WHAT IS GASTRONOMY

WHY DO I WANT TO BECOME A GASTRONOMIST?

Gastronomy is one of those terms often tossed around in the culinary field, used to
define everything from fine dining experiences to specific studies of the chemical
manipulation of food. While popular use puts the word almost always in the hands of
chefs and cooks, gastronomy actually goes beyond cooking to define the food world
as a whole.

From the science of human digestion to the study of cultures and the way they
interact with food, gastronomy is all about the relationship between humans, food,
and the world we live in.

HISTORY OF GASTRONOMY

For as long as there has been food, there has been gastronomy in some form or
another. Questions regarding what we eat have always been around:

How can we make this taste better?

What provides the best boost of energy?

What types of foods have healing properties? How can we cultivate this food to
provide more of it?

Later on, cuisine became more specialized, and cookbooks and apprenticeships
developed to provide instruction on the preparation of food.

However, it wasn’t until the 1800s that gastronomy started to develop as an actual
field of study. Instead of simply learning how to make food, people began to focus on
how dining could be an experience—how the senses interacted in order to create a
whole meal to be enjoyed. The French, of course, are the first to claim the title and
the field as their very own.

CAREERS IN GASTRONOMY

As long as you integrate a learning component into what you do, almost any culinary
career can be considered a part of the larger gastronomy umbrella. Although being a
chef or molecular gastronomist is your best way to earn the “gastronomy” title, you
can also go beyond the kitchen to consider:

Food science

Cultural food studies

Culture, food, and human development

Food manufacturing

Health and nutrition

Food writing/blogging

Some culinary schools take this idea one step further; for example, Boston Univers ity
offers a Master of Liberal Arts in Gastronomy degree.

Critics will tell you, however, that you don’t have to work in food at all to be a true
gastronomer. Simply enjoying food, appreciating cuisine, and building up your skills
as a connoisseur in the field can all contribute to your growth in the gastronomy
spectrum.
 Types of Vegetables

This is a list of plants that have a culinary role as vegetables. “Vegetable” can be used in
several senses, including culinary, botanical and legal. This list includes botanical fruits such
as pumpkin, bean, bell pepper, cabbage, carrot, etc.

• Artichoke
• Bean
• Beetroot/Beet
• Bell Pepper (Capsicum)
• Broccoli
• Brussel Sprout
• Cabbage
• Carrot
• Cauliflower
• Cucumber
• Celery
• Chive
• Chilly (Red Chilli)
• Chayote
• Eggplant (Aubergine)
• Garlic
• Green Onion
• Kale
• Mushroom
• Mint (Peppermint)
• Potato
• Onions (Red)
• Pumpkin
• Peas
• Radicchio
• Squash
• Corn (or Maize in the UK)
• Spinach
• Tomato
• Taro
• Turnip
• Zucchini
• Yam
• Lettuce
• Ginger
• Radish
• Leek
• Parsnip
• Bitter Gourd
• Coriander leaf
List of Vegetable Names with Examples
 • Artichoke leaf has been shown to lower cholesterol.
• I’d like to add some pepper to the bean curd.
• The beetroot had turned the soup a glorious pink.
• While that lies in the pan, I cut the bell pepper and onion.
• She grew all the broccoli plants from seed.
• If you overcook the cabbage it’ll turn to mush.
• We used a carrot for the snowman’s nose.
• I’m just making the sauce for the cauliflower.
• We had a cold cucumber soup as a starter.
• Farm workers harvesting the celery soon developed a serious skin rash.
• At noon today, we brought Chinese chive fried with egg and mad apple
stewed with bean.
• The processing technique of the mixed juice beverage of Chinese
yam chayote and carrot is researched.
• He likes to eat eggplant.
• I love the taste of garlic.
• Some slender green onion slices are added just before eating the soup.
• Anna makes a supper of groats and curly kale.
• The stem of the mushroom is broken.
• The bills were fresh from the mint.
• The potato is vulnerable to several pests.
• The kitchen was redolent of onions.
• The pumpkin is a real monster.
• Spinach is a valuable source of iron.
• It’s similar in size to a tomato.
• Fry the taro balls into golden ones.

Vegetable Names | Infographics

Find the vegetable names with their images illustrated below:

 Types of Fruits

Here is the list of common fruits with their pictures in English:

• Apple
• Apricot
• Avocado
• Banana
• Blackberry
• Blueberry
• Cherry
• Coconut
• Cucumber
• Durian
• Dragonfruit
• Fig
• Gooseberry
• Grape
• Guava
• Jackfruit
• Plum
• Kiwifruit
• Kumquat
• Lemon
• Lime
• Mango
• Watermelon
• Mulberry
• Orange
• Papaya
• Passionfruit
• Peach
• Pear
• Persimmon
• Pineapple
• Pineberry
• Quince
• Raspberry
• Soursop
• Star fruit
• Strawberry
• Tamarind
• Yuzu
Fruit Names with Example Sentences

Apple

• She selected an apple from the fruit bowl.

Avocado

• The avocado is a valuable food.

Banana

• A green banana is not ripe enough to eat.

Blackberry

• The blackberry juice stained their fingers .

Blueberry

• The blueberry pie came with a mound of whipped cream on the side.
Cherry

• The oriental cherry is in full blossom.

Coconut

• Coconut is one of the staple exports of the islands.

Cucumber

• He gave me a huge cucumber.

Durian

• He ate durian and his tummy got bigger.

Gooseberry

• I have some Chinese gooseberry.

Grape

• He put a grape into his mouth and swallowed it whole.

Guava

• A grey guava rolled to my feet.

Jackfruit

• Many people like the taste of jackfruit, but it smells terrible.

Plum

• The plum tree is now in full blossom.

Kumquat

• As part of the ritual, everyone carries the kumquats to the table.

Lemon

• I like lemon in my tea.

Lime

• The gas has been tested with lime water.

Mango

• The fruit tasted rather like mango.

Watermelon

• I bought a watermelon and some peaches.

Mulberry

• Mum made mulberry pies the first year we were there.

Orange

• She filled her mug with orange juice.

Papaya

• I don’t drink any alcohol but I love papaya juice and drink tons of mineral
water.
Peach

• He pulled a peach from the tree.

Pear

• He has been pruning the pear trees.

Persimmon

• Fruit to apple, pear and persimmon security for the bulk.

Pineapple

• The pineapple was sweet and juicy.

Quince

• Pear trees are grafted on quince rootstocks.

Raspberry

• She spread the toast thinly with raspberry jam.

Star fruit
 • The star fruit in the super market are not fresh now.
Strawberry

• He spread some strawberry jam on his toast.

Tamarind

• There was also a bitter tamarind soup.

Yuzu

• Consumers were hooked on the natural ingredients and exotic scents like
ginger, yuzu, lychee, and ylang-ylang.
What’s the Difference Between a Legume, Bean, and Pulse?
You’ve probably heard about legumes, pulses, and beans before, but what’s the
difference? Let’s clear up the confusion once and for all.

Here’s what you need to know about these fiber-filled treasures, and how you can easily
incorporate them into your diet. Legumes, pulses, and beans are words that are often used
interchangeably, but there are small differences. Here are some additional insights to clear
any confusion.

Difference Between Legumes and Pulses

First and foremost, think of legumes, pulses, and beans in a hierarchy: legumes are the
umbrella term, with pulses directly underneath. Beans fall under both of these – beans are
legumes and pulses.

Legumes

Legumes include all types and forms of beans and peas that come from the Fabaceae (or
Leguminosae) botanical family. In other words, legumes are the umbrella family that all
beans, peas, and pulses fall under, and include thousands of varieties grown around the
world. The main types of legumes include:

• dry and fresh beans, and soybeans

• dry and fresh peas
• lentils
• chickpeas
• peanuts

All forms of legumes are naturally low in fat and cholesterol, as well as high in fiber and
protein. Legumes are also a good source of iron, magnesium, and folate — essential
vitamins and minerals needed for a number of bodily functions, including cell growth and
formation, bone formation, and immunity.

Pulses

What’s the difference between pulses and legumes? Pulses are the dried seeds of the
legume plants. Not all legumes are pulses. The different types of pulses include:

• dry beans
• chickpeas
• lentils
• dry peas
Hundreds of different varieties of pulses are grown around the globe. The word stems
from the latin word puls, meaning seeds that can be made into a thick soup.

Pulses are an affordable source of plant-based protein, with about 2-3 times as much
protein per serving as cereal grains such as rice, oats, barley, and wheat. A one-cup serving
also has almost half your daily needs of fiber, including both soluble and insoluble fiber, as
well as resistant starches. These types of fiber can aid in digestion and help improve gut
health and motility. For reference, it is recommended that women aim for 25 grams of
fiber per day, and men should aim for 38 grams.

