If you’ve ever been to Gaziantep or walked through Istanbul’s bustling food court, you’ve probably come across Topik. It’s more than just a snack. It is a cultural staple with a creamy texture and contrasting saltiness, sweetness and crunch. Sure, cooking at home is a pain, but the reward is a much tastier meal than buying packaged. You can control the quality of your tahini. You need to make sure the chickpeas are ripe.
Here’s how to make one from scratch.
Required materials
The list is accurate. Don’t compromise the quality of your tahini or the freshness of the chickpeas. Here’s what you need:
- Chickpeas 0.5 kg
- 2 potatoes
- 350 g sesame paste (used in several batches)
- 1.5 kg of dried onion
- Peanuts 150 g
- Raisins 150 g
- cinnamon
- salt
- black pepper
Prepare the dough
Topik’s foundation is a smooth and spreadable paste. Start by soaking chickpeas in water overnight. If you want it to cook soft enough to mix without sand, that’s non-negotiable.
Cook the chickpeas until cooked. Shell. This takes time. It’s boring. But if you skip this step, the result is a grainy texture that can ruin the entire dish. While the chickpeas are boiling, peel the potatoes and cook separately until cooked.
Drain the chickpeas and potatoes well. Transfer to a food processor or blender. Pulse until the paste is completely smooth and even. There should be no lumps.
Once the mixture is combined, transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Add 50 g tahini. Knead it into the mixture. This is where the dough is kneaded. It should be sticky and flexible. If it feels dry, add a little water or tahini.
Create a flavor profile
While the dough rests, focus on filling it with the filling. This is where the magic happens.
Cut 1.5 kg of onion into rounds. Do not rush the cooking process here. Allow the onions to slowly caramelize until they are soft, sweet and golden brown. This requires patience. Basically you are making a sweet onion jam that is not too sweet.
When the onions are cooked, prepare the filling. Add 300 g of tahini to the pot. Add cinnamon and black pepper and mix. The heat from the onion and tahini should make the spices bloom.
Add 150 g of soaked raisins and 150 g of peanuts. Mix everything. Raisins should be soft. The peanuts add the necessary crunch. The sweetness of the raisins contrasts nicely with the earthiness of the Tahini and the spiciness of the cooked onion.
Assembly and installation
Pick up the chickpea potato batter. Squeeze and cut the pieces. Roll into walnut-sized balls. Flatten it into a small disc with your palm.
Put a spoonful of onion tahini in the middle. Be generous, but don’t overdo it. collect
