Turkish cuisine is mainly inherited from the Ottoman cuisine, which is a fusion and refinement of Middle Eastern, Central Asian and Balkan cuisines. Although based on lamb and mutton, Turkish cuisine includes beef, chicken and all sorts of seafood. Roasting and grilling are the common preparations. This cuisine is not homogeneous and every region of the country has its own specialties. The northern Turkey cuisine is based on corn and anchovies, while the southeast cuisine is famous for its kebabs, mezes and desserts like baklava, kadayif and kunefe. Lemony sumac, cinnamon, piment (allspice), pepper and paprika powder are the most commonly used spices. Their favorite garnish is a drizzle of melted butter with a little paprika and a dash or two of cayenne. Onions, garlic, tomato currants and yogurt play an important role in Turkish cuisine.
Breakfast
A typical Turkish breakfast comprises cheese, eggs, butter, tomatoes, olives, eggs, green peppers, cucumbers, recel (a preserve of whole fruits), honey and especially coffee. In fact, the Turkish word for breakfast (kahvaltı), means 'before coffee'. Sucuk (spicy Turkish sausage), borek, pasturma, simit, pogaca and soups are also common at breakfast time. A common Turkish breakfast called menemen, is made with eggs, roasted tomatoes, olive oil and peppers.
Soups and Appetizers
The soups are served at the start of the meal and are mainly made of meat stock. Lentil soup is the most common, but there are other varieties of soups like tarhana, asiran and yayla. Mezes are the appetizers served during the meal, mainly accompanied by wine or raki. Meze includes fried aubergines with yogurt, fish croquettes, gozleme, lakerda, etc.
Lunch and Dinner
The lunch or dinner begins with a soup and a variety of vegetables, salads like stuffed grape leaves, boreck (a kind of spinach, cheese or other filled filo pastry), pilav (a rice dish with small pieces of fish ), meat, Turkish bread cut into wedges and cacik (yogurt, cucumber and garlic dip).
Desserts and Beverages
The Turkish sweets are made mainly of milk and are popular throughout the world. Some of the famous sweets are tavuk gogsu, helva, kazandibi, sutlac, baklava and kadayif (best-known pastries). The Turkish common drinks include Turkish tea, Turkish coffee, salgam, boza and ayran. Turkish coffee is thick and dark and is served in small cups with or without sugar.Raki, the popular alcohol in Turkey, made of anise, is also known as 'lions drink', as you should be strong like a lion to drink it.
Here are some typical Turkish dishes:
Kofte: The koftes are prepared of finely minced meat mixed with onions, spices and many other ingredients. They can be fried, boiled, grilled and even baked. The koftes are named as per their cooking technique, shape and ingredients. For example, Izmir kofte is first grilled and then cooked in a gravy of green peppers, tomato and potato slices.
Pilav: The pilav is one of the main dish that goes onto the Turkish table. It is prepared mainly of rice, but sometimes bulgur (cracked wheat) and sehriye (vermicelli) are also used. The pilav commonly includes chicken peas, aubergines, beans, etc. It is also used as a garnish with chicken and meat dishes.
Borek: The myriad types of borek are unbeatable delicacies of the Turkish cuisine, and these can be cooked, fried, baked or boiled. The common fillings include cheese, potatoes, minced meat and spinach. Sigara boregi is a famous type of borek, which comes in the form of rolls filled with cheese or minced meat mixtures. It should be light and crispy, without a trace of excess oil.
Turkish cuisine has it all. Besides the ultimate freshness and quality of the ingredients, the reason for delicious and healthy Turkish cuisine is the perfect balance of the ingredients combined to flavor the dish.
Breakfast
A typical Turkish breakfast comprises cheese, eggs, butter, tomatoes, olives, eggs, green peppers, cucumbers, recel (a preserve of whole fruits), honey and especially coffee. In fact, the Turkish word for breakfast (kahvaltı), means 'before coffee'. Sucuk (spicy Turkish sausage), borek, pasturma, simit, pogaca and soups are also common at breakfast time. A common Turkish breakfast called menemen, is made with eggs, roasted tomatoes, olive oil and peppers.
Soups and Appetizers
The soups are served at the start of the meal and are mainly made of meat stock. Lentil soup is the most common, but there are other varieties of soups like tarhana, asiran and yayla. Mezes are the appetizers served during the meal, mainly accompanied by wine or raki. Meze includes fried aubergines with yogurt, fish croquettes, gozleme, lakerda, etc.
Lunch and Dinner
The lunch or dinner begins with a soup and a variety of vegetables, salads like stuffed grape leaves, boreck (a kind of spinach, cheese or other filled filo pastry), pilav (a rice dish with small pieces of fish ), meat, Turkish bread cut into wedges and cacik (yogurt, cucumber and garlic dip).
Desserts and Beverages
The Turkish sweets are made mainly of milk and are popular throughout the world. Some of the famous sweets are tavuk gogsu, helva, kazandibi, sutlac, baklava and kadayif (best-known pastries). The Turkish common drinks include Turkish tea, Turkish coffee, salgam, boza and ayran. Turkish coffee is thick and dark and is served in small cups with or without sugar.Raki, the popular alcohol in Turkey, made of anise, is also known as 'lions drink', as you should be strong like a lion to drink it.
Here are some typical Turkish dishes:
Kofte: The koftes are prepared of finely minced meat mixed with onions, spices and many other ingredients. They can be fried, boiled, grilled and even baked. The koftes are named as per their cooking technique, shape and ingredients. For example, Izmir kofte is first grilled and then cooked in a gravy of green peppers, tomato and potato slices.
Pilav: The pilav is one of the main dish that goes onto the Turkish table. It is prepared mainly of rice, but sometimes bulgur (cracked wheat) and sehriye (vermicelli) are also used. The pilav commonly includes chicken peas, aubergines, beans, etc. It is also used as a garnish with chicken and meat dishes.
Borek: The myriad types of borek are unbeatable delicacies of the Turkish cuisine, and these can be cooked, fried, baked or boiled. The common fillings include cheese, potatoes, minced meat and spinach. Sigara boregi is a famous type of borek, which comes in the form of rolls filled with cheese or minced meat mixtures. It should be light and crispy, without a trace of excess oil.
Turkish cuisine has it all. Besides the ultimate freshness and quality of the ingredients, the reason for delicious and healthy Turkish cuisine is the perfect balance of the ingredients combined to flavor the dish.