Beans

As mentioned before, beans and legumes are often used interchangeably. However, even
though beans are legumes, there are other legumes that can not be classified as beans.
Beans are also a type of pulse. Some of the most common types of beans include:

• pinto beans
• kidney beans
• great northern beans
• fava beans
• lima beans
• mung beans
• black eyed peas
• cannellini beans
• black beans
• adzuki beans

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends adults consume 3 cups of beans per
week, which is equivalent to about a ½ cup serving per day. Research shows that including
beans as part of a healthy diet may help reduce the risk of heart disease and certain types
of cancers, lower blood pressure, support weight control, and help manage diabetes.

The difference between pulses and legumes, and how beans fit into the mix, is actually
quite simple when you look at the big picture. Remember, legumes are at the top of the
chain, with pulses as a category of legumes. Beans then fall into both categories of pulses
and legumes.
 Glossary Of Grains, Cereal and Flour Names

What are grains?

Edible grains have diverse textures and flavors, and various cultures turn them into unique
foods.

Simply put, grains are edible seeds from the Gramineae family. The plants from this family
come in diverse species.

What are Grains, Cereals and Flour?

Let’s distinctly define all the three terms:

1. Cereals are a type of grass from which the grains are obtained.
2. Grains are the small and hard seeds that are harvested from the cereal crops.
3. Flour refers to powdered raw grains and other things including nuts, seeds, etc.

A. TYPES OF TRUE GRAINS

True grains are the most popular types of grains. People around the world turn these
grains into specific foods, which reflect local cultures.
Samples of true grains include:

1. WHEAT
Wheat is cultivated in various parts of the world, becoming an important part of daily
diets.
Wheats are used to make breakfast cereals, flour, noodles, pasta, cakes, and
porridge. Wheat is typically milled, but the grains can also be puffed, flaked, or
steamed.

2. OATS
Oats are often considered as “healthy grains” because their germ and bran are not
removed. They are rich in soluble fiber, making them ideal as diet foods.
Oats are also recommended for diabetic people, because their beta-glucan improves
insulin response.

3. RICE
Oats are often considered as “healthy grains” because their germ and bran are not removed.
They are rich in soluble fiber, making them ideal as diet foods.
Oats are also recommended for diabetic people, because their beta-glucan improves insulin
response.
Rice is the quintessential staple food from Asia, highly revered as an important food
source and cultural element.
There are more than 40,000 rice varieties, 100 of them are grown around the world.
Brown rice is a term of rice grains that still have their bran layers. They are
considered healthier than white rice.

4. CORN
First grown by Native Americans, corn is an important food source aside of rice and
wheat.
Young corns have yellow, sweet, juicy kernels, perfect for plain eating. Older corns
with high starch content are used to make flour.

5. BARLEY
Barley is a popular Asian grain that gains more recognition as a healthy food. Barley is
used to make bread, soups, stews, porridge, noodles, and tea.
Malted barley is the main ingredient for fermented alcoholic drinks, like whiskey and
beer.

6. MILLET
Millet used to be eaten in Asia by poor populations, because they grow on hard soil
and have a coarser texture.
However, millet now enjoys rising popularity as a healthy food source.
Millet is a type of gluten-free grain, making it perfect for people with Celiac disease.
Millet can be used to make flour, bread, pancake, and porridge.

7. RYE
Rye grows well in colder climates, where barley, rice, and wheat cannot survive.
Rye flour is denser and rougher compared to wheat or rice, because it contains low
gluten. Rye is used to make sourdough, crispbread, and black bread.

8. SORGHUM
Sorghum is closely related to sugarcanes and can grow on dry, harsh soil. Sorghum
grains have diverse colors, from yellow and white to red and purple.
Sorghum is low in fat but high in carbs. Sorghum is traditionally used to make
unleavened bread, but now, you can find these grains in healthy breakfast cereal,
bread, and beverages.
9. TRITICALE
Triticale is a new grain type, which combines the texture of wheat and the hardiness
of rye.
Triticale does not have the same popularity as other “healthy grains,” because the
harvest is still inconsistent. It can be used to make cakes, muffins, crispbread, and
breakfast cereals.

B. TYPES OF “FAKE” GRAINS

“Fake” grains have similar appearances to the true grains, but they don’t come
from Gramineae family.
They are rising in popularity because of their high fiber contents. Fake grains are also
used to make gluten-free versions of bread, cake, porridge, and smoothies.
Some of the most popular fake grains are:

1. QUINOA
Quinoa is a popular fake grain in the Andes, but now, it has entered the healthy
eating trend. Quinoa grains are mostly dark, with shades ranging from red to brown.
These grains contain a lot of amino acids and fiber. Quinoa is used to make breakfast
flakes, flour, bread, crackers, and protein powder.

2. AMARANTH
Amaranth has small grains that become softer on the inside when cooked (but with
crispy exterior).
Amaranth can be boiled with just water, but you can add them to cookie batter, rice
dishes, salad, and breakfast cereal.

3. BUCKWHEAT
Buckwheat is popular in Asian countries and is used to make flour for bread, pancake,
and noodles.
Buckwheat is the main ingredient of Japanese soba. These grains contain a lot of
vitamin B, minerals, and bioflavonoid called rutin.

C. REFINED GRAINS VS WHOLE GRAINS

What are whole grains? Why are the healthy eating trend recommending these grains
for your diets?
Whole grains mean the grains don’t have their bran and germ layers removed during
the processing. The results are slightly coarse but nutritious grain products.
Whole grains are considered healthier because they contain more fiber, vitamin B,
and minerals.
What are refined grains? Unlike whole grains, refined grains have their bran and germ
removed during the processing. It gives the end products smoother, more pleasant
textures.
However, it also strips the grains from important nutrients. Refined grains appear in
regular noodles, pasta, white bread, crackers, and many other products.
Whole grains are usually more expensive, but they contain more important nutrients
than refined grains.
Meanwhile, refined grains must be enriched during processing, because most of the
important nutrients are gone.
Difference between Cereal and Pulses
Cereals

▪ Highly rich in Carbohydrates

▪ Largely produced. Staple of a majority of the population
▪ Grows in almost all kinds of soils except in extreme climatic conditions
▪ Family: Poaceae
▪ Type of grass harvested for the hard fruit/seeds known as grains
▪ Eg. wheat, rice, corn, barley, etc.
Pulses

▪ Highly rich in proteins and amino acids. Low in carbs

▪ Consumed and produced in much less quantities
▪ Grown in pods that may have 1-12 seeds each. All soils except dry-light soil
▪ Family: Leguminosae
▪ Crops harvested for seeds in a pod
▪ Eg. Lentils, beans, snow peas, chickpeas, etc.
 Ten Basic Spices

Onion, Ginger and Garlic

1. Garlic
The Greeks called it stinking rose, but its pungency aside, garlic has a rich history of culinary
and medicinal use. First found growing on the mountains of Central Asia, this versatile fresh
spice is quite a staple in many culinary explorations. Stir-fry would lose its characteristic
flavor, garlic bread would not be in existence and certain sauces, soups and foods would be
rather flat. Whether it’s minced, chopped, roasted whole or pickled, garlic can transform and
upgrade any number of dishes.

Garlic belongs to the Allium family and gives off a strong pungent smell, due to the presence
of allicin. The smell can reputedly ward off vampires (and any hot dates), but it is also the
chemical responsible for a number of health benefits. According to the University of
Maryland Medical Center, allicin and other sulfur compounds in garlic may help lower
cholesterol, reduce risks of heart disease and prevent certain cancers.

2. Onion
The onion needs no introduction. It is after all, the oldest edible source known to mankind.
We’re familiar with it since it’s quite ubiquitous in many cuisines—Indian, Asian,
Mediterranean, Mexican and Continental, to mention just a few. It is quite indispensable in
curries, stir-fries, soups, stuffing, pastes, and sauces and can be used as a garnish or a
condiment. Its strong robust flavor and characteristic pungency help to complement and
enhance the flavor of foods. Its versatility is far-reaching: toss thinly-sliced onion in a salad
for that extra kick, add it to sandwiches, sauté chopped onion in stir-fry for added flavor,
simmer it in soup to add sweetness and blend it in sauces and condiments to add
excitement, or caramelize it to release the burst of flavor.
Culinary prowess aside, onion also exerts strong health benefits—even more reason to
include it in your diet. Onion is naturally high in antioxidants, quercetin and chromium (helps
to maintain proper hormonal balance) and low in fat and calories. Eating approximately two
teaspoons of onion a day may significantly lower the risk of prostate cancer, according to a
study from the National Cancer Institute. Another study conducted in the Fred Hutchinson
Cancer Research Institute reveals that onion increases a key enzyme for removing toxins in
the blood cells of healthy women. Quercetin exerts anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory and
anti-diabetic properties and is quite a fat blaster too.

