Turkish Cuisine is one of the greatest cuisine surviving for over 1,300 years due to it’s favorable location and Mediterranean climate. The position of the country from Far East and the Mediterranean Sea helped the Turks to gain control of trade routes, gave an ideal environment which benefited plants and animals to flourish and also helped to develop and sustain a lasting and influential cuisine.
Well established around mid 1400s, the beginning of the Ottoman Empire’s six hundred year reign. Yogurt salads, fish in olive oil and stuffed and wrapped vegetables became Turkish staples.
The important kinds of celebrations that takes place in Turkey are national religious holidays, national secular (non-religious) holidays, local events and festivals. Since majority of the population are of Islamic faith, the religious events are prepared by family and friends.
A thick, sweet pudding called aure (also known as Noah’s pudding) is traditionally prepared during Muharrem. Its ingredients includes fruits, nuts, and grains.
They are basically three meals a day. Kahvalti (kah-vall-tuh), or breakfast; Öyle yemek (oy-leh yem-eck), or lunch; Akam yemek (ak-sham yem-eck), or dinner.
Breakfast generally consisting of fresh tomatoes, beyaz(salty cheese), black olives, bread with jam and honey, occasional soft boiled egg. Tea and freshly baked breads are always present. During winter Sucuk , a spicy sausage and Pastirma, seasoned beef are prepared. Street cart or food stand also known as büfe offers börek , flaky mince or cheese filled pastry, simit, bread ring topped with sesame seeds. Sine majority of the population are Muslims consummation of pork and bacon products are absent from menus.
Lunch is traditionally a heartier and warmer meal than breakfast. Consisting of Corbalar or soups which are served in variety of ways, commonly including lentils and various vegetables and meats. It also includes baked lamb or chicken served with peppers and eggplants, fresh grilled fish with a slice of lemon. Bulgar pilaf is also popular dish. Popular among children is Lahmacun (lah-mah-jun) or Turkish pizza, consisting of thin crust, a layer of spicy ground lamb and tomato sauce. For a quick grab Tost , a grilled cheese sandwich.
Largest meal of the day is usually the dinner in which appetizers, Mezeler are served before the meal. Mezeler dishes largely comprises an entire meal. Dinner includes salads, soups, pilaf-stuffed fish and köfte ( fried minced meatballs). Typically meat dishes are accompanied by starchy vegetables. Deserts includes seasonal fruits and milky pudding.
Restaurants, open markets offers a wide variety of on-the go snacks, including simit ,köfte ,Patates Firin (baked potato carts) and kumpir (potatoes) topped with lentils, butter, cheese, pickles and mayonnaise.
Integral part of human life is food. Primitive humans ate their food raw and whole. Over time they began cutting their food. Then processing their food with grinding stones began and finally discovery of fire happened and thus cooking took place. In a same way eating and drinking etiquette has evolved over time and in today’s world courtesy and elegance has been developed. Different methods of cooking has been developed with time and every country has its own culture of cooking and variations in the kitchen. As in Turkey, cooking techniques varies from traditional to contemporary kitchen and in some level they are similar to each other. Cooking methods in Turkey are basically divided into five main cooking methods and each divided into smaller categories.
First method of cooking is with water. This method takes place by boiling or steaming. Meat, vegetables and legumes are boiled in water. One rare but not unheard in Turkish kitchen in Bain-marie. For cooking rice the method used is Corum and İkilip. Second method is frying. It can be either deep or pan fried. Often food is cooked by frying especially vegetable patties, vegetable and Turkish doughnuts. Third method is dry-heat cooking which includes roasting, grilling, broiling and sautéing. Common in Anatolian kitchens is Tandoori which is another form of dry-heat cooking. Anything can be cooked under Tandoori oven. Konya, Siirt and Kastamonu are known for all kinds of tandoori lamb meals. Fourth method of cooking is water-oil cooking. This method is commonly used is Turkish kitchen and also for making stuffed foods, moussaka, stew and any other dish cooked in saucepan.
Ingredients and spices in any cuisine play an important role which helps the dish to enhance. The ingredients in Turkish cuisine are lamb, beef, chicken, eggplants, green peppers, onions, garlic, lentils, beans and tomatoes. In Turkish cuisine nuts have a special place. Nuts including pistachios, chestnuts, almonds, hazelnuts and walnuts and are used extensively in desserts or eaten separately. Spices and herbs include parsley, cumin, black pepper, paprika, mint, oregano, pul biber (red pepper), allspice and thyme. Olives are common on various breakfast and meze tables. Iftars in Turkey are usually opened with olives.
