Turkmen’s Ishlik

 written by: Wajiha Sayar

Lalo Mama is watering the garden of the castle and he is singing a song with himself. Sana arrives with her brother, Masoud to the yard of the castle and they greet Lalo Mama. Sana angrily asks Masoud that why he did not buy anything for eating on the way to the castle. Meanwhile, the cook of the castle comes with a tray. Sana asks about it from Lalo Mama. Lalo Mama takes them inside the castle and Lalo Mama asks his guest to eat Ishilk.

Masoud says that this the first time to hear this name and he asks Lalo Mama about it.

Lalo Mama says that this dish is called Turkmen’s Ishlik. Sana asks about the cooking Ishlik. Lalo Mama opens a window for their information.

Window:

In the window, Fariba has come to her classmate, Shima’s home to learn the cooking of Ishlik from her grandmother. Shima says that she has already prepared the dough for Ishlik. She tells about that the ingredients of Ishlik: “six cups of flour, two tablespoons of salt, one tablespoon of yeast powder, a glass of warm milk with a glass of warm water, mix them together and knead the dough, and then we leave it for one hour.

We fry eight hundred grams of minced meat in a frying pan. Then we add a bunch of Scallions and coriander with two or three tomatoes, four slices of garlic, and three green pepper. Then mix red dried pepper and dry coriander powder, one and a half tablespoons of salt, and then add meat to it.

Then we divide the dough into four equal sizes. Then we add the prepared ingredients with a spoon and fold the due and then we place them in a metal tray and fry them in an oven or in a furnace.”

Lalo Mama closes the window.

Sana and Masoud are happy to learn Ishlik and they promise to learn cooking this dish to their other friends too.

Sana and Masoud are happy to learn Ishlik and they promise to tell about the cooking of this dish to their other friends too. Sana sees a big fish in an aquarium in the castle and they ask about it from Lalo Mama. Lalo Mama says that this fish is called swordfish and the he opens another window about swordfish for their information.

Window:

In the window, the reporter of castle gives information about swordfish. She says, “Swordfish, also known as broadbills in some countries, are large, highly migratory, predatory fish characterized by a long, flat, pointed bill. They are a popular sport fish of the billfish category, though elusive. 

Swordfish are elongated, round-bodied, and lose all teeth and scales by adulthood.
The swordfish is one of the open ocean’s fastest, strongest predators and an important fishery species everywhere that it lives. Reaching weights of at least 650 kg and lengths of nearly 4.5 m, the swordfish is one of the largest species of bony fishes. This species gets its common name from the long, sword-like bill that grows from the front of its head. Swordfish use this sword to stun their prey by slashing their heads in a side-to-side motion, knocking potential prey unconscious, and making it easier to catch.”

Lalo Mama closes this window too. Sana and Masoud thank him for informing them about swordfish.