3. Ginger
Ginger has been used as a cooking spice for at least 4,400 years. An underground stem
(rhizome is the technical word), ginger not only imparts flavor, zing and zest, it is also used in
many cultures as a medicine. It is reputed to have many splendid uses: relieve nausea, treats
common cold and flu, aids digestion, headaches, menstrual cramps and arthritis, amongst
others. However, these uses should not be dismissed as folk medicine. A number of studies
have been done and have validated some of the claims. Among them—ginger is beneficial
for treating nausea, motion sickness, as a digestive aid for mild stomach upset, reducing the
pain of osteoarthritis and in cancer chemotherapy.

Ginger continues to be a favorite in culinary uses. It is used in many and varied ways. From
flavoring main entrees to soups to flavoring desserts and drinks, ginger has found a
permanent place in the halls of delectable cooking. Ginger cookies, ginger-infused chicken,
ginger tea, ginger beer, ginger candy—the world would be a sadder place without these
culinary indulgences.

White, Green, Red and Black Pepper

4. Pepper (White, Green, Red and Black)

Peppercorns once as used interchangeably as money—they were used to pay rent, tolls and
wages in Eastern Europe, are much loved in many countries and have been used creatively in
many dishes from peppering steak to creating exotic desserts and drinks. In essence,
peppercorns are dried fruits and the color depends on the time of harvest and the
processing method. In general, they are pungent and aromatic, with the white pepper
leading on the pungency barometer. Green and black peppercorns are more aromatic.

Different cultures have developed certain pet preferences, though not exclusively. For
instance, in Thailand, fresh green peppercorns are used in stir-fries and curry pastes. The
Chinese and Japanese have a preference for white pepper, using it to good effect to “spice
up” their soups. Western cuisines also prefer white pepper to coax flavor out of white sauces
or white meats. However, black pepper is used in almost all of the world’s cuisines, hence its
domination in production and consumption. A dash of black pepper can enhance the flavor
of any dish.

5. Cinnamon
When they say spice and all things nice, they must refer to cinnamon. Warm, sweet and
fragrant, it is the spice most favored in the winter months to beat the cold and blue.
Cinnamon, the oldest spice known—was mentioned in the Bible and used in ancient Egypt to
flavor beverages and often used as an embalming agent. It is also used in medicine, as a
preservative and to mask strong odors. Various studies have pointed to several health
benefits with cinnamon use: has natural anti-infectious compounds, helps to regulate blood
sugar, reduces harmful LDL cholesterol, reduces menstrual pain and may prevent the
proliferation of cancer cells.

There are typically two kinds of cinnamon—the sweeter, more refined Ceylon cinnamon and
the more common Chinese cinnamon (cassia). They are available in sticks or powder. A
sprinkle of cinnamon can work wonders with desserts, breads, cookies, pies, candies,
beverages and even savory dishes. They work well with sweet vegetables such as squash,
sweet potatoes and pumpkin—hence the spiced pumpkin pies.
6. Cumin
Cumin comes from the dried seeds of an annual plant in the parsley family. Nutty, aromatic
and earthy, cumin is a regular spice of choice in Middle Eastern, Indian, Asian,
Mediterranean and Mexican cuisines. It is often sold whole or ground, and it is available in
three colors: white, black or amber, with the amber being the most widely available. You
may choose to roast cumin seeds to enhance flavor.

It works well in many types of dishes and is one of the main ingredients in curry powder. You
can pair cumin with beans, chicken, lentils, chickpeas, potatoes, sausages, soups, stews,
eggs, couscous, chili and it can be used in condiments and sauces as well.

Spices Commonly Used in Asian Cuisine

7. Cayenne
Cayenne pepper is invaluable if you love spicy food. The active ingredient, capsaicin, imparts
a spicy hit and the degree of spiciness varies with varieties of red chili pepper used. You can
use fresh chili pepper or the powdered form. It can be added to food to enhance the spice
factor and to add color.

Cajun and Creole cooking feature cayenne often, and so do the cuisines of Southeast Asia,
China, Southern Italy and Mexico. Gumbo, curries, Kung Pao chicken, fajitas may never taste
the same without the characteristic spicy hit of cayenne.

Apart from culinary use, the capsaicin in cayenne has been utilized in a number of cream and
ointments to relieve arthritis, shingles and personal defense sprays.

8. Basil
Widely used in Italian, Mediterranean and Thai cooking, basil is rich, spicy, slightly peppery
with a hint of mint and clove. This lovely culmination of flavors makes it delight to use,
whether fresh, dried or frozen. Basil is considered part of the mint family, and there are
about 40 varieties. The sweet basil is the most common. The Vietnamese and Thais use a
spicy, smaller-leafed version called Thai basil. It is characterized by its purple stems and
dainty purple flowers, and it carries a sweetness akin to licorice and anise.

Basil is incredibly versatile. The leaves can be eaten fresh or cooked. Fresh leaves add extra
zing to salads and can double up as beautiful garnishes. Minced, chopped or blended
together with other herbs (works especially well with garlic, thyme and lemon), there are
countless ways to enjoy this aromatic herb. It greatly enhances the flavor of veal, chicken,
fish or lamb. When used with mild vegetables such as cauliflower, potatoes, cabbage,
squash, eggplant or zucchini, basil accentuates the taste factor. Soups, stews, sauces and
marinades with basil add zip and zest.
9. Oregano
Small grayish-green oval leaves characterized Oregano. Crush some fresh leaves between
your fingers and it will exude a warm, peppery and sweet fragrance. This herb boasts high
levels of vitamin K, manganese, iron, calcium and dietary fiber. Oregano means “mountain
joy,” and this herb has no doubt brought joy to the culinary experience.

Oregano belongs to the same family as marjoram and is often mistaken as a result. However,
oregano has more pungency and is less sweet. It is steeped in Italian cooking and oregano is
an indispensable spice in common fares like pizza and spaghetti sauce. It is also used
extensively in Mediterranean and Mexican cooking. Fresh oregano can be tossed on top of
pizza, in salads, in omelets and works well with sautéed mushrooms and onions. Infuse
essential oils of oregano by immersing a few springs in a bottle of olive oil. The oregano
scented oil can then be used for salad dressings, as a dip for bread or cooking.

10. Rosemary
Shakespeare called it the herb of “remembrance” as it is long believed to enhance memory.
It is also traditionally used to provide relief for headaches, improve memory, relieve muscle
pain, stimulate hair growth and support circulatory and nervous systems. This is often
achieved through aromatherapy or ingestion. According to the University of Maryland
Medical Center, some studies showed that rosemary may help prevent thrombosis, inhibit
foodborne pathogens such as Listeria monocytogens, B. cereus and S. aureus and help to
reduce stress and anxiety.

Woodsy, fragrant and aromatic, rosemary is used in many Mediterranean dishes and works
well in gravies, risotto dishes and stocks. It pairs well with chicken and lamb. Fresh bouquets
add a beautiful touch as a garnish and it can be used to flavor vinegars, wines and olive oils.

Spices and Flavors

Spices that enhance sweet flavor means you can add less sugar and spices that enhance
savory flavor means you can add less sodium and fat.

Spices that enhance sweet

Spices that enhance savory flavors Spicy Spices
flavor

Allspice Basil Ginger

Anise Bay Leaf Chili pepper

Cardamon Celery seed Mustard

Cinnamon Chili powder Paprika

 Spices that enhance sweet flavor means you can add less sugar and spices that enhance
savory flavor means you can add less sodium and fat.

Spices that enhance sweet

Spices that enhance savory flavors Spicy Spices
flavor

cloves Cumin Wasabi

ginger Curry Pepper

mace Dill Curry

nutmeg Majoram Cayenne

Oregano Korean Red Pepper

(Gochugaru)

Rosemary

Thyme

Sage

Tarragon
 The 4 Categories of Kitchen Equipment

Kitchen Equipment

We can separate the categories of kitchen equipment into four types: food production,
maintenance, food storage, and special/miscellaneous kitchen equipment.

Whether involving a commercial kitchen or a simple home kitchen, you may find all of these
categories together.
The four categories of kitchen equipment are: food production, maintenance, special, and
food storage equipment. Here’s more information about them:

1. Food Production Equipment

Cooking Ranges
The production category includes cooking ranges. Compared to other equipment in this
category, cooking ranges are the most versatile because they can work on either electricity
or LPG.

They can also carry out a wide array of functions including frying, cooking, grilling, boiling,
and baking.

Check out the two basic types of cooking ranges:

• Heavy-Duty Range – This kind of range is usually expensive. As its name suggests,
the heavy-duty range is ideal for large-volume food production and can be used
with other ranges through a battery.
• Restaurant Range – Unlike the heavy-duty range, restaurant ranges are more
economical. However, they are limited to smaller food volumes and can’t be
integrated with other ranges.
• Usually, cooking ranges feature 4 to 8 burners. However, this will be determined by
the amount of food that needs to be cooked.

