a pan with the remaining garlic and a little olive oil.
• Make a big and deep cut along the potato lengthwise while it is still hot without cutting off the ends. Sprinkle some truffle salt, truffle oil and 2-3 cloves of air fryed garlics (which you put with chickpeas) then insert a fork into the slit and mash the soft potato and mix it with ingredients. Be careful not to damage the skin.
• Combine crème cheese, chickpeas, mushrooms, sprinkle a pinch of sesame seed and cucumbers inside the sweet potatoes. Grate some parmesan and ready to dig in!

Chili Oil

4-5 dried chilli pepper, halved
1 cup of olive oil

• Pour the oil and peppers in a small pan and heat the oil on low heat to 100°C (212°F), without boiling.
• Heat the oil in this way for 5 minutes, then turn the heat off and leave it to cooldown. Transfer to a light-proof bottle or tin and use it whenever you want. For the oil to last long, I recommend you keep it in a cool place away from sunlight.

Truffle Salt

For medium truffle flavour:
200 g coarse sea or rock salt
20 ml truffle oil

• Blend the salt and oil in a food processor.

For high truffle flavour:
4-5 tablespoons coarse sea or rock salt
A coupe tablespoons truffle oil

• Blend them together in a food processor.

Manti Kumpir

Servings: 2
Difficulty: Easy
Cooking time: 45
Prep time: 10 minutes

2 large potatoes, baked
3 tablespoons butter
4-5 pinches of salt
200 g minced meat
2 medium onions, chopped
2 large tomatoes, chopped
2 pinches of sumac
2 pinches of dry mint
1 cup savoury yogurt
2-3 cloves of garlic, grated

• Bake potatoes in the air fryer at 180°C (356°F) for 15 minutes.
• After the first 15 minutes, continue baking at 200°C (392°F) for another 30 minutes, depending on the size of potatoes, flipping occasionally.
• While potatoes are baking prepare the minced meat and tomato sauce. For minced meat, start braising the minced meat with high heat in its own fat; when it changes colour, add the onion, a pinch of salt and pepper. Turn the heat to low, don’t forget to stir time to time. When the onions are browned and minced meat’s colour turns to bright brown, about 20 minutes, it is ready.
• To make the tomato sauce, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a pot, add the tomatoes, a pinch of salt and black pepper and keep it at simmer. When it thickens turn the heat off.
• Mix the garlics with yogurt.
• Make a big and deep cut along the potatoes lengthwise while it is still hot without cutting off the ends. Add the butter and salt. Mix until the mixture becomes creamy.
• Pour the garlic yogurt, tomato and minced meat , sprinkle some sumac and dry mint. Mantı kumpir is ready to eat!