Yal is the traditional dog food fed to Anatolian Shepherd dogs in Turkey. The recipe I use here was obtained from a Turkish gentleman who owns Anatolians. I'm sure there are as many variations on this recipe
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as there are cooks. I'd be very interested to hear about other Yal recipes!
To cook for one dog, use an 8 quart heavy-duty pan. Put in 5 cups each of wheat bran and all-purpose flour. Slowly whisk in cold water until smooth and pan is almost filled. Add 2 to 3 glugs of olive oil and about 1/2 teaspoon of salt. The mixture will boil up a bit, so leave bubble-up room and stirring room.
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Using a tall wooden spoon (mixture gets very hot), stir almost constantly until mixture has boiled for one minute. Yal should be of a thick soup or oatmeal consistency, so it takes most of the day to cool. After one large metal dog dish is filled, save the extra Yal and refrigerate it. In a few days you'll have another dog meal and be able to give yourself a cooking break !
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Yal is best if you add "healthy" leftovers, like old broth or tomato-based things like spaghetti sauce. Also keep all vegetable peelings and boil them until soft, adding both the vegetables and the cooking water to the Yal. I add everything I can, even poached egg water.
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Here is my 4 month old Anatolian enjoying his breakfast today! His Yal had a jar of home-canned tomatoes cooked into it. Then some fresh goat milk and a fresh egg were stirred in before serving.
Yal is not the sole diet for Anatolians in Turkey. They are often fed fresh whole milk and a fresh raw egg or two. Once a week or so, they get a chunk of raw meat.