Turkish cuisine is a fusion of Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Central Asian, and Balkan culinary traditions, creating a unique and vibrant food culture. The food is renowned for its use of fresh herbs, aromatic spices, and high-quality ingredients. From savoury kebabs to flavourful stews, Turkish cuisine has something for everyone. Take a look at its top delicacies.
Piyaz Salad
Piyaz salad is a popular dish in Turkey, known for its unique flavours that emerge from candir beans. These beans are smaller and named after inland province Candir. What makes candir beans unique is their delicate and delightful taste. The candir beans are mixed with thinned tahini (condiment), lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, salt, olive oil, and freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley to create the salad. A traditional touch to this salad is the addition of a softly boiled egg. The egg is gently chopped and mixed into the salad right before serving, adding a delightful twist.
Saksuka
Turkish cuisine has a wide variety of vegetable dishes called 'zeytinyagli yemegi,' which are cooked in olive oil. These dishes mainly feature vegetables such as green beans, artichokes, and eggplants. One particularly delicious eggplant dish is Saksuka. It involves cooking silky purple-skinned cubes of green flesh together with zucchini, garlic, tomatoes, and a hint of chilli. The amount of chilli used can vary depending on the region in Turkey where it is prepared.
Mercimek Kofte
Mercimek kofte is a true delight for vegetarians. Locally known as Belluh, Mercimek kofte is made from red lentils, fine bulgur, salt, finely chopped onion, scallions, tomato, aci biber salca (hot red pepper paste), and crushed cilantro. To enjoy these flavorful nuggets, place one on a fresh lettuce leaf, gently squeeze lemon juice, roll it up, and take a bite.
Yaprak Dolma
Yaprak Dolma is a widely enjoyed dish in the Turkish city of Isparta. The cooking process combines rice with tomatoes, parsley, onion, garlic, tomato paste, olive oil, black pepper, salt, and water. A spoonful of this flavourful rice mixture is carefully placed on a vine leaf to create the dish. The leaf is then gently folded in and rolled by hand into small, neat cylinders. This meticulous process ensures that each Dolma is perfectly shaped and ready to be savoured.
Inegol Kofte
Meatballs in Turkish cuisine are not just ordinary balls of meat they have a rich history and come in various styles. One of the most famous styles is Inegol Kofte, which has an interesting origin story. It was invented by Mustafa Efendi, who originally hailed from Bulgaria. In the 19th century, he migrated to Inegol, a town in northwest Turkey. What sets Inegol Kofte apart from other Turkish meatballs is its unique recipe. Unlike different variations, this style uses only ground beef or lamb mixed with breadcrumbs and seasoned with onions. The simplicity of the ingredients allows the flavours to shine through, creating a delicious and satisfying dish.
Iskender kebab
The origins of this delicious dish can be traced back to a man named Iskender, who first prepared it for workers in Bursa's Kayhan Bazaar in 1867. For the cooking process, thin slices of doner meat are carefully cooked and placed over soft, fluffy pide bread pieces. The kebab is then covered with freshly made tomato sauce, greased with melted butter, and served alongside tangy yoghurt, grilled tomato, and green peppers.
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