SoupMercimek Çorbası
Turkish Red Lentil Soup
A velvety, warming bowl of red lentils simmered with cumin, sweet paprika, and a swirl of lemon — the kind of soup that feels like home on a cold evening.
15 min prep35 min cookServes 4
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A home cook's journal
Cooking is
how I speak.
I'm Burak Kösen — and every dish I share here carries a memory, a season, or a feeling I couldn't put into words any other way. From slow-braised Sunday stews to olive-oil pastries my grandmother once made, this kitchen is where I find my truest language.
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BURAK KÖSEN
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BURAK KÖSEN · Hand-Picked Favourites
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From my kitchen shelf to yours — three dishes I return to again and again.
Soup
PastryIspanaklı Börek
Spinach & Feta Börek
Crisp, flaky layers of hand-rolled yufka dough encasing a fragrant filling of wilted spinach, crumbled white feta, and caramelised onions. Baked until shatteringly golden.
30 min prep40 min cookServes 6
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MainBiber Dolması
Stuffed Bell Peppers
Bright red and yellow peppers cradling a slow-cooked filling of spiced rice, pine nuts, dried currants, and fresh herbs — a festive centrepiece as beautiful as it is delicious.
25 min prep55 min cookServes 4
Read RecipeSoupMercimek Çorbası
Turkish Red Lentil Soup
A velvety, warming bowl of red lentils simmered with cumin, sweet paprika, and a swirl of lemon — the kind of soup that feels like home on a cold evening.
15 min prep35 min cookServes 4
Read RecipeBrowse by Category
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From slow-simmered stews to flaky morning pastries — explore every corner of the BURAK KÖSEN kitchen.
Mudanya, Bursa
My Story
Hello, I'm Burak.
Welcome to my table.
I grew up in Mudanya, a small coastal town on the southern shore of the Sea of Marmara, just outside Bursa in northwestern Turkey. My earliest memories are wrapped in the scent of simmering lamb, freshly baked simit, and my grandmother's slow-cooked tomato sauce bubbling on the stovetop.
Anatolian cooking is a living, breathing tradition — one that travels through generations not in cookbooks, but in hands. The way my aunt rolls out yufka dough, the precise pinch my mother uses to close a börek — these are things you learn by standing close and watching. I started this blog because I wanted to hold onto those moments and share them with anyone who loves food made with intention.
BURAK KÖSEN is my kitchen journal — a place for honest recipes, seasonal ingredients, and the stories behind every dish. Whether you're new to Turkish cooking or returning to flavors you already love, you'll always find a place at my table.
"Good food remembers where it came from."
Fresh from the blog
Latest Recipes
Soups & Stews
Red Lentil Soup with Brown Butter & Smoked Paprika
This hearty bowl is everything I reach for on a cold evening — silky lentils, a sizzle of smoky butter, and a squeeze of bright lemon.
Baking & Pastry
Spinach & Feta Börek with Flaky Yufka Layers
Buttery, crisp, and impossibly satisfying — this börek recipe has been in the family for three generations and it earns every single layer.
Salads & Sides
Shepherd's Salad with Sumac & Pomegranate
The most refreshing thing you can put on a summer table: crisp vegetables, tart sumac, and jewel-bright pomegranate seeds that make everything sing.
Desserts
Dark Chocolate Baklava with Pistachio & Rose Honey
A modern twist on the beloved classic — bitter dark chocolate weaves through crisp phyllo and pistachio, finished with a fragrant rose-water honey syrup.
Seasonal Spotlight · Late Summer
Summer in Bursa: Cooking with Fresh Figs
When the fig trees of Bursa bow heavy under August heat, I carry their bruised sweetness into the kitchen — into jams spread thick on warm bread, into salads dressed with aged cheese, and into slow roasts that perfume the whole house.
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BURAK KÖSEN
Recipes from my kitchen to yours — honest, seasonal, and made with love from Bursa.
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Crafted with care in Mudanya, Bursa — sharing flavours one recipe at a time.