By Euphoria Snaks
When GDM asked me to research Turkish cuisine, I leapt around the kitchen with great delight. And yes, you’ll find the recipe here.
It’s not anything to do with all the gobbledygook about Thanksgiving or getting to the point and settling a business deal, or even calling someone or an unsuccessful theatre production a dud.
I’m talking turkey about one of the most amazing food cultures of the world; an ancient culinary history full of tradition, beginning in Central Asia all the way to the present day.
Turkish cuisine is largely the heritage of Ottoman cuisine, which can be described as a fusion and refinement of Mediterranean, Balkan, Middle Eastern, Central Asian, Eastern European, Armenian, and Georgian cuisines. Turkish cuisine has in turn influenced those and other neighbouring cuisines, including those of Southeast Europe (Balkans), Central Europe, and Western Europe. The Ottomans fused various culinary traditions of their realm with influences from Mesopotamian cuisine, Greek cuisine, Levantine cuisine, Egyptian cuisine, Balkan cuisine, along with traditional Turkic elements from Central Asia (such as ayran and kaymak), creating a vast array of specialities.
It’s not anything to do with all the gobbledygook about Thanksgiving or getting to the point and settling a business deal, or even calling someone or an unsuccessful theatre production a dud.
I’m talking turkey about one of the most amazing food cultures of the world; an ancient culinary history full of tradition, beginning in Central Asia all the way to the present day.
Turkish cuisine is largely the heritage of Ottoman cuisine, which can be described as a fusion and refinement of Mediterranean, Balkan, Middle Eastern, Central Asian, Eastern European, Armenian, and Georgian cuisines. Turkish cuisine has in turn influenced those and other neighbouring cuisines, including those of Southeast Europe (Balkans), Central Europe, and Western Europe. The Ottomans fused various culinary traditions of their realm with influences from Mesopotamian cuisine, Greek cuisine, Levantine cuisine, Egyptian cuisine, Balkan cuisine, along with traditional Turkic elements from Central Asia (such as ayran and kaymak), creating a vast array of specialities.
In line with the country's various invasions, Turkish cuisine varies across the country. The cooking of Istanbul, Bursa, Izmir, and rest of the Asia Minor region inherits many elements of Ottoman court cuisine, including moderate use of spices, a preference for rice over bulgur, koftes, and a wider availability of vegetable stews (türlü), eggplant, stuffed dolmas and fish. The cuisine of the Black Sea Region uses fish extensively, especially the Black Sea anchovy (hamsi) and includes maize dishes. The cuisine of the southeast (e.g., Urfa, Gaziantep, Adıyaman and Adana) is famous for its variety of kebabs, mezes and dough-based desserts such as baklava, şöbiyet, kadayıf, and künefe.
Especially in the western parts of Turkey, where olive trees grow abundantly, olive oil is the major type of oil used for cooking.
The cuisines of the Aegean, Marmara and Mediterranean regions are rich in vegetables, herbs, and fish. Central Anatolia has many famous specialties, such as keşkek, mantı (especially from Kayseri) and gözleme. Food names directly cognate with mantı are also found in Chinese (mantou or steamed bun) and Korean cuisine (mandu) and it is generally considered to have originated in Mongolia during the 13th century.
Specialties are often named for places and may refer to different styles of preparation. For example, Urfa kebap is less spicy and thicker than Adana kebap. Although meat-based foods such as kebabs are common in Turkish cuisine abroad, meals in Turkey largely centre around rice, vegetables, and bread.
The popularity of pides, döners and kebabs worldwide highlights that today they’re becoming household names and deservedly so.
Let’s take a look at my favourite meal of the day – breakfast.
Especially in the western parts of Turkey, where olive trees grow abundantly, olive oil is the major type of oil used for cooking.
The cuisines of the Aegean, Marmara and Mediterranean regions are rich in vegetables, herbs, and fish. Central Anatolia has many famous specialties, such as keşkek, mantı (especially from Kayseri) and gözleme. Food names directly cognate with mantı are also found in Chinese (mantou or steamed bun) and Korean cuisine (mandu) and it is generally considered to have originated in Mongolia during the 13th century.