• Burners
• Burners are used to bake, boil, and cook and they often use LPG, or liquid petroleum
gas. Nowadays, there are burners for induction and hot plates that run on electricity.
They arrive with a mesh top, open top, or flat top.

Ovens
Another piece of equipment in this category is ovens. They are utilized for baking, cooking,
and roasting, as well as browning foods. This equipment can run on electricity or LPG.
In the market, you can find various oven models, such as Rack (with the option of revolving
or steady racks), Deck, and Tunnel, depending on their shapes and working styles.

• Deck Oven – This equipment comes with racks or rotisseries inside it. It can cook
different meats like lamb, chicken, and duck, among others, at the same time in
an even manner.
• Rack Oven – This comes with a set of stacked racks that are usually positioned as
equidistant (one rack above the other, all in a huge stainless steel frame).
• Tunnel Oven – This equipment features direct heat as well as indirect heat
variants. It is ideal for high-temperature baking.

Cooking Spoons and Pans

In terms of cooking, you can find a wide range of pots, pans, and spoons.

The cook selects a pan depending on the method of cooking to be done, as pans also come
with a network of utensils.

Pots, on the other hand, are ideal for preparing stocks. Generally, this cookware comes with
a lid. When cooking, you will need spoons to check the thickness or tenderness of the food.

You will also need these utensils when stirring and flipping what you are cooking.

Vegetable Choppers and Cutters

Choppers or cutters are used to create different shapes and sizes when slicing, chopping,
dicing, slicing, and shredding vegetables.

For puddings or soups, they are also utilized to cut bread into small pieces. In terms of
delivery, handheld cutters are used to cut bananas, vegetables, and much more.

Cutters are usually made out of stainless steel or plastic. Some cutters feature a zig-zag or
straight edge and single or multiple wheels.

Also, some cutters have around the design of a bowl to cut round fruit bits.

Steamers and Cookers

Commercial steamers and cookers work mostly using electricity. In restaurants, cooks utilize
this equipment for cooking lentils, rice, and vegetables.

lso, steamers are used to cook steamed food like idli, which is a type of soft rice dumpling,
dhokla, and momos.
 2. Maintenance Equipment
Dishwasher
Most people utilize dishwashers to save time and effort when cleaning dishes.

This equipment can wash multiple bowls and dishes at the same time, thereby promoting
efficiency.

Dish Warmer
This kitchen equipment can dry as many as 1800 dishes in one hour.

Aside from cleaning, it also removes possible contamination caused by traditional dish drying
methods.

3. Special Equipment
In this category, you will find some of the miscellaneous kitchen tools that you can use at
home or in a commercial kitchen.

Shredders
Food shredders can cut vegetables and fruits into string-like pieces.

These are commonly used in vegetarian cookery.

Nutcracker
This kitchen equipment is used to crack and remove hard nuts like almonds, hazelnuts,
walnuts, pine nuts, pistachios, and palm nuts.

Some machines can also shell pumpkin and watermelon seeds as well as peel peanuts,
almonds, and cashew nuts.

Kitchen Knives
Who can imagine a kitchen without a knife? Kitchen knives are among the most important
utensils for preparing food and they can be used for filleting, slicing, dicing, carving, cutting,
and much more.

Knives also come in different types, as follows:

• Utility Knife
• Steak Knife
• Paring Knife
• Santoku Knife
• Chef’s General Knife
• Carving Knife
 • Slicing Knife
• Cleaver
• Turning Knife
• Serrated Knife
• Boning/Filleting Knife

4. Food Storage Equipment

Under this kitchen equipment category are refrigerators, freezers, display counters,
vegetable storing systems, heated storage systems, cold storage systems, and stainless steel
wall shelves, among others.

These are important for keeping your ingredients fresh and ensuring that they last longer.

Conclusion
To summarize, kitchen equipment categories are divided into four types: food storage, food
production, maintenance, and special equipment.
 Essential Kitchen Utensils List

Now, let’s got through all 43 of our essential kitchen items, whilst telling you why you should
have this in your kitchen.

Food Preparation Equipment

Chef’s knife – there are plenty of different types of knives you could buy. But in reality, you
only really need one or two. A chef’s knife is undoubtedly the most versatile of knives. You’ll
be able to use it for the bulk of your basic cutting, slicing, and chopping needs. Be sure to
buy a stainless steel chef’s knife to ensure it doesn’t rust easily.

Paring knife – whilst a chef’s knife is indeed versatile, it can be a little on the large side.
Pairing it with a paring knife will afford you the same versatility. It’s smaller in size and has a
shorter blade which will give more control for more nuanced preparation.

Bread knife – whilst most bread comes sliced, some certain types of bread, like focaccia and
panini bread, will need to be cut open by yours truly. To do this, you shouldn’t just use any
knife. The serrated edge of a bread knife will enable you to saw through it, whereas a flat
knife would just squash the bread.

Knife sharpening/honing rod – all knives become blunt over time, and one of these will
certainly put a bit of sharpness back into them. This is particularly important if you don’t
have quite enough money to really splash out on a good knife or set of knives, as cheaper
knives tend to dull more quickly.

Chopping/cutting board(s) – it’s no good having the best knives in the world if you’ve not
got anything to prepare your food on. Whether you choose plastic or good ol’ fashioned
wood is up to you. Ideally, you’ll have several boards for different type of food (raw meat,
washed vegetables, fish, dairy). This can reduce the risk of cross-contamination in the
kitchen which could result in food poisoning.

Kitchen shears/scissors – these are incredibly versatile and can make your food preparation
a lot easier. Use them to cut strips of meat, or just quickly chop up dried fruit or veg.

Vegetable peeler – this will allow you to remove the skin and peel from most vegetables
with ease

Garlic press – whilst chopping your garlic is pretty straightforward, using a garlic press can
finely mince your garlic to extract all of its flavor. This also reduces the risk of unexpectedly
biting into a large piece of garlic in your food!

Grater – try and find one with different surfaces for finer grating and zesting
Kitchen scales – essential for baking, but also good if you’re wanting to control your portion
sizes

Measuring jug – measure out your liquid hassle free

Measuring spoons and cups – Whilst most of Europe cook by weight rather than by quantity
(cups) like in the US, it’s still good to get measuring cups as well as measuring spoons. This
will enable you to rustle up some stateside meals without having to go through the faff of
converting the recipe’s ingredients.

Mixing bowl – there are times when you’ll need to combine several ingredients together. A
good mixing bowl should be large enough to handle a large quantity of ingredients and also
allow enough space for the mixing process.

Colander/pasta strainer – use this to wash vegetables and other large objects before
preparing. You can also use these to drain boiled produce and pasta once cooked.

Sieve – this is mainly used for de-clumping flour when baking. But it can also be used to
rinse finer ingredients, such as lentils or rice, before cooking. These would usually fall
straight through a colander or pasta strainer.

Rolling pin – if you’re planning on making anything with pastry this is a must to evenly
flatten out your dough

Can opener – whilst most cans now come with ring pulls, there are still some that require a
can opener to get at their contents. A can opener is also really helpful in the event that the
ring pull snaps off!

Blender> – some recipes, especially sauces and soup, will require you to blend the
ingredients together. This doesn’t have to be some monolithic appliance that dominates
your worktop. You can buy smaller and more convenient handheld blenders that do the job
nicely.

Cooking Equipment

Frying pan/skillet – an essential piece of kitchenware. You can use this to shallow fry a
variety of ingredients.

Saucepans – whilst you will be doing a lot of cooking in the frying pan/skillet, you’ll need a
high sided pan too, especially for sauces. We recommend buying at least 2 because it’s
highly likely that whilst you have your sauce going in one, you’ll need to cook some
carbohydrates, such as rice or pasta, in another. For more flexibility in the kitchen, buy pans
of varying sizes.

The type of pans you should buy will be dependent on what sort of stove tops you have.
Most pans are suitable for most hobs. However, halogen and induction hobs will need thick
based matt surfaces or magnetized metal pans respectively.
Ovenproof dish – if you have an oven, you’re going to need something to bake food in

Roasting tin – this high-sided tin is great for roasting things in, as it lets the juices gather at
the bottom

Baking sheet – not just for cookies, but for anything that requires easy slide-off access to
remove once cooked. This can also be used underneath an ovenproof dish to make it easier
to remove and catch any overflowing food that occurs during the cooking process.

Stirring spoon – you’ll need one for stirring your cooking. We recommend a traditional
wooden spoon as it’s less likely to warp or melt in direct heat. However, if you’re too rough,
or the spoon is quite old, they can split or splinter.

Slotted spoon – these will be used to remove food from water. The slots in the spoon will
allow the majority of water to fall away in the process.

Spatula – this is great for removing food from frying pans/skillets. The slots in the spatula
will allow excess grease and fat to fall away whilst removing.

