If
you haven’t tried Turkish food yet, you really should! There is far more to it
than just Turkish delight…
Turkish cuisine has developed continuously over the
centuries since Ottoman rule and has adopted influences from all over the place
including Central Asian, the Middle East, Greece and the Balkans, resulting in
wonderfully diverse, unique and flavoursome menus.
Having
just returned from a visit to Turkey, on which I binged shamelessly on
all my favourite dishes, I thought I’d go one further than the boastful
‘holiday food’ photos on Facebook and write a post on the highlights of Turkish
cuisine. Here
are some of the best Turkish foods that I recommend you try on your next visit.
Kahvalti (Turkish Breakfast)
While
I realise breakfast is a meal rather than a dish, it warrants a mention here
for its uniqueness. Turkish breakfasts are very varied, often consisting of
several small dishes including fresh tomatoes, cucumber, olives, sliced meats,
cheese, honey, jams and bread, all washed down with strong tea served in tall
narrow glasses.
Meze
A
bit like breakfast, some Turkish dishes are served in small portions; these are
called meze and can be hot or cold. Cold meze include dip-style dishes that are
often yoghurt-based, such as haydari (yoghurt with dill), cacik (yoghurt with
mint and cucumber), but can also be vegetable-based such as saksuka (aubergine
and tomato) or hummus. Dolma (rice and sometimes meat-stuffed vine leaves)
are often included too. Hot meze often include small portions of sigara borek (cigarette-shaped
filo pastries filled with cheese), kabak mucver (herby courgette fritters,
which can also be served cold) and calamari or meatballs. A great way to sample
a few varieties is to order the meze plate in a restaurant.
 |
| Saksuka, haydari and sigara borek, meze, Turkey |
Manti
Originally
from Central Anatolia, manti are tiny meat-stuffed ravioli served covered with
yoghurt and sprinkled with dried red pepper or mint. They are made from tiny
squares of dough pinched together to form a parcel around a bit of meat
filling, and are slightly heavier to eat than pasta, but delicious.
 |
| Manti, Turkey |
Su
Boregi
Pastries
are popular in Turkish cuisine. Borek is a general term referring to pastries
with various fillings that can include cheese, herbs, ground beef, and
potatoes. Su boregi is a borek baked in a large tray, served in sliced
portions, with only a mild cheese filling. It has more of a soft doughy
texture, as opposed to the crunchy texture of sigara borek.
 |
| Su Boregi, Turkey |
Levrek
and Cupra
All
along Turkey’s Mediterranean and Aegean coasts you can find beautiful fresh
seafood. Seabass and Seabream seem especially abundant during the summer
months. These meaty fish have white flesh and are usually served grilled with
lemon and a fresh salad. It’s so simple but so tasty!
 |
| Levrek, seabass, Turkey |
Kuzu
Tandir
If
you’re more of a meat-lover oven-baked lamb may be more your scene. Small pieces
of lamb are wrapped in foil and baked until they melt in your mouth. Kuzu
tandir is best served with a shake of salt and a dollop of fresh zingy yoghurt.
 |
| Kuzu tandir with yoghurt, Turkey |
Tavuk
Sis
These
simple but juicy chicken kebabs are often served with rice and salad and are a
great dish for children.
 |
| Tavuk sis, chicken kebab, Turkey |
Karides
guvec
Guvec
dishes can contain chicken, meat or seafood. My favourite is prawns (karides).
The dishes also often feature tomatoes, vegetables and usually cheese, and are
cooked in the oven in ceramic dishes like a stew. They are served piping hot.
 |
| Karides guvec, prawn stew, Turkey |
Kabak
Tatlisi
This
glossy and bright orange dessert does resemble its vegetable origins, but the
beautifully sweet flavour is deceptive. Pumpkin is stewed with sugar to form
glazed pieces of pumpkin, often served sprinkled with nuts.
 |
| Kabak tatlisi, sweet pumpkin, Turkey |
Tavuk
Gogsu
The
name ‘chicken breast pudding’ puts a lot of people off trying this dish, which
is a shame. It is basically a custard-like dessert containing shreds of cooked
chicken giving it a slightly chewy texture that doesn’t really taste like
chicken. It is unique to Turkey and very tasty.
 |
| Tavuk gogsu, chicken breast pudding, Turkey |
Baklava
Baked on large trays, this
extremely sweet treat is made of layers of filo pastry oozing with honey and
sprinkled with chopped nuts. It is usually served as a single piece (or two if
you’re lucky) alongside a coffee.
 |
| Baklava, Turkey |
Turkish
Delight
No
list would be complete without mention of Turkish Delight! Traditionally
rose-flavoured or plain but containing nuts, these powdered sugar-dusted little
cubes come in all sorts of fruity flavours like pomegranate, strawberry and
banana, and even coffee and chocolate, and make an excellent gift to take home. I recommend
buying it by the kilo ‘pick and mix’ style, as it always seems to taste
freshest.
 |
| Lokum, Turkish Delight, Turkey |
What are your favourite Turkish foods? If they're not on this list please share your favourites in the comments below.
Photo credits: Scott Dexter, Garrett Ziegler, Garrett Ziegler
