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Tourist Turkey hospitably welcomes its guests all year round. The cuisine of this country is a mixture of culinary traditions of many peoples, and therefore in the Turkish menu you will find a huge variety of aromatic and unusual dishes. Despite the simplicity of preparation, Turkish cuisine is of very high quality, and among the variety of food there are truly culinary masterpieces. What should you definitely try in this sunny country?
Soup
In Turkey, for lunch, they prefer delicate creamy cream soups (chorbas), which are prepared on the basis of various products – vegetables, seafood, mushrooms, legumes. Three leaders: tarhana chorbasy (made from dried and ground vegetables, yeast and flour), noodles soup with green lentils and giblets soup.
Baklava
Turkey is a paradise for sweet tooth and bakery lovers. The leader of Turkish sweets is baklava. These are the thinnest layers of dough with a nut-honey filling. Baklava is very satisfying and high-calorie, it is simply impossible to eat a lot of it. There are several variations of this dish – chocolate, kaymak, chestnut filling, and the most popular nuts for sprinkling baklava are pistachios. This dessert will be a great addition to Turkish coffee.
Kokorech
Kokrech is a Turkish fast food classic that goes well with a glass of cool beer. Served kokorech looks like a piece of meat with vegetables or on a quarter of bread. But in fact, these are lamb giblets (heart, lungs, kidneys) with spices, fried on a spit and tightened with the intestine.
Simit
Simit are traditional Turkish bagels sold on every corner, especially on the embankments. In each region, simits differ in taste – somewhere more fried and crunchy, somewhere softer, like crumpets. Simit is eaten just like that, and with sweet sauces – nutella, jam, butter or cream cheese. Simit cafes are also popular in Turkey, where snacks with cheese, ham, vegetables and other fillings are made on the basis of a bagel.
Fish and bread
A fish dish that literally means this concept, and not some special kind of fish, as many tourists think. “Balik” in Turkish means “fish”, and under this name you can enjoy any dish from the fresh catch of fishermen. Most often, freshly caught fish will be grilled and served in bread or lemon juice with vegetables.
Iskander Kebab
Iskander – thinly sliced lamb served with small pieces of flatbread in tomato sauce, ghee and sour cream. Also for thrill-seekers will be offered adana-kebab – strongly peppery minced meat, fried on a spit. Shish kebab is made from lamb and served with tomatoes and bell peppers. In Turkey, kebabs are prepared literally at every step, and everyone can find their taste among the meat variety.
It’s too loose
Kefte is a type of kebab, but it is served in the form of small meatballs and is very popular in Turkey. In each region of the country, these meatballs are prepared differently. Köfte is fried, boiled, baked and grilled on the grill. Initially, chig köfte – raw meat patties with vegetables, but due to the ban in Turkey on raw meat dishes, chig köfte became vegetarian. So, you will be treated to spicy bean cakes, which should be poured abundantly with lemon juice and wrapped in a leaf of lettuce and thin pita bread.
Ice cream
Dondurma is not just ice cream, it is a real show where the chef will demonstrate all the skill of making a dessert, as well as sleight of hand and acting skills. The master will tease you by hiding ice cream behind your back, flirt and make eyes. But in the end, you will get your paid meal, as well as a lot of pleasant impressions to boot!
Coffee and tea
Turkey is famous for its coffee recipes – here this drink is drunk all day. Incredibly aromatic, thick and rich, with various additives or pure black. But popular drinks, such as cappuccino, are best avoided – these coffee cocktails are poorly given to Turks. Also, special attention in Turkey is paid to tea, which is a separate independent dish here. It is not customary for them to drink a meal, but at the end of a meal, you should definitely order a cup of strong tea and enjoy the aftertaste.
Salep
If you plan to visit Turkey during the cool season, be sure to try the national salep. This warming drink is made from special salep flour obtained from dried orchis roots. Also included in the recipe are milk, sugar, water, cinnamon and extracts of vanilla, orange or rose water for flavor.