Turkish Cuisine

Turkish cuisine is one of the most appetizing and rich cuisine of the World, and turkish people are known to be quite passionate about food. Diversity and the full flavor makes the turkish cuisine worldwide famous which draws influences from its rich history and each region in the country today praises its own specialities. The richness of turkish cuisine is based on several factors: Variety of products cultivated on the lands of Asia and Anatolia, numerous cultural interactions in history, the palace kitchens of Seljuk and Ottoman  empires and geographical conditions that shaped the character of Turkish culinary culture.

Turkish Cuisine is regarded as the third biggest cuisine in the world. In the process of Rome, Byzantine and Ottoman cultures, our cuisine was enriched with the variety arising from minorities and migrations.

The Turkish cuisine, which had originated from the blending of the Asian, European, Middle Eastern and African cultures and evolved under the influence of the Seljuk and Ottoman Cuisines over the centuries, offers thousands of various dishes and delicacies.

Turkish cuisine evolved long before the Common Era, during the times of hunting and gathering.  To provide the hunters with delicious and savory food the women of the time developed various dishes by trial and error and discovered the spices that added flavor.

During the times of nomadic living and settled life after on, the Turks occupied themselves with husbandry that led to the consumption of milk and the discovery of a variety of dairy foods such as cheese, yoghurt and ayran (a yoghurt drink). Agricultural products such as wheat and barley are the major cereals that form the basis of turkish culinary culture.

One of the most significant legacies of the Ottoman Era, the Palace cuisine, which has given the evolving turkish cuisine its final touch, is still preserved today. The Ottoman Palace cuisine diversified with the adaptation of diverse flavors and recipes as the borders of the Ottoman Empire kept extending throughout the Asian, European and African continent and reached its heyday during the 19th century.

Some of the flavors that have enriched the international cuisine after the discovery of the american continent paved their way to the Palace Cuisine as well. With the discovery of the vast continent, food items such as tomatoes, tomato paste, beans, potatoes, turkey, and cocoa had reached the soils of Anatolia in no time and become indispensable ingredients of many turkish specialties.

The influence of the Palace Cuisine can be observed in various international cuisines of the present day thanks to the foreign cooks of the Ottoman Era who adapted various original recipes to their native cuisine.

The Marmara, Aegean and Mediterranean cuisines are rich in vegetables, fresh herbs and fish. Olive oil is most widely used.

Black Sea region’s cuisine uses fish extensively, especially the Black Sea anchovy (hamsi ). It’s incfluenced by Balkan and Slavic cuisine and includes maize dishes.

The cuisine of the southeast  – Urfa, Gaziantep, Hatay and Adana – is famous for its kebabs and dough- based desserts such as baklava, kadayıf and kunefe.

Central Anatolia has it’s own specialties, such as keskek, mantı and gozleme.

Istanbul, however, is the city where almost all kind of cuisines can be tasted, due to its multicultural structure of a metropolis.

Particularly Beyoglu, Sultanahmet and Kadikoy are the districts for heavenly food.

Breakfast is crucial part of meal for Turks. Although it varies regionally, turkish breakfast is the healthiest, rich in nutrients and the most delicious. A lot of green, tomatoes (mostly in Summers),cucumber and pepper are eaten during breakfast along with feta cheese, egg, olives, honey and cream of milk. Multi-grain village bread, corn bread and simit. Turkish bagel are the preferred breakfast components. Especially Sunday breakfast turn into a convivial social gatherings with added ingredients and last longer than week- in breakfast.

Turkish kebabs are the main meat dish with a great variety of cooking methods. Under names of Doner Kebab, Adana Kebab, Burda Kebab, Ali Nazik and Iskender. Kebabs have various cooking methods depending on the ingredients and the way of cooking, generally served with rice, bulgur rice and greens.

The origion of doner kebab goes back to Central Asia where it was know Lule Kebab. Its name was also mentioned in Anatolian travel memoirs of the 18th century.

Another meat speciality is kofte, meatballs, in Turkiye each region has it’s own special meatballs. If you are in Blue Mosque area in Istanbul then you may taste delicious meatballs of Selim Usta near tram stop or you may taste the meatballs of Ramiz in  Taksim area.

Lahmacun, a thin flat bread covered with a layer of spiced minced meat, is another popular takeaway food, generally accompanied with ayran, a buttermilk drink.