Specialties are often named for places and may refer to different styles of preparation. For example, Urfa kebap is less spicy and thicker than Adana kebap. Although meat-based foods such as kebabs are common in Turkish cuisine abroad, meals in Turkey largely centre around rice, vegetables, and bread.
The popularity of pides, döners and kebabs worldwide highlights that today they’re becoming household names and deservedly so.
Let’s take a look at my favourite meal of the day – breakfast.
Turks usually prefer a rich breakfast … right up my alley, so to speak! A typical Turkish breakfast comprises cheese (beyaz peynir, kaşar, etc.), butter, olives, eggs, muhammara, tomatoes, cucumbers, jam, honey, and kaymak, sucuk (a spicy Turkish meat similar to sausages), pastırma, börek, simit, poğaça, fried dough (known as pişi), and quite often, soups as well.
A specialty for breakfast is called menemen, which is prepared with tomatoes, green peppers, onion, olive oil and eggs. The breakfast menu can also include kuymak (depending on the province the dish is also known as muhlama, mıhlama and yağlaş).
Customarily, Turkish tea is served at breakfast. The Turkish word for breakfast, kahvaltı, means "before coffee".
The family dining table
Homemade food is a source of great pride to Turkish people. Obviously, new generations eat out a lot more than their ancestors, but the preference amongst most people is to eat at home. A typical meal starts with soup (especially in wintertime), followed by a dish made of vegetables (olive oil or with ground meat), meat or legumes boiled in a pot (typically with meat or minced meat), often with or before Turkish pilav, pasta or bulgur pilav accompanied by a salad or cacık (diluted cold yogurt dish with garlic, salt, and cucumber slices). In summertime many people prefer to eat a cold dish of vegetables cooked with olive oil (zeytinyağlı yemekler) instead of the soup, either before or after the main course, which can also be a chicken, meat or fish plate.
A specialty for breakfast is called menemen, which is prepared with tomatoes, green peppers, onion, olive oil and eggs. The breakfast menu can also include kuymak (depending on the province the dish is also known as muhlama, mıhlama and yağlaş).
Customarily, Turkish tea is served at breakfast. The Turkish word for breakfast, kahvaltı, means "before coffee".
The family dining table
Homemade food is a source of great pride to Turkish people. Obviously, new generations eat out a lot more than their ancestors, but the preference amongst most people is to eat at home. A typical meal starts with soup (especially in wintertime), followed by a dish made of vegetables (olive oil or with ground meat), meat or legumes boiled in a pot (typically with meat or minced meat), often with or before Turkish pilav, pasta or bulgur pilav accompanied by a salad or cacık (diluted cold yogurt dish with garlic, salt, and cucumber slices). In summertime many people prefer to eat a cold dish of vegetables cooked with olive oil (zeytinyağlı yemekler) instead of the soup, either before or after the main course, which can also be a chicken, meat or fish plate.
Restaurants
Although fast food is gaining popularity and many major foreign fast-food chains have opened all over the country, Turkish people still rely primarily on the rich and extensive dishes of Turkish cuisine. In addition, some traditional Turkish foods, especially köfte, döner, kokoreç, kumpir, midye tava, börek and gözleme, are often served as fast food in Turkey. Eating out has always been common in large commercial cities. Esnaf lokantası (meaning restaurants for shopkeepers and tradesmen) are widespread, serving traditional Turkish home cooking at affordable prices.
In the hot Turkish summer, a meal often consists of fried vegetables such as eggplant (aubergine) and peppers or potatoes served with yogurt or tomato sauce. Menemen and çılbır are typical summer dishes, based on eggs. Sheep cheese, cucumbers, tomatoes, watermelons and melons also make a light summer meal. Those who like helva for dessert prefer summer helva, which is lighter and less sweet than the regular one.
Although fast food is gaining popularity and many major foreign fast-food chains have opened all over the country, Turkish people still rely primarily on the rich and extensive dishes of Turkish cuisine. In addition, some traditional Turkish foods, especially köfte, döner, kokoreç, kumpir, midye tava, börek and gözleme, are often served as fast food in Turkey. Eating out has always been common in large commercial cities. Esnaf lokantası (meaning restaurants for shopkeepers and tradesmen) are widespread, serving traditional Turkish home cooking at affordable prices.
