Turkey has been attracting tourists for many years with sunny weather, beautiful beaches and fascinating monuments. However, one should not forget about the diverse and appetizing culture of Turkish cuisine. Thanks to the location of the country, we can observe here Asian, European (especially Greek) and Arab influences. Anna Waszkiewicz, manager of the Turkish restaurant Maho in Warsaw, told us about the flavors that we can find while traveling around Turkey.
What influences have left the greatest mark on Turkish cuisine?
Turkish cuisine is treated as a development of the culture of the Ottoman Empire, previously cultivated in these areas. There is a theory that Turkish cuisine has its origin in the Toktapi Palace (in present-day Istanbul), the seat of the Ottoman sultans. It was there that the best Turkish cooks were supposed to reside, experimenting with flavors from different corners of the world. Turkey’s expansionist policy resulted not only in borrowing customs from other cultures, but also left its mark on the cuisine of many other countries (Eastern Europe, the Balkans, the Middle East). So we can say that there was a kind of flavor barter.
What are the most characteristic dishes of Turkish cuisine?
Turkish cuisine is based on combining fresh fruit and vegetables with the highest quality meat. Rice or groats, e.g. bulgur, often appear in the dishes. These are usually not complicated dishes. Intense spices, such as chilli, cinnamon, cumin, cinnamon, black cumin, play a large role here, but also fresh herbs: parsley, mint, coriander. The most characteristic and recognizable Turkish dish in the world is, of course, the famous kebab. Despite the pattern adopted in Europe, this dish is not always served in a bun or pita – in Turkey, this word describes dishes served on a plate, consisting of grilled meat (usually mutton or lamb) and various types of vegetables.
According to one of the legends, Persian soldiers were the first to prepare this dish – by grilling meat impaled on swords. There are many ways to prepare meat intended for serving in the form of a kebab. The most commonly known one can be found in almost every corner of the world – we are talking about Döner, i.e. meat turned on an oblong, vertical grill. Another type – Adana kebab – much spicier in taste, made of chopped meat baked with a special skewer. It is worth mentioning that the way of serving, which is most often associated with the word kebab, is Iskender (slices of grilled meat with vegetables wrapped in pita bread after pouring tomato sauce and spiced yoghurt).
Another signature dish is the famous Meze appetizers. And here you can boldly recall the influence exchangeable with Greece, because this dish is one of the flagship dishes in Greek Cyprus. Meze are small but nutritious dishes. The classic set usually includes, among others, spicy chilli paste called acili ezme, cold-prepared eggplant salad – patlican salatasi, cacik, i.e. yogurt sauce with the addition of grated cucumber and garlic, sheep’s milk curd – beyaz peynir, yaprak dolmasi, i.e. stuffed grape leaves and tarama – a delicious cod roe paste. Meze are served as starters before the main course, or as a snack between meals.
Among the traditional and popular Turkish dishes, it is also worth mentioning the soup that is eaten there quite often – corba. This dish is made with different vegetables, depending on the region. Most often, however, you can find the „variety” of tomato (domates) and cabbage (black cabbage). If you have the courage to experiment, be sure to try sheep’s brain soup or tongue soup!