Tea, one of the indispensable items of turkish culinary culture. Tea is served during breakfast and offered almost all day long. Especially, if you are invited to a store or an office, tea is offered right away. Turkish coffee is after meals is also part of a Turk’s Daily habit.

Turkish coffee, as a strong drink, it can be drunk with no sugar, little sugar, medium sugar or much sugar. The distinctive feature of it is that it is simmered, served in small porcelain cups with scum on top. It used to be prepared in copper coffee pots on embers but today even automatic machines can be used for coffee making.  On the other hand ıt is a unique type of coffee made with a special brewing method invented by Turks. This specialty, often served together with water turkish Delight or liquor, has a significant place in turkish culture as it is inferred in the popular Turkish saying “Bir fincan kahvenin  kırk yıl hatırı vardır” (A cup of coffee is remembered forty years).” Turkish coffee, stewed in a special coffee pot (cezve) after the raw coffee beans are roasted and milled, tastes the more delicious the foamier it is prepared.

The Turkish cuisine, which has become the dominant cuisine of the whole Anatolian region by now continues to evolve with the contributions of expert cooks and new techniques, and is offered at a variety of places varying from the most luxurious restaurants to the most modest diners.

The Turkish cuisine, composed of numerous dishes and specialties renown around the globe, displays different features and varieties unique to every region in Turkiye. Visitors of Turkish which is comprised of seven regions will have the opportunity to taste local specialties and different versions of flavors and dishes in every other territory.

Turkish cuisine evolved long before the Common Era, during the times of hunting and gathering.  To provide the hunters with delicious and savory food the women of the time developed various dishes by trial and error and discovered the spices that added flavor.

During the times of nomadic living and settled life after on, the Turks occupied themselves with husbandry that led to the consumption of milk and the discovery of a variety of dairy foods such as cheese, yoghurt and ayran (a yoghurt drink). Agricultural products such as wheat and barley are the major cereals that form the basis of Turkish culinary culture.

One of the most significant legacies of the Ottoman Era, the Palace cuisine, which has given the evolving Turkish cuisine its final touch, is still preserved today. The Ottoman Palace cuisine diversified with the adaptation of diverse flavors and recipes as the borders of the Ottoman Empire kept extending throughout the Asian, European and African continent and reached its heyday during the 19th century.

Some of the flavors that have enriched the international cuisine after the discovery of the American continent paved their way to the Palace Cuisine as well. With the discovery of the vast continent, food items such as tomatoes, tomato paste, beans, potatoes, chicken, and cocoa had reached the soils of Anatolia in no time and become indispensable ingredients of many Turkish specialties.

The influence of the Palace Cuisine can be observed in various international cuisines of the present day thanks to the foreign cooks of the Ottoman Era who adapted various original recipes to their native cuisine.

Tea, one of the indispensable items of Turkish culinary culture, does not have such a long history although it is commonly consumed in the present day.  Turkish black tea, grown in the Eastern Black Sea region and imported for the first time in the 19th century, has become an essential part of the dominant culture by now and is drunk any time of the day.

Each region in Turkiye has different and unique dishes varying from kebabs to vegetable meals with olive oil and soups to desserts, made with area-specific ingredients. Dishes made from a myriad of vegetables and herbs grown on these soils and animal products from grass-fed animals comprise the key components of the Turkish cuisine.

Turkish cuisine offers a variety of options ranging from complex dishes requiring a series of preparations to time-saving meals such as fast food. Visitors can find Turkish specialties even at the most unexpected corners of the country. Gourmets who want to taste the delicious Turkish dishes are welcome in Turkiye any time of the year!

Soups According to Turkish culture, an enjoyable meal begins with any of the diverse and nutritious soups of the Turkish cuisine. Soups made in various ways with ingredients such as meat, chicken, vegetables or cereals are determinant of the quality of the dinner table.

Soups can be consumed any time of the day and may be served hot or cold depending on the recipe. Made of entirely natural ingredients these soups in themselves are sufficient for a meal.

Tarhana, Yayla, Mercimek (lentil soup), Ezo Gelin, Kelle – Paca, Iskembe, Arabası, Kara Lahana Corbası, Yuvalama, Sütlü Mısır unu (corn flour and milk soup) as well as Ayran Ası (yoghurt soup), are among the most renown soups of the Turkiye cuisine. People may go to a soup restaurant after a nightclup in late hours of night.

