Shane Delia's Spice Journey

Ottomania: Food Fit For Sultans (2x1)

Air date: Jul 31, 2014

From their gilded palace on Seraglio Point, the Ottoman Sultans ruled an empire that dominated the Mediterranean between 1453 and 1922, and spread their cuisine and culture throughout the Middle East, North Africa and South Eastern Europe. With renewed pride in their Ottoman past, Turkish chefs are rediscovering the ancient recipes that were served to the Sultans, and serving them to eager diners in restored palaces and renovated timber mansions or konaks. The episode follows Shane as he explores the lifestyle of the sultans. Then, wanting to see how the other half lived during Ottoman times, he joins the people of Istanbul in a public ‘Iftar’ feast, a modern revival of an Ottoman tradition. Back in his Melbourne kitchen, Shane cooks up three mouth-watering courses, including: blue eye pastirma; lamb, saltbush and compressed melon; and a luscious clotted cream ice-cream with chocolate soil.