In the hot Turkish summer, a meal often consists of fried vegetables such as eggplant (aubergine) and peppers or potatoes served with yogurt or tomato sauce. Menemen and çılbır are typical summer dishes, based on eggs. Sheep cheese, cucumbers, tomatoes, watermelons and melons also make a light summer meal. Those who like helva for dessert prefer summer helva, which is lighter and less sweet than the regular one.
Key ingredients
Frequently used ingredients in Turkish specialties include lamb, chicken, beef, fish, rice, eggplants, green peppers, onions, garlic, lentils, beans, zucchinis, chickpeas and tomatoes.
Nuts, especially pistachios, chestnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, and walnuts, together with spices, have a special place in Turkish cuisine, and are used extensively in desserts or eaten separately. Semolina flour is used to make a cake called revani and irmik helvasi.
Kebabs and meat feature prominently, and in a stew, called Yahni. Onions and tomatoes are the base used in almost every dish. Tomatoes are pureed into a paste or used in concentrated form. They are then cooked with ground beef and cooked in oil. Extra virgin olive oil and vegetable oil such as safflower are used. The production of the former is a big industry in the country. Dishes made with olive oil are popular all over the country and called Zeytinyağlılar.
On the other hand, vegetables are consumed raw in the form of salads. Vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower and celeriac root, for instance, are also slightly steamed or boiled. They are then served as a cold salad with a vinaigrette of lemon juice and olive oil.
Frequently used ingredients in Turkish specialties include lamb, chicken, beef, fish, rice, eggplants, green peppers, onions, garlic, lentils, beans, zucchinis, chickpeas and tomatoes.
Nuts, especially pistachios, chestnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, and walnuts, together with spices, have a special place in Turkish cuisine, and are used extensively in desserts or eaten separately. Semolina flour is used to make a cake called revani and irmik helvasi.
Kebabs and meat feature prominently, and in a stew, called Yahni. Onions and tomatoes are the base used in almost every dish. Tomatoes are pureed into a paste or used in concentrated form. They are then cooked with ground beef and cooked in oil. Extra virgin olive oil and vegetable oil such as safflower are used. The production of the former is a big industry in the country. Dishes made with olive oil are popular all over the country and called Zeytinyağlılar.
On the other hand, vegetables are consumed raw in the form of salads. Vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower and celeriac root, for instance, are also slightly steamed or boiled. They are then served as a cold salad with a vinaigrette of lemon juice and olive oil.
In the Topkapı Palace, the kitchen was a huge area where some 1200 cooks fed thousands of people every day. Unique ingredients that came from all over the empire made it possible to develop new recipes and tastes. This led to the creation of many Ottoman dishes and desserts, including (according to legend) the legendary Baklava. Naturally, I’ve included a recipe!
With the help of a tray, a dining area would be created, with a cloth spread first and a tray table placed on it. Then, people would gather around the ‘sini’, and sit on the floor with cushions to eat their food. The tray would allow people to share the food and a spoon would be utilized or hands were also used. A very early breakfast and dinner before sunset were the only two meals eaten.
Modern Era
In 1923, the Republic of Turkey was established, and the existing Turkish cuisine became a division between classic and regional cuisines. The classic draws heavily on the cuisine of the Ottoman Palace and comprises primarily meats, grains, vegetables, seafood, dessert, and beverages. A long list of ingredients, flavours and cooking methods allows Turkish modern cuisine to have endless combination of flavours. We’ve included a range of classics in the Food section of the magazine – I urge you to give them all a try.
Enjoy-afiyet olsun (bon Appetit)!
With the help of a tray, a dining area would be created, with a cloth spread first and a tray table placed on it. Then, people would gather around the ‘sini’, and sit on the floor with cushions to eat their food. The tray would allow people to share the food and a spoon would be utilized or hands were also used. A very early breakfast and dinner before sunset were the only two meals eaten.
Modern Era
In 1923, the Republic of Turkey was established, and the existing Turkish cuisine became a division between classic and regional cuisines. The classic draws heavily on the cuisine of the Ottoman Palace and comprises primarily meats, grains, vegetables, seafood, dessert, and beverages. A long list of ingredients, flavours and cooking methods allows Turkish modern cuisine to have endless combination of flavours. We’ve included a range of classics in the Food section of the magazine – I urge you to give them all a try.
Enjoy-afiyet olsun (bon Appetit)!