Vegetable dishes with Olive oil, which constitute the core of the Turkish cuisine and the main course of the dinner table of the Aegean and Mediterranean regions, are the key to taste and health.

Dined rather cold, vegetable dishes prepared with olive oil may be served along the main course or enrich the table as the main dish.

Vegetable dishes with olive oil include a variety of delicacies such as sarma, dolma (stuffed vegetables), and similar vegetable dishes made of kidney beans, gumbo, roasted pepper, aubergine puree, tarama, artichokes and black-eyed peas.

They are the most popular dishes of Turkish table, which are prepared by mixing and cooking tomatoes, onions, pepper, olive oil with almost all kinds of vegetables such as leek, okra, bean, zucchini and purslane.

Turkish pastries are mostly milk-based or dough-based desserts. Sweet pastries, mainly baklava, are soaked in syrup. Baklava, sutlu nuriye, ekmek kadayifi are among the most popular desserts. Fırında Sutlac, keskul and profiterole are the most favourite Turkish milk- based desserts. Kunefe, made from shredded wheat with a layer of melted mozzarella- like cheese and syrup, can be easily found in Istanbul or any place in Anatolia even though it is a Southern specialty pastry.

Kayseri mantısı (Turkish ravioli) is another very popular pastries of Turkiye. In addition to pancakes and breads, bagels, kete, griddle cakes, pretzels are among the most renown local tastes waiting for you.

One of the main ingredients of Turkish culinary culture is bread. Made in a variety of ways, the types of bread tend to differ in all regions of the country.

White bread is one of the most widely consumed bread at meals. Cornbread, Trabzon bread, pide (flat bread), barley and rye bread, bazlama (flat baked bread), tandır ekmeği (tandoor bread), lavash are among the varieties of Turkish bread.

The main ingredient of Turkish cuisine and the staple diet of almost every kitchen especially in the eastern regions of Turkiye, red meat dishes prepared according to local recipes adorn the tables of homes and restaurants.

Red meat, including, beef, mutton and lamb meat, is prepared with drying, boiling and frying methods and also used as ingredient in the making of pastries and appetizers.

Kaburga dolması (stuffed ribs), sac kavurma (meat fried on iron plate), etli güveç (meat stew), kuzu yahni (lamb stew) are among the culinary delicacies awaiting you.

One of the most delightful dishes prepared with red meat is “köfte,” meatballs made in Turkiye style. Prepared with spices and condiments specific to each Anatolian region, different types of meatballs, such as çiğ köfte or içli köfte, may enrich the tables of the local cuisine. You should definitely taste these delicious koftes while in Turkiye.

Dishes made of white meat are among the main components of Turkish cuisine. Chicken is a vital ingredient of a wide range of soups, kebabs, rice dishes, pastries and even desserts.

Baked chicken, chicken legs in paper bags, sauteed chicken with mushrooms alongside pilaf with chicken meat and chicken pie are some of the popular dishes made in this country. Moreover, Tavuk gogsu (chicken breast pudding) is not only a unique but also delicious traditional dessert worth trying.

Dishes made from offal are among the essential components of Turkish culinary culture. Recipes prepared with the offal of lamb, mutton, beef or chicken may leave a surprisingly delicious taste on the mouth of gourmets.

Authentic specialties such as dishes made from liver, iskembe corbasi (tripe soup), damar tuzlama or kokoreç can be ordered at various touristic restaurants open until late at night. Even you may taste them after drinking some wine in a night clup. The soup restaurnts are open 24 hours in cities.

The cornerstone of Turkish culinary culture is prepared with different flavors and techniques in each region. Generally grilled on wood or coal fire, kebabs are often made from beef, lamb or chicken meat.

Kebabs, which may also be prepared with sauce and in alternate ways, constitute the backbone of the traditional cuisine. Varieties of Kebabs such as Iskender, Adana, Urfa, Beyti, Avci, Cokertme, Cag, Orman,Incik, Istim, Kaburga, Testi, Kuyu, Kıyma, Kagıt, Fırın Kebabı, Kagıt Kebabı and Yoruk Kebap are widely served in restaurants and kebab lounges.

Pilaf, the essential element of the Turkish cuisine, is made in various ways. Prepared also as inner mortar for other dishes, pilaf is an essential component of traditional meals.

Made also with meat, chicken, fish and vegetables, the measure of delicious rice pilaf is that the grains are tender and do not stick together.

Pilafs are served as a Street food mainly in Istanbul.