Tongs – these are great for lifting things out of water, or turning thick meat over in a frying
pan/skillet, such as salmon fillets. Using tongs means you reduce the risk of damaging the
meat as you might do by trying to slide a spatula underneath it. The best ones to buy are
ones with silicone ends which are heat resistant and won’t damage your pans. They can also
double as tongs to serve salad with.

Masher – especially good for potatoes, but great for pulping other food such as avocado.
Whilst a fork can be used to do this, a masher is far quicker and effective. However, they can
be tricky to clean by hand afterward.

Balloon whisk – if you’re making sauces, you’ll definitely want one of these. Admittedly,
electric whisks and whisk attachments to hand blenders take a lot of effort out of whisking.
But it’s still good to have one of these around in case of an emergency, or if you’re dressing
as a Dalek for Halloween.

Oven gloves – these will help prevent nasty burns when removing things from the oven

Pot holders – these square pieces of fabric make it easy to remove hot pots from the stove
and protect your hands in the process. Furthermore, you can place pots on them to prevent
the hot surface from damaging your worktops.

Food/meat thermometer – this is essential for ensuring good hygiene in your kitchen. Using
one of these can ensure that food is cooked properly and all the way through, decreasing the
risk of under-cooked food and food poisoning.

Serving Equipment

Ladle – great for serving up soups, but also for more fluid food such as dahl
Pasta fork – admittedly, this looks more like an odd-shaped spoon than a fork. However, it’s
incredibly handy for removing and serving pasta such as spaghetti and linguine that would
otherwise go through the holes of a pasta strainer/colander.

Pizza cutter – even if you don’t admit to eating much pizza, these are quite good to have.
They can also be used to divide up flatbread.

Corkscrew – although many wine bottles now come with screw caps, there’s still plenty that
have a wooden or a plastic cork in them. Don’t get caught out by not having one of these
about the house.<

Bottle opener – if you prefer beer over wine, then you’ll certainly need one of these

Storage Equipment

Plastic containers – these are great for keeping food and leftovers fresh in the refrigerator.
They can also be used for freezing leftovers in the freezer. Make sure you buy some that are
also microwave safe to add even more versatility to them.

Plastic zipper bags – great for storing prepared ingredients in the fridge or freezer. These
also tend to take up less space than plastic containers but aren’t great for liquid.

Bread bin/box – keeping bread in one of these ensures that the bread stays well ventilated,
out of direct light, and dry, increasing its shelf life

Miscellaneous Equipment

Plastic wrap/clingfilm – these will help keep any food fresh and bug-free during preparation
or keeping excess ingredients fresh for longer

Kitchen foil – great for baking as it reflects heat which can greatly help the cooking process
of some food

Baking parchment – if you’re planning on doing a lot of baking, this is a must. This grease-
propelling paper will ensure things don’t stick where they shouldn’t.

Tea towels – these aren’t just for drying up dishes. They can cover food without risk of
trapping too much moisture, which is essential in the preparation of some dishes.

Kitchen tool organizer – lastly, you’re going to need somewhere to put all of these utensils!
Whilst some can easily be put in a drawer, some are better placed in preparation and
cooking areas for quick and easy access. We recommend buying 2 because this will mean
they’re not so tightly packed that they become difficult to remove. Alternatively, you can
have ones in each area of the kitchen (prep and cooking).
 Kitchen Utensils List
Food Preparation Equipment
• Chef’s knife

• Paring knife
• Knife sharpening/honing rod
• Bread knife
• Chopping/cutting board(s)
• Kitchen shears/scissors
• Vegetable peeler
• Garlic press
• Grater
• Kitchen scales
• Measuring jug
• Measuring spoons
• Measuring cups
• Mixing bowl
• Colander/pasta strainer
• Sieve
• Rolling pin
• Can opener
• Blender

Serving Equipment
• Ladle
• Pasta fork
• Pizza cutter
• Corkscrew
• Bottle opener
Cooking Equipment
• Frying pan/skillet

• Saucepans
• Ovenproof dish
• Roasting tin
• Baking sheet
• Stirring spoon
 • Slotted spoon
• Spatula
• Tongs
• Masher
• Balloon whisk
• Oven gloves
• Pot holders
• Food/meat thermometer

Storage Equipment
• Plastic containers

• Plastic zipper bags

• Bread bin

Miscellaneous Equipment
• Plastic wrap/clingfilm
• Kitchen foil
• Baking parchment
• Tea towels
• Kitchen tool organizer
 Organizational Structure of the Kitchen

Modern kitchen organizations aim at orienting staff in all the areas of the kitchen, so that a
multi-skilled workforce is created. A business organization is defined as an arrangement of
people in jobs to accomplish the goals of the operation. The organizational structure of the
kitchen reflects the needs of the operation, the job functions, and the various goals.

The jobs and duties of staff members also vary from kitchen to kitchen, and so do the tides
attached to the jobs. But certain positions and titles do occur throughout the industry.

Here are some of the most common positions with a general definition for each and a
place in the typical kitchen hierarchy:

Chef De Cuisines (Executive Chefs or Head Chefs):

This position carries overall responsibility for all aspects of production, for the quality of the
products served, for hiring and managing the kitchen staff, for controlling costs and meeting
budgets, and for coordinating with departments not directly involved in food production.

Duties also include making new menus, purchasing, costing, and scheduling of employees.
They are also responsible for kitchen plant and machinery.

Sous Chefs (Under the Chefs):

They are the principal assistants to the head chefs and aid the chefs in general administra-
tion and in particular, supervising food production, and overseeing its service. They are the
acting head chefs in the absence of the head chefs.

Chef Gardemangers (Pantry Chefs):

They are responsible for all cold food presentations, which might include hors d’oeuvres,
salads, sandwiches, pates, etc.

Butcher Chefs:

They are in charge of the butcher shop which prepares meats, fish, and poultry as desired by
the user departments of the kitchen.

Pastry Chefs:

They enjoy a different status and the work of their department is generally separated from
the main kitchen and is self-contained in the matter of cold storage, machinery, and
equipment. They are responsible for all hot and cold desserts. These may include cakes,
pastry, ice creams, creams, etc.

Boulangers:

They are the bakers who work under the pastry chefs and are responsible for all baked
products such as bread, breakfast rolls, etc.

Potagers (Soup Cooks):

They are responsible for preparing soups and stocks, which may include cream soups,
consommes, bisques, broths, national soups, essences, etc.

Entremetier (Vegetable Cooks):

The entremets course is, on the menu, the sweet which is prepared by the pastry chefs.
Entremets de legumes were the vegetable courses traditionally featured on a menu.

The entremetiers are therefore concerned with the preparation of the following:

i. All vegetable dishes,

ii. All potato dishes,

iii. All egg dishes,

iv. All farinaceous dishes.

Chef Rotisseurs [Roasting Cooks):

They are responsible for braised meats, roasted meats, and meat dishes. Their section is also
responsible for deep-frying of foods.

Sauciers:

They are responsible for all sauces and sauce-related dishes.

Banquet Chefs:

They are responsible for all food to be prepared for banquet functions and also for the
buffet in coffee shops.

Chef Tournants:

They are the reliever chefs who take charge in the absence of the section chefs. They were
usually multi-skilled cooks, who would fit into any job in case of emergencies.
Chef De Parties (Section Chefs):

All chef de parties are supervisors in charge of a clearly defined set of activities within the
kitchen. They are the station heads and must be skilled to cook every dish made by their
stations. They should also have a certain degree of administrative skills. They should be able
to plan and carry out production schedules for the section.

Demi Chef De Parties:

They are also in a supervisory capacity. They take charge in the absence of the chef de
parties. They assist the chef de parties.

Commis:

There are both commis Is and commis IIs; the Is being seniors. They are the assistants to die
chef de partie. However, in most hotels now, the commis I and II have been classified as
commis only.

Apprentices:

These are the trainees who help out in day-to-day operations.

These positions defined here are in a classical sense. In the real world, they are combined,
altered, and adapted to fit the specific goals of the individual operation.

Figures 2.1-2.5 represents the organizational charts of the kitchen departments of different
types of hotels.
 TURKISH CUISINE
Turkish cuisine is one of the world’s top cuisines, joining the ranks of French, Chinese, Italian,
and the like. Like the country’s cultural mosaic, the food of Turkey is very colorful and
contains countless different influences and tastes. The cuisine of Turkey has continued to
evolve over centuries, deriving influence from its rich history of lands that hosted first the
Byzantine, and then the Ottoman Empires.
pecific tastes in different regions of Turkey contribute to the complexity of the country’s
cuisine. The availability of different Turkish food in some regions also helped to shape the
foods common to that particular area. The Eastern Black Sea region, for example, is not
appropriate for wheat production due to heavy rainfall; therefore the residents developed
dishes that rely mostly on corn and cornflour. Likewise, the Southeastern Anatolian region is
famous for kebabs as a result of its abundant livestock. The Aegean region, known for its
olive production, is famous for its delicious olive oil vegetable dishes and herbs; while
pastries are the monopoly of Thrace.

