Swide Magazine by Dolce&Gabbana

A conversation with food critic and yoga teacher Mina Ercel, ways to change your life, your body, and create a connection.

So we sat down, and had an extended conversation, almost like a Saturday brunch (how appropriate!) with Mina. For the purpose of this study (and space issues), our questions will be left out. Here is Mina introducing herself, talking about food, becoming a yoga teacher, and living in Istanbul as a body conscious person with great recipes and addresses in hand.

Mina Second from the Right, having a body and environment conscious dinner

MINA:
Background: Upon completing a university degree in the US, I joined the rat race on Wall Street and dived into the banking and finance industry of New York. Like many daughters and children of “influential” people, I was sucked into the family business. Spirituality began to play an important role since the day I moved to Istanbul: my quest for “searching within for happiness” began. Honestly having a beautiful house by the Bosphorus overlooking the gigantic Ukrainian Petrol tanks floating across and meditating on flying seagulls helps: I had no desire to go “outside” and began spending more quality time with myself and slowly listening to that “inner, higher voice”.
Food consciousness and ethical veganism came naturally as a result of practicing yoga. I began particularly focus my attention on a style called Jivamukti yoga. The word Jivamukti is a combination of two Sanskrit words—jiva meaning individual soul, like one’s personality or ego and mukti meaning liberation, freedom, enlightenment. So a Jivanmukta is someone who is living liberated. Enlightenment eventually downs with realizing the oneness of all beings and that we, are all connected- including animals and nature. Thus we cannot possibly be a part of the brutality of meat-slaughter houses and tortures of the dairy industry and still call ourselves yogis. 

Being a food critic: Since the earlier days of in New York, I had a zest and passion for restaurants and finding the best spots to dine. Slowly I noticed everyone from around my circle of friends asking ME where to go out and what to eat… A friend asked me to write articles for her magazine once a month about the “in” dining spots.

The benefits to the body: Initially by consuming a vegetarian/vegan diet, I feel the energy level in my body increases dramatically. My skin glows from deep within, giving it a natural youthful radiance. I try to eat raw, seasonal and fresh foods as much as possible in addition to morning “green juices” in combination with organic lemon juice and ginger to boost immunity. Each day I am conscious and sensitive to what I eat in order to get enough protein, calcium and essential nutrients. A great bonus to adapting a vegan diet and staying away from all the rich yogurt and cheeses from Turkey is the radical decrease of cellulite! Since I have sensitive skin, cellulite was always noticeably on my legs and thighs. Yet with the transition to a vegan diet, it is almost completely diminished! In general I feel more energized, digest better and less in the need of caffeine for a boost. 

Why a yoga teacher? After practicing yoga for over 8 years, I finally had the courage to jump into teacher-hood. The reasons are simple; initially the economic crisis of 2009 had a huge impact on the financial markets and thus our company. The structure of our business and customers changed and therefore I was able to focus more time on where my true passion laid.
I went to upstate New York to Omega Institute for a month for the 300 hour Jivamukti Teacher Training program. Afterwards I returned to New York City and continued for a while to study at the Jivamutki School near Union Square in Downtown NYC at 841 Broadway.
Best food: One of my favorite restaurants is Eftalya in Arnavutkoy, one can sample “meze” starters like the velvety eggplant salad, sea cactus, seasonal artichokes and a variety of olive oiled vegetarian options brought to the table in a wooden tray for selection. Asitane, in the historic Faith area, offers the best Ottoman dishes inside a boutique hotel right next to the Church of St. Savior in Chora. Try the Seasonal Okra with tomatoes and Almond soup drizzled with seasonal pomgarande. For dessert, go for the semisweet oven roasted pumpkin topped with generously sprinkled crushed walnuts. Sunset Grill has breathtaking views of the Bosphorus from on top a hill and offers Californian style high-end Mediterranean fares in addition to a sushi bar and a variety of vegan options.

How Istanbul fits in: Beauty of Turkish cooking as a food critic and yoga teacher: the best and most important aspect of Turkish cuisines from a yogic, ethical vegetarian point of view is that the ingredients used here are mostly seasonal, naturally produced and influenced from Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and Balkan cooking. In the US and Asia, for example, much vegetarian food is based on tofu, soy and tempeh- which is frequently proceed and not very easy to digest. Turkish cuisines incorporate a lot of olive oils, beans, rice, seasonal and locally grown green vegetables- and with great flavor!

The Turkish kitchen is an offspring of Ottoman cuisines, which is a blend of today’s Greek, Lebanese, Central Asian, Moroccan and Slavic dishes. As the Ottoman Empire expanded and conquered more territory, selected beautiful women from the new lands were brought to Palace and to the Harem. Ottoman queen mothers – valide sultans in Turkish – controlled the Imperial Harem. From Russia to North Africa, Anatolia, the Balkans, and to Saudi Arabia the various ethnic women of the Harem also incorporated their own culinary cultures to the kitchen of the Ottoman Palace.

Some recipes here are from my mother kitchen:    

Red lentil kofte:

½ cup red lentil, washed and drained
1 cup fine bulgur
2 ½ cups water
1 onion, chopped finely
2 tbsp tomato paste
¼ cup olive oil
½ tsp black pepper
1/3 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt to taste
¼ cup hot water
½ bunch fresh parsley, chopped finely
½ tsp dried mint/3-4 pairs of fresh mint, chopped finely
2 green onions, only green parts chopped finely
Lettuce leaves or arugula
Lemon wedges

Boil red lentil with 2 ½ cup of water. Make sure the lentils are soft but there is still some water in the bottom. Turn the heat of and stir in fine bulgur, close the lid. Leave for at least 10 minutes to make bulgur absorb all the water and expand.
Meanwhile, sauté onions with olive oil over medium heat. And then stir in tomato paste. Saute for 1-2 minutes and add salt and hot water. Transfer to the pot with bulgur and red lentils. Stir in spices, green onions and parsley. Mix them all. If it is cooled enough mix all with hands and make pates. If the mixture sticks, wet hands with water occasionally.
Serve Lentil Pates with lettuce leaves or arugula and lemon wedges.

Interview by Acelya Yonac
Articles by Mina Ercel at: www.hurriyetdailynews.com

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