Diana Lampe's Kisir salad; Georgian bean salad

These recipes are for cold dishes or salads from the neighbouring countries of Turkey and Georgia. Both dishes are delightful, delicious and perfect for summer. Georgian cuisine has many lovely vegetable dishes made with the abundant locally grown vegetables, fruit, nuts and herbs. The recipe for green beans with a walnut and herb sauce is typical. It can be served as an appetiser with bread or as part of a larger spread of different meat or fish and vegetable dishes. It can be made ahead and keeps well.

The walnut sauce is also wonderful spread on grilled eggplant slices or mixed with grated cooked beetroot. Kisir is a refreshing bulgur salad that is popular everywhere in Turkey. Recipes vary and every cook will have his or her own version which means you can make it as you wish. Serve the kisir surrounded by cos lettuce leaves to be eaten with it. It can be turned out of a mould or shaped into individual balls and placed on the lettuce leaves. Young vine leaves can be used in the spring.

Similar to the Lebanese tabbouleh salad, kisir is made with more bulgur and fewer herbs. It is reddish in colour and has a complex flavour from the tomato paste, red pepper paste and pomegranate molasses. Eat kisir as a snack for afternoon tea, as a mezze dish or accompanying salad. It is great with grilled lamb.

Red pepper paste, fine-ground bulgur and pomegranate molasses are available from Middle Eastern grocers. I buy them from The Nut Shoppe at the Fyshwick Markets. Red pepper paste is made with sun-dried red peppers and can be sweet or hot. It keeps well in the fridge with a film of olive oil on top; otherwise freeze in small portions. It is a tasty ingredient to have in the kitchen and can be added to soups, sauces and stews. It is possible to make it yourself but easier to buy.

Georgian green beans with walnut sauce

In Georgia the green beans for this side dish would be cooked until quite tender. If you don't like coriander, use fresh dill, basil and mint instead for the walnut sauce.

Serves 6

500g green beans
85g (¾ cup) walnuts
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 small red onion, roughly chopped
1 bunch coriander, roughly chopped
2-3 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
2 tbsp white-wine vinegar
3 tsp lemon juice
½ tsp sweet paprika or crushed red pepper flakes
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
pomegranate arils (seeds) or red onion to garnish

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a rolling boil. Throw in the whole beans and cook them for about eight minutes until tender. Quickly lift out of the water or drain and spread out on a tea towel to cool. Top and tail the beans and if you wish cut them into shorter lengths (3-4cm).

For the walnut and herb sauce, grind the walnuts and garlic in a food processor or with a mortar and pestle. Then add the onion, coriander, parsley, vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, paprika or pepper flakes, salt and pepper and process again. It should be creamy, add a little bean water or water to loosen if too thick. Taste and adjust to your liking.

Mix the walnut sauce with the beans and keep in the fridge for an hour or longer to allow the ingredients to mingle. Serve at room temperature as a side dish garnished with pomegranate arils (seeds) or sliced red onion, walnuts and herb sprigs.

Variations: The walnut and coriander sauce can be served with other vegetables such as grilled eggplant, potatoes or beetroot.

Kisir (Turkish bulgur salad)

Use tomato paste instead of red pepper paste if it is not available.

Serves 6

1 cup (200g) fine-ground bulgur
½ cup hot water
2 tsp tomato paste
2 tsp Turkish red pepper paste, sweet or hot (biber salcasi)
3-4 tsp pomegranate molasses
1½ tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp hot or sweet paprika
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ red onion, chopped and rinsed
4 spring onions, sliced
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 handful fresh mint leaves, finely cut
2-3 medium tomatoes, de-seeded and diced
1 small Lebanese cucumber, peeled, de-seeded and diced (optional)
1 long green pepper or chilli, chopped (optional)

To serve

1-2 baby cos lettuces and pita bread
Garnishes: tomato, cucumber, radishes, pomegranate

Rinse the bulgur in a fine strainer and tip into a bowl. Pour half a cup of hot water (from the kettle) over the bulgur and mix through. Cover with a towel and set aside for 15 to 20 minutes.

Break up with a fork or your hands. In a larger bowl mix the tomato and red pepper pastes, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, paprika, salt and pepper and olive oil together. Add the bulgur and mix through very well. The salad can be prepared ahead to this stage.

Prepare the fresh ingredients and be sure to de-seed the tomatoes and cucumber to prevent the salad becoming watery. An hour or two before serving add the fresh ingredients to the bulgur mixture and gently combine. Taste the kisir and make any adjustments to your liking. It may need more pepper paste, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, olive oil or seasoning. Leave in the fridge to mature for an hour.

Tip the kisir onto a serving dish and arrange the cos lettuce leaves around. Garnish with tomato, cucumber, radishes or pomegranate arils as you like. Serve spooned into lettuce leaves and with pita bread as a snack with tea, as an appetiser or accompanying salad.

Variations: Other ingredients that can be included are fresh dill and ground cumin. You can use just one type of onion. If you can't find pomegranate molasses, substitute with balsamic vinegar and lemon juice.

Diana Lampe is a Canberra writer, dlampe@bigpond.net.au