Istanbul has always attracted a large number of migrants from other parts of Turkey,
relocating to the city in search of work. Because of this, Istanbul has become the cultural
heart of Turkey, sharing the most delicious Turkish foods from each region in its unique
cuisine.

Meals and food customs in Turkey

The Ottomans Turks had two meals a day. The first meal, which they ate between morning
and noon was more like brunch. They would have the second meal of the day anytime
between late afternoon and evening; this meal consisted of meat dishes served with
vegetable and legume accompaniments such stuffed eggplant or bulgur pilaf with
vegetables.
In Turkey, nowadays most families enjoy 3 meals a day.

Weekday breakfasts are basic and quick but weekend breakfasts where the family comes
together are large and consist of many different foods.

Lunches in Turkey are usually made of seasonal dishes, soup, salad, etc. Dishes that require
time and effort to prepare are not common at this meal. Meat-based dishes, as well as
desserts, aren’t served at lunches.

Dinners are usually a more elaborate and richer one because it’s the only time when family
members have been working in fields or at another job all day come home together.

In Turkey, there is another unofficial meal called “yatsilik” which is eaten after dinner around
9 or 10 pm. Nuts, dried, and fresh fruits are usually served with black Turkish tea. Some of
the most common foods served for yatsilik are seasonal fresh fruits, dried plums, figs, dried
fruit pulps (grape, apricot or mulberry), and nuts like pistachios, almonds, roasted chickpeas,
roasted pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds, walnuts, and hazelnuts.

Breakfasts in Turkish cuisine

Breakfast is a significant event for many cultures around the world but in Turkey, it’s more
like an elaborate ceremony than just another meal of the day.

Weekday breakfast in Turkey is a light, quick, yet filling meal. It has all the energy you need
to get through your day without getting too hungry. The Turkish breakfasts are very diverse
and offer many vegetarian/vegan options for those looking for something other than animal
protein while also providing good suggestions if someone prefers meat in their diet.

Traditional Turkish breakfasts are large and plentiful, consisting of several small dishes
including cheese, olives, tomatoes, butter, jams and spreads, loaves of fresh bread, and, of
course, an abundant flow of black tea. The breakfast in rural areas and of the poor is,
however, most commonly, soup.

Cheese is one of the most important foods of breakfast in Turkey. The cheese varieties vary
depending on the region and may include beyaz peynir (white cheese), bergama tulum from
Aegean Coast, deri tulum, otlu peynir from Eastern Turkey, comlek peyniri from central
Anatolia and tel peynir and abaza peyniri from Black sea coast. Vegetables and potatoes are
also fried up using olive oil, hazelnut oil, or sunflower oil.

Eggs are a staple in most Turkish breakfasts, they can be boiled, fried, or made
into menemen with peppers and tomatoes.
The traditional Turkish breakfast is a family-oriented affair, with many different dishes that
are all served at the same time. The meal can last for hours with family and friendly
conversations.
Turkish people have started to get their family-oriented weekend breakfasts at restaurants
in recent years, but the truth is there isn’t much difference between a traditional breakfast
made and served at home or one you can find at a breakfast saloon or a restaurant. If you
would like to experience a traditional Turkish breakfast but have no invitation for a
homemade one, read our blog post about the best breakfast restaurants in Istanbul serving
traditional breakfast.

Dinners in Turkish cuisine

A typical Turkish homemade dinner starts with a warm soup, followed by a dish made of
vegetables (zucchini, eggplant, cauliflower, green beans, potatoes, spinach to name a few),
meat or legumes (beans, chickpeas, lentils) boiled in a pot and typically served with starchy
foods like bread, Turkish rice pilaf, pasta or bulgur. As a refreshment, green salads or cacik is
served alongside the main meal.

Homemade food in Turkish cuisine

The Turkish people are more likely to eat at home rather than eating out, which is a
relatively new concept introduced by modern life. In an effort to save time, many couples
have started cooking at home less and eating out more.

In Turkey, it used to be that women were at home while men worked in order to prepare
food for their families. But with more dual-income households and a higher standard of
living in urban areas, there have been fewer opportunities for family meals together around
a table or over an open fire – so it’s common now for Turkish people to eat out or take away
more often instead of cooking homemade dishes like they would’ve before the 1980s when
this tradition started fading away as well.

Key ingredients of Turkish cuisine

Vegetables: okra, pea, green peppers, tomato, mallow, artichoke, carrot, cucumber, chicory,
spinach, zucchini, cauliflower, celery, asparagus, cabbage, mushrooms, parsley, lettuce,
potatoes, beets, eggplant, leek, arugula, garlic, purslane, onion, radish

Legumes: broad beans, beans, chickpeas, lentils

Meats: lamb, beef, chicken, fish

Spices: rosemary, red pepper, nigella seeds, thyme, cumin, mint, cinnamon, coriander,
turmeric, sumac, black pepper, clove, poppy seeds, saffron, sesame seeds

Nuts: pistachios, chestnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts

Grains: rice, bulgur

Oils: Sunflower oil, olive oil, hazelnut oil

Fruits in Turkish cuisine

The vibrant and colorful landscape of Turkey means that fruits are numerous, plentiful, and
cheap. Either fresh or dried, oranges, mandarins, plums, apricots, pomegranates, pears,
apples, grapes, and figs are the most popular fruits used in Turkish cuisine. Fresh fruits are
usually eaten after dinner as a dessert but there are also some Turkish dishes that make use
of seasonal fruits.

The sweet-salty flavor of these dishes, which are usually flavored with sour fruits such as
plum and quince, has its roots going back to the Ottoman era. Here are some of the best-
known fruity Turkish dishes:

Ayva Dolması: Stuffed quince dish. Quince is usually stuffed with the same filling as dolma
dish.

Çağla Aşı: Unripe fresh almond dish. A celebration dish that is made with lamb, fresh almond
fruit ( not the seeds), yogurt, and garlic.

Yeni Dünya Kebabı: Loquat fruits stuffed with lamb meat.

Bread in Turkish cuisine

Bread is another indispensable part of every Turkish meal. This has been true for thousands
of years, and it remains the most important component to every meal: breakfast or dinner –
without bread your Turkish meal will lack that something special. It is eaten, whether it is
particularly suited to the meal, or not.

Turkey has the highest bread consumption per person in the world. Bread consumption a
year is 199.6 kg (440 lb) per person. Turkish people eat more than three times their own
body weight in bread annually.

Some of the most common breads in Turkey are:

Bazlama Ekmek: Bazlama is a type of leavened bread with a circular and regular shape.

Yufka Ekmek: The phyllo bread, which is eaten in Anatolia for more than a thousand years, is
generally made from wheat flour, water, and salt. If dried, this type of round bread can last a
long time (6-12 months). Fresh yufka is often used as the main ingredient in products such as
pancakes and börek.

Misir Ekmegi: Corn bread, which is high in nutrients, is one of the types of bread that is
found in the Eastern Black Sea Region.
Pide: Pide bread or pita bread is a type of flat bread that is common in Turkish and Middle
Eastern cuisines.

Lavas: Lavas bread is made of water, flour, and salt. It is a thicker bread than yufka but
thinner than pide. It is used to make wraps.

Somun Ekmek: Loaf bread, which is one of the most consumed types of bread in Anatolian
cuisine, can be found almost anywhere. It’s been a staple for centuries and has the
appearance of fluffy and golden yellow color.

Traditional Turkish dishes and food

Turkish cuisine has a wide variety of foods, including cereals, pastries, vegetables, and self-
growing herbs mixed with meat. There are also many soups and other traditional Turkish
foods that incorporate butter, sunflower oil, and olive oil as an ingredient. Turkish cuisine
has also its own unique types of healthy food, such as grape molasses, yogurt, bulgur, etc.

Soups in Turkish cuisine

Turkey has a rich and diverse soup menu that is second to none in the world and can be one
of the very few countries in the world where you can get soup for breakfast, lunch, and
dinner. You are going to need more than 200 bowls of soup if you ever want to experience
all the different soups in Turkey.

A Turkish meal usually starts with a soup (çorba). The most common types of soups are
made with lentils, yogurt, chicken, and wheat. You can read more about soups in Turkish
cuisine in this detailed blog post.
Some of the most popular soups in Turkish cuisine:

High Plateau Soup (Yayla Çorbası)

Cold Ayranaşı Soup (Soğuk Ayranaşı Çorbası)
Tripe Soup (İşkembe Çorbası)
Tomato Soup (Domates Çorbası)
Chicken and Vermicelli Soup (Şehriyeli Tavuklu Çorbası)
Tarhana Soup (Tarhana Çorbası)
Lentil Soup (Mercimek Çorbası)
Cheek and Shank Soup (Kellepaca Çorbası)
Rice, grain, and pilafs in Turkish cuisine

Rice is used extensively in Turkish cuisine. It is featured in many of the stuffed meat and
vegetable dishes as well as being served as pilaf, and Turkish people have very high
standards for its preparation. A great-tasting pilav is proof of a Turkish housewife’s good
cooking skills.

