Revani - Semolina Syrup Cake

This is a Sephardic dish.  The Turks loved it so much that they have claimed it as thier own and it appears the Greeks have too.  As far as the syrup desserts in Turkey this could probably be the lightest.  


In some areas you can buy this from a man pushing an enclosed cart for 50kurus a piece.  When I lived in Adana there was a very old man walking the streets of my neighbourhood selling this.  I used to buy a few slices and it really was and still is the nicest one besides mine of course that I have tasted.  I asked my husband about him and he said that this man was selling Revani on the streets when he was a small child and it still tasted the same.  This mans wife makes it every day and her husband then goes off to sell it. I used to be worried that he wouldnt sell all but my fears where allayed as he was an institution and everyone bought off him.


Revani is also a very easy cake to make and there are 2 stages in making it.  First you have to make the cake batter and then there is making the sugar syrup.


It is traditionally made with lemon but you could switch that with orange if you preferred.  You could also add in poppy seeds and have a Turkish style orange poppy seed cake (one of my favorites).  You can make this without the baking powder for those who would want to make it for Passover, what you would do is add a couple more eggs and beat the egg whites until stiff then make the cake without the flour and yogurt.

You can see in this photo that the Revani seems heavier, they have used more syrup the one above is a bit lighter.  This man was selling pieces of Revani off the back of his motor bike at the wedding I went to.

3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup yogurt
1 cup oil
2 cups semolina
1 cup flour
1tbsp baking powder
1tbsp grated lemon zest


1 cup sugar
2 cups water
1tsp lemon juice


First make the syrup by adding the sugar, water and lemon juice together bringing it to the boil and let it boil for 10 minutes, after that time you should have a nice thick syrup.


Beat the eggs and the sugar together in a large bowl.  Beat for about 5 minutes.  Add in everything else and beat well.  Pour into an oiled cake tin, I use a pyrex baking dish.  Bake in a moderate oven at about 350 degrees for about 35 to 45 minutes until it is nice and brown.  It should spring back when done.


When the cake has cooled slightly pour the syrup over it bit by bit.  Let it soak up first before pouring any more on. If you dont want a syrupy cake pour less, if you want a heavier one use a little more.  Cut into squares and serve.

Turkish Weddings. The People.

Beautiful Bride

People watching is always interesting and some including myself never get bored of it.  I can sit quite happily for ages and watch who comes and goes.  Faces, styles and attitude are some of the many things that make people so interesting.  Where else better to people watch than at a family wedding! It has it all. Interesting characters, romance, betrayal, drama, plots and sub plots and with all the in gossip that can put all those soap writers to shame.


Coming from a Western country to an Eastern one certainly is a culture shock in itself but when you get involved in the local culture as closely as I have is a real eye opener.  What we would consider fashion pho pahs in one country is loved and sought after in another.

We have here a couple of little girls who lived next door.  The older one asked me to take their photo.  How could I resist she was so cute and they were such good dancers.

Family Matrons dancing

Dancing on the street

After spending 3 days at a family wedding I am so full I could burst, so tired from dancing I could sleep for a week, my ears burning so much that I had to dost them several times during the course of the wedding and so full of unwanted information about everyone else that I could write several novels.  If you come to Turkey and have a chance to go to a street wedding I would recommend it. Get involved in the local culture and have a blast.

What have you learnt at a family wedding? Who is the best dancer? Who is the flashiest dresser? or just learnt how to duck at the right time?

Turkish Weddings. The Food.

I was away last week as we had to go to a wedding.  It was a family affair in another city.  Turkish weddings are very interesting with lots of people, music and food.  This was a traditional wedding so that means that the wedding was at home in their garden and on the street where everyone danced.  All the family rallies together to make it a memorable event.  My husbands cousins daughter got married, we are removed enough to not be included in the scores of helpers that are needed to pull off such a huge event.

The food is always good and this wedding was no exception.  

As you can see it was cooked outside in huge saucepans.  One of the Aunts was in control of the whole thing.

Then the other Aunts and cousins come to help feed the few hundred guests.

Eggplant stew, Pilav, Dövme, Yüksük çorba

Despite the lack of fancy cutlery the food was fantastic and everyone was satisfied.  These kind of weddings last for 3 days.  They cook one meal on the Friday for lunch, some just serve tea.  On the Saturday is the main event as that involves 2 meals plus tea and lasts until midnight. The Sunday doesn't start too early and ends at about noon.  The celebrations shown here are just for the brides family.  The grooms family comes on the Sunday do a couple of dances and takes the bride away along with all her furniture(wedding gifts and dowry)to join their growing clan.

What did you have for your wedding meal? Chicken? Fish? Beef?