ISTANBUL: A 29-year-old Nepali graduate student, who is studying in Istanbul, has become a master of many Anatolian dishes, ranging from baklava to white beans and stuffed grape leaves to anchovies.

Muhammed Cavit Ansari, an electronic and electrical engineer, came to Turkey four years ago to pursue a master’s degree at Istanbul Technical University.

With an ability to speak eight languages, Ansari draws attention with his fluent Turkish, humor and interest in cooking Anatolian food.

Ansari can cook a chain of dishes belonging to Bangladesh and Korean cuisine, including dishes from his homeland, Nepal. He has mastered the art of one of the most well-known delicacies of Anatolia known as baklava.

Ansari has developed his own way of cooking Turkish meals. He takes the salt off the brined grape leaves, commonly used for making “sarma,” which is rice and minced meat leaf roll, by boiling instead of washing the leaves. He prefers to clean anchovies himself and cooks the white beans with lamb meat.

He even has a special recipe for rice, which is a fusion of flavors from his country and Anatolian cuisine.  Ansari adds various vegetables and raisins to rice and cooks it in butter for an enhanced taste.

Although Ansari often remains loyal to the recipes that he finds on the internet, he sometimes creates new flavors with the spices he brings, especially from his home country.

Talking about his plans in the future, Ansari said he had no idea of opening a business but would continue to cook as a hobby.

(with inputs from Hurriyetdailynews.com)