Pilafs in Turkey are usually cooked plain only with butter but there are also those exotic rice
dishes flavored with spice, nuts, and fruits—others made with meat, fish, and vegetables,
are known as sultan pilavı. Pilafs are usually served as an accompaniment to the main course
of meat or fish, but some more substantial pilafs, like yufkalı pilav and safranlı midyeli pilav
can be served with a salad to make a full meal, iç pilavı, with currants, pine nuts, and calves
liver, is served all over Turkey, especially on special occasions. Acılı Bulgur Pilavı is actually
made with bulgur, or cracked wheat, which has a nutty flavor. Rice with chickpeas is a
popular and nutritious type of rice dish in Turkey. In the summer, some pilafs are served cold
with plain yogurt.
The preparation of pilaf is as much an art today in Turkey as it was in the sultan’s kitchen in
Ottoman times.

Vegetable dishes in Turkish Cuisine

Turkey is no stranger to vegetable-based and vegetarian cuisine. The country’s cooking

culture often uses vegetables and wild-grown greens, cooked as vegetarian dishes or with
meat for the protein hit that can stretch precious supplies of food items like beans and rice.

Aegean and Mediterranean regions are well known for their warm and sunny climate which
allows growing vegetables year-round. Some of the most common vegetables grown and
eaten in Turkey are zucchinis, eggplants, cauliflower, bell pepper, green beans, spinach,
artichokes, carrots, and celery.

Fresh vegetables are cooked in many ways, but they mostly fall into one of these categories:
meatless vegetable dishes (including vegetables with olive oil), boiled, fried, and roasted
veggies. Fried vegetables are usually served with garlic yogurt sauce.
A typical vegetable dish is prepared with a base of olive oil, chopped onions, pepper paste or
tomato paste (concentrated tomato sauce), and fresh tomatoes. Usually, the vegetables and
hot water is added to this base and prepared as a pot dish. Minced meat can be added to
most vegetable dishes except the ones cooked with olive oil. Olive oil dishes are also eaten
cold and having meat in them is not a great idea.

Pickles are another popular way for Turkish people to enjoy their vegetables. Pickles are
made from all kinds of vegetables, including carrots and cucumbers.
Some of the most popular vegetable dishes in Turkey are:
Karniyarik: Large eggplant stuffed with ground beef, chopped-up onions, garlic, tomatoes,
and green peppers and cooked in oven.
Kizartma: Deep-fried vegetables (usually eggplant, zucchini, potatoes, green peppers) served
with yogurt sauce.
Mücver: Graded vegetable (the most popular one is zucchini) mixed with egg and flour and
deep-fried.
Lahana sarmasi: Rolled white cabbage, stuffing is usually with onions and rice and may have
minced beef if preferred with meat.

Kapuska: Thin sliced white cabbage cooked with onions and tomato sauce. Can be cooked
with minced beef or lamb.

Ispanak yemegi: Onions, spinach, and rice cooked with tomato sauce (tomato paste). Usually
eaten with garlic yogurt.

Türlü: A vegetable dish made with eggplant, zucchini, potatoes, tomatoes, and onion.

Zeytinyağlı biber dolması: Stuffed bell peppers.

Kabak oturtma: Zucchini roasted with beef or lamb mince.

Meat dishes in Turkish cuisine

From the delicious chicken dishes to beef and lamb, Turkish cuisine is definitely a carnivore’s
paradise. The meat cooking methods are also varied – from roasted meats cooked in spiced
sauces or stews with vegetables to skewered kebabs grilled over slow-burning coals. The
kebabs and meatballs are two other very popular ways of preparing meats in Turkey.
Almost every city in Turkey has its own style of kofte and kebab which consists of spiced
chicken, lamb, or beef.
Cooking lamb meat with bulgur, (cracked wheat) and legumes is also a common way of
preparing main meals in Turkey. If the dish has lentils, beans, or chickpeas, as the dish is
already very nutritious and can be made quickly, a small amount of meat is used just to give
the dish a meat flavor.
Lamb was the most popular meat in Ottoman cuisine. The beef was only used to make
sausages and dried meat (pastirma). In today’s Turkish cuisine, besides lamb, beef and
chicken meat are also used in abundance. Especially chicken meat has become the most
popular meat in Turkey in recent years due to its cheap price compared to red meat. In
2020, chicken consumption in Turkey was more than beef meat and lamb combined.
Kebabs in Turkish cuisine

In Turkey, kebab is cooked at home as well as in restaurants. It is either cooked on skewers

over an open flame but it may also be prepared in pots drily without any water. The pot style
kebabs are a more common type of kebabs cooked at home as it’s an easier way to prepare
kebabs. Skewered kebabs often dined at restaurants, but they are also the quintessential
dish for any family picnic where a mangal (barbeque) is ready with charcoal open flame.

Kofte made with ground beef or lamb, grilled meats, skewered meats, and grilled tomato,
peppers, and eggplant are also cooked for family picnics.

Fish and seafood in Turkish cuisine

In Turkey, fresh fish is plentiful everywhere. However, it’s a specialty of coastal areas where
local people will tell you when and where the catch was made to assure its freshness. The
high price of seafood and fish in Turkey makes it an infrequent dish (compared to red meat
dishes), and the average person eats four times less than a European counterpart.

Fish are grilled, fried, or cooked slowly by the buğulama (poaching) method but some of the
most delicious fish dishes are also the most simple, such as cornflour-coated, deep-fried
fresh anchovies.

One of the many reasons why fresh anchovies are such a popular fish in Turkey is because
it’s so versatile. There are so many different ways to cook it and at the right time of year, its
prices go down which makes it affordable for everyone. Some other reasonably priced and
popular fishes that can be found in Turkey are bonito, farmed sea bass, mackerel, sardines,
and farmed sea bream.

While quite delicious, the high prices of red mullet, ocean salmon, swordfish, turbot, and
bluefish turn these fishes more like a delicacy or a treat.
Bugs, clams, crabs, oysters, lobsters, octopuses, and scallops are almost never cooked and
eaten at home and usually found on the menus of fancy restaurants.

While prawns, squid, and calamari are more common, they are still not often cooked at
homes and usually eaten as an appetizer in fish restaurants. In contrast, in Turkey, one of the
most loved and popular street food is mussels that can be found all across the country either
deep-fried mussels or rice stuffed mussels.

Entrail dishes (offal) in Turkish cuisine

Offal (or, entrails) dishes have great importance in Turkish cuisine, mostly because the offal
parts of the animals are cheaper and more nutritious than the other cuts of meat. Almost all
markets have a ratio of one entrails seller to every three butchers, and some regular
butchers also sell entrails.

Most entrail dishes are grilled and flavored with thyme. The list of well-known Turkish foods
that are made with entrails is long and includes fried brains, brain salad (a kind of mezze),
grilled liver slices, fried livers (Arnavut cigeri, a favorite kind of mezze), liver stew with
thyme, tripe soup (iskembe corbasi), tripe with chickpeas, tripe au gratin, grilled spleen
(especially useful as a treatment for anemia), grilled kidneys, grilled ram testicles, grilled
sheep intestines (kokorec), sheep head (kelle) and trotter soups.
Tripe restaurants, commonly referred to as ‘the last stop of drunks’, are open 24-hours a
day. Generally, the dishes are served with bread and plenty of chili and garlic and are
enjoyed as a hearty meal.

Turkish street food

When Turks are not eating in their own homes, they like food that is satisfyingly filling, but
which is cooked quickly. There are many favorite ‘fast foods’ of the Turks, including those
listed below:

Doner
Doner is an old Turkish favorite that has also become a famous dish in a lot of Western
countries. A compressed lamb and beef combination is grilled slowly as it spins on a vertical
rotisserie by an open flame. As it rotates, the cone of doner meat is roasted by the flame and
then slowly carved down in very thin slices with a very long knife. The meat is then served on
bread or lavas wrap (durum) with your choice of tasty tomatoes, onions, lettuce, yogurt, and
potatoes.

Gozleme
Known as the Turkish pancake, gozleme is a simple traditional Turkish food, however, it is
often listed among the specialties at certain small eating spots. A very thin sheet of dough,
similar to a crepe, is baked on a curved sheet of metal and then filled with cheese, potato,
spinach, or ground meat, and is always served fresh.

Pide
Most commonly referred to as a Turkish ‘pizza’ because this fast food is made with thick
dough and topped with a selection of meats, vegetables, and cheeses. Made fresh to order
in a wood-fired oven, pide is usually long and oval-shaped as and cut into many slices to
enjoy.