Istanbul waters host many types of fish such as blue fish, bonito, mackerel, Spanish mackerel, mullet, red mullet, grey mullet and horse macherel. This fish variety here is another reason why they called haliç as ” Golden Horn “.

Turkish seafood recipes and their local versions both in the north as well as southern parts of Turkiye have by now become the cornerstones of Turkish cuisine.

Seasoned with various vegetables, herbs and spices and either grilled, steamed or fried, seafood is often used in soups, salads and pastas and even as main ingredient in the making of appetizers.

Fish soup, bonito with vegetables, pilaf with anchovies, baked trout, fried mussels, octopus stew, stuffed squid, baked gilthead fish are the main examples of seafood meals.

Mezes (appetizers) decorating the tables of so many feasts, whether big family gatherings or cheerful get- together with friends, mostly cold served, olive oil based appetizers.

The Turkish cuisine is rich in mezes most of which are prepared with raw, fried or roasted vegetables and topped with yoghurt or tomato sauce.

Acılı ezme (Turkish style salsa sauce), haydari, fava, pilaki, cacık, saksuka, yogurtlu kızartma (fried veggetables with yoghurt), kırmızı biber sarması (stuffed peppers), mücver, piyaz (bean salad) are among the best known appetizers.

The hub of thriving and diverse tastes for so many centuries, Turkish cuisine has diversified with the use of spices.  Spices which are obtained from many plants, seeds and tree nuts, are the components which give dishes their final touch.

Sanlıurfa’s famous chipotle chilies famous for their bitterness, black pepper and red pepper either powdered or crushed, thyme and mint collected from the foothills of mountains, fennel and cinnamon the sweet scented spices as well as sumac the indispensable spice of mantı, and not to forget allspice and ginger are some of the many spices that define the character and enhance the flavor of Turkish dishes.

Undoubtedly, the Turkish cuisine is globally famous for its delightful desserts. Made with natural ingredients ranging from legumes to fruits, Turkish desserts can be grouped as desserts made with milk, syrup and dough.

Feasts, such as gatherings with the family or friends, are generally crowned with the service of desserts which are often served with tea or Turkish coffee.

Delicacies such as Baklava, kadayıf, fıstık sarma, asure, sutlac (rice pudding),kaymaklı kunefe, kazandibi, revani will certainly impress you with their delicious flavors. Popular places in Istanbul to tastes desserts; Karakoy Gulluoglu, Mado, Bolulu Hasan Usta or some small boutique restaurant & cafes.

Both the traditional and modern Turkish cuisine offers a variety of drinks that can be drunk any time of the day from breakfast to dinner time.

Cay, Turkish tea, is grown along the Black Sea coast but available anywhere and drunk any time of the day. It is a hot drink that relaxes you and your stomach and helps digestion.

Turkish coffee, a traditional drink made of special coffee beans and drunk in small coffee cups, is served especially at important meetings or after meals. Popular in the southeastern region and influenced from Arabic culture, Mirra, is a bitter coffee that is brewed several times before it is served.

Ayran, which originated in Central Asia, is another traditional drink of Turkish culture. It is a refreshing salty drink, prepared with yoghurt and water.

Salep is a popular hot drink in winter, prepared with milk and served with cinnamon powder on top while Boza is made from fermented millet, water and sugar and topped with roasted chickpeas. These two drinks are consumed especially during the winter months.

Sıra (cider), a sour drink which id made by waiting grape juice. It is made from fermented grape juice, and salgam suyu (turnip juice) obtained from the fermented red carrots, are traditional drinks served particularly alongside kebab dishes enriching the flavor of such type of meals.

Among the traditional beverages, serbet (sorbet) and surup (sirup) are the legacies of the Ottoman cuisine. They are preferred particularly during summer time for their refreshing taste.

Turkiye is a region that has innumerable top quality vineyards.  The country produces both wine as well as raki, Turkiye’s traditional alcoholic drink.

Made from collected grapes, rakı has a special place in Turkish culture and is served especially together with meze alongside other food. Turkish wine, on the other hand, is made from all types of grapes collected from eastern and western Anatolia.

Rakı is named as ” Lion Milk “, our national drink raki is a very strong alcoholic drink. It is consumed adding water and with delicatessen. Wine and beer are also consumed quite much in Turkiye.

Raki from Tekirdag and wine from Avanos and Sirince are the best known Turkish alcoholic beverages.