Cooking generally requires oils and fats to give flavor to the dish. Widely used oils and fats in Turkey are butter or margarine, olive oil, sunflower oil, canola oil and corn oil. Also sesame, hazelnut, peanut and walnut oils are used. Sometimes used in kebabs and meat dishes is Kuyruk yağı (tail fat of sheep). Turkey is rich and diverse in flora, meaning that fruits are varied, abundant and cheap. Fruits were frequently accompanied with meat as a side in Ottoman cuisineand . Frequently used fruits are plums, apricots, pomegranates, pears, apples, grapes and figs and also various kinds of citrus fruits. In Komposto (compote) or hoşaf (from Persia meaning “nice water”) are the main side dishes to meat or pilay. Dolma and pilaf generally contains currants or raisins. Etli yaprak sarma (vine leaves stuffed with meat and rice) was cooked with sour plums in Ottoman cuisine. Desserts in Turkey do not contain fresh fruit but may contain dried varities. Turkish cuisine has a special place for eggplants.
Meat is mostly eaten at wedding ceremonies or during Kurban Bayrami (Eid ul-Adha) as etli pilay (pilaf with meat), and now has become part of the daily diet since the introduction of industrial production. Cooking of meat mainly remains with the combination of ground meat and vegetable. Such as kıymalı fasulye (beans with ground meat) or kıymalı ıspanak (spinach with ground meat, which is almost always served with yogurt). In coastal regions cheap fish such as Sardines (sardalya) or hamsi (anchovies) are widely available along with seasonal availability. Consumption of chicken and eggs is common. Kuzu çevirme, cooking milk-fed lambs and is a contemporary consumption which was once the most popular source of meat in Turkey.
There are some ingredients found in Turkish culinary culture that are flagships. Food’s origin can be traced in spices, fruits, vegetables and flour products. This cuisine is multi-layered and multi-colored. Ingredients vary across the country and region specially. Some ingredients that make Turkish cuisine Turkish are Bulgur (large (kalın) and small (ince) grain bulgur which have been staples in Anatolian cuisine for centuries.) Its partially cooked and dried before grinding. It behaves very similar to rice or couscous. Larger grains used for pilafs and smaller grains used with minced meat for making the outside casing of içli köfte. Both versions are available in supermarkets, smaller shops and markets. Kimyon (cumin) associated with curries and sauces from the Indian subcontinent, still it is one of the key ingredients in many köfte recipes across Turkey. It use diversifies as we travel towards south and eatern Turkey it is used in vegetable dishes, meat and fish dishes as well as salads. Dereotu (dill) is known for its distinctive flavor and aroma and is used in salads, fillings for dolma and börek (savory pastry). Its also a medium for garnish. Usually chopped dill is found on fava (board) bean paste or artichokes cooked in olive oil. Its well known from Ottoman kitchen and is a traditional herb. Tarçın (cinnamon) main condiments of Ottoman cuisine. Added to deserts and most versatile spices found in Turkish cuisine. Kaymak (clotted cream) a rich thick cream which is rolled and sliced. A key ingredient in deserts as ekmek kadayıfı ( dried, bread style cake soaked in sugar syrup which has clotted cream spread between two layers) and kaymaklı kadayıf (dried shredded wheat pastry soaked in syrup with clotted cream). Nohut (chickpea) also known as garbanzo bean, ceci bean, and in other cuisine known as Bengal gram, hummus or chana. Associated as vegetarians meal is high in protein and carbohydrate. Its used in soups, stews, rice dishes and also roasted nuts. Leblebi, as they are called, come in a variety of forms. Partially cooking and roasting them turn chickpeas into a crunchy snack that has a slight smoky flavor. Left to dry after partially cooking, white-colored leblebi are more “nutty” in flavor. Alongside these two common leblebi are sugar and soy coated varieties. Peynir (cheese) produced in Turkey are of two major classes, one is lor (ricotta style) and other is Tulum (traditionally matured in animal hides). Visitors in Turkey are accustomed to beyaz and taze kaşar (feta and cheddar style cheese) during breakfast each morning. Most common cheese is of cow’s milk and sheep’s and goat’s milk cheese are also used. Yenibahar (allspice) also called as “new spice” includes Jamaica pepper, Myrtle pepper and pimento. Although its sometimes taken as black peppercorns since its brown in color. Sometimes confused with mixed blend of spices since its aroma is a mixture of clove, nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger. It can be used as a whole or mixing one part of nutmeg to two parts of cinnamon and cloves. It is added to fillings for dolma and was used in Ottoman style pilafs.