Lahmacun
This delicious Turkish version of pizza is made from a thin layer of pastry on which minced
meat is spread with tomato, onion, salt, and parsley, and spiced with red pepper to your
liking. Generally, Turks fill the center with tomatoes, lettuce, and onions and a sprinkle of
lemon juice, and roll to eat.
Simit
One of the simple pleasures of Turkish cuisine is a ring-shaped bread covered by sesame
seeds. Simit can be found easily everywhere in Turkey, and most commonly sold on the
streets, displayed in small covered carts or small stands, and sometimes simply carried by a
walking vendor with simit piled high on his head. The simit looks like a plain bread roll but is
a favorite breakfast accompaniment, or snack on the streets of Istanbul, usually enjoyed
with some cheese and ayran.

Kokorec
One of the favorite fast foods of Turks, this dish made from sheep intestines is flavored with
herbs and served in bread tomatoes, onions and parsley. Despite how it sounds, it’s actually
delicious and you can find the best kokorec in Kadikoy, Ortakoy and Balik Pazari districts of
Istanbul.

Kumpir
This Turkish food is simply made from large baked potatoes which are then cut in half and
filled with your choice of a variety of fillings, including cheese, olives, salads, pickles, peas,
mushrooms, sausages, and corn.

Kofte ekmek
One of the best street foods you will find, usually sold from minivans. The bread is filled with
kofte (meatballs) and onion, hot spices, tomato, salad, and parsley.

Cig kofte
This fantastically simple and healthy food is enjoyed in the streets all over Istanbul. Meaning
‘raw meatballs’ the most common varieties now are made without meat and are a raw
bulgur meatball ‘cooked’ in spices. Cig kofte is generally served wrapped in a lettuce leaf and
sprinkled with fresh lemon juice.

Meze and salads in Turkish cuisine

Vegetables are a very important part of the Turkish diet, and fresh salads are an essential
part of most meals. They are served with the main course. Most salads are simply made with
leafy greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, onions, and whatever other vegetables
are in season.
Salads made with beans, grains, and vegetables are frequently a part of a winter meze.
Edible wild greens such as dandelions are often cooked and served cold with a drizzle of
extra-virgin olive oil or lemon juice.

Today, meze culture is very common in Turkish taverns and restaurants. Hot and cold Turkish
mezes ordered to the table in small plates and are shared by everyone at the table. Turkish
meze can be served with any kind of beverage. Turkish wines and Turkish raki, make great
accompaniments to appetizer mezes.
Wild herbs with yogurt sauce, pickles, ezine cheese, melon, vegetable dishes with olive oil,
stuffed grape leaves, haydari, lakerda, arugula salad, tomato and onion salad, roasted
eggplant salad, marinated fish, octopus salad, shrimp cuts, sautéed wild herbs, pilaki, fava ,
olives, şakşuka, celery salad, artichokes with olive oil, ezme salad are the best examples of
mezes in Turkey.
Turkish people give careful consideration to the acid, fat, and salt ratio of the different
mezes when ordering many of them together. Some of these mezes mentioned above are
dipping mezes and usually served with toasted bread.

Turkish desserts

Baklava and kadayif, those sweet, nutty, flaky pastries, are the most familiar Turkish desserts
to the rest of the world. The most famous baklava types are from the southeastern Turkish
cities of Gaziantep and Urfa. They prepare it with painstaking care from rolling the thinnest
possible sheets of fresh filo dough to selecting and grinding the nuts. Baklava, until the
1990s, was a celebration dessert in Turkey only served during the religious holidays of
Ramadan and Sacrifice feast.
There are also uni-foods in Turkish kitchen such as katmer that can be eaten as a breakfast
meal or a dessert after dinner.
Delicious milky puddings often complete Turkish meals, and shops all around Turkey display
puddings decorated with fruits and crushed nuts like ground pistachios. Puddings are infused
with rose water, vanilla, or mastic, a fragrant pine resin. Milky desserts are cooked in Turkish
homes more than syrupy desserts as it is easier to make them.

With all the fruit that is grown during the long sunny months in Turkey, it is not surprising
that figs, melons, and sultana grapes as well as citrus fruits have been a part of the cuisine
since antiquity. Simple spiced fruit compotes are a typical ending to a large meal, and many
homes have large jars of preserved fruits in their larders.

Asure is a Turkish dessert that has the most diverse variety of all desserts because it uses
nearly every type of grain, nut, and fruit in Turkey.
There are 3 main types of Turkish desserts:

Syrupy desserts: Syrupy desserts are desserts made with dough and usually by pouring sugar
syrup on them. Baklava, tulumba, kadayif, sekerpare, lokum (Turkish delight), revani, irmik
tatlisi, tas kadayif, lokma, and burma are some of the popular syrupy deserts.
Milky desserts: Milk desserts, which are lighter compared to syrupy desserts, are both easy
to eat and easy to digest. Keskul, sakizli muhallebi, sutlac, tavukgogsu, kazandibi, dondurma
(Turkish ice cream), and gullac are some of the popular milk based desserts in Turkey.
Fruit desserts: hosaf, komposto, kabak tatlisi, ayva tatlisi, pestil are among the popular fruit-
based Turkish sweets.
Turkish beverages

It is common to think that as the majority of Turks are Islamic, alcoholic beverages wouldn’t
be common. However, they’re just about equally available in Turkey as anywhere in Europe.
Rakı and beer make up a large portion of alcohol consumption in Turkey. The country has
long been producing great wines in a number of regions and wine production in Turkey also
goes back thousands of years ago.

In Turkey, there are two dominant types of non-alcoholic drinks: black tea and Turkish
coffee. Turkish people also love to drink herbal tea as well, especially on cold winter days.
Mint, sage, ginger, tyme, chamomile, rosehip teas are some of the popular ones.

Turkish tea
Turks love tea, and most Turks drink many cups a day. Turkish tea is always offered first to
visitors and guests to all homes and businesses. Turks prepare tea by brewing it in a teapot
(not with ‘tea bags’), preferably porcelain, over a kettle, and a perfectly brewed Turkish tea
should be a deep red color. Although tea can be found served in porcelain cups at the major
hotels and cafes, Turks prefer to have their tea served in glass cups. Although instant coffee
(which Turks call ‘Nescafe’) is quite common, nothing can take the place of a good cup of
tea.

Tea gardens (cay bahcesi) abound in Istanbul. These open-air gardens, usually located in
areas with stunning panoramic views, also serve fruit juice, colas, and some Turkish food like
sandwiches and ‘tost’ (grilled sandwiches). More traditional tea gardens serve their tea with
a semaver (a metal teapot), and in some tea gardens, you’ll even find nargile (water pipe) for
smoking an array of fruit-flavored tobacco. The tea gardens of Moda and Emirgan are
popular choices among café-goers.

Turkish coffee
Turkish coffee is served in small porcelain cups (resembling espresso cups) and always with a
glass of water. It is not usually consumed with breakfast; but, more commonly, it is enjoyed
after meals with something sweet, usually Turkish delight or chocolate.

Turkish coffee is traditionally prepared in a small copper pot called a cezve, and is made by
boiling an extremely finely ground coffee together with water and sugar. The coffee is
served according to your taste – sade (without sugar) or sekerli (sweet). While drinking you
should sip the coffee lightly, to leave the coffee grounds at the bottom of the cup.

Afterward, you can perhaps find someone who can read your future from the coffee
grounds, which is still very popular in Turkey among both the older and younger residents.
Ayran
This delicious drink made from yogurt diluted with water and then salted and served cold is
very much enjoyed by Turks and is the perfect accompaniment to most meals, especially
kebab or spicy Turkish foods.

Sahlep
This hot drink usually enjoyed on cold winter days is made from the dried powdered roots of
a mountain orchid. Sahlep powder is mixed with milk and sugar and boiled. The roots are
rich in starch and the mixture thickens naturally, resembling a cream-like texture. It is
generally served plain and sprinkled with cinnamon, but you can also find it as a milk
replacement for lattes and other coffees during winter.

Turnip juice
A sour, sometimes hot, crimson-colored drink prepared by boiling turnips and carrots in
water, and adding vinegar. Originating in Southern Anatolia, it can relieve an upset stomach,
helps the body to cope with the heat, and is also one of the more preferred
accompaniments of some spicy Turkish food like kebab, cigkofte, and raki.
Boza
This thick, slightly sour drink is made from crushed millet and water, which has been left to
ferment. Boza is most commonly enjoyed in winter, and Boza houses serve glasses of the
drink decorated with cinnamon or chickpeas.

Raki
This is probably the most well-known of all Turkey’s alcoholic drinks – and certainly one of
the most enjoyed food accompaniments among Turks. This aniseed-flavored drink contains
high degree of alcohol and should not be consumed quickly. Rather, most people enjoy the
colorless raki mixed with water, which turns it into a cloudy-white drink. Raki is widely said
to aid digestion and is known as a kind of aperitif.

Words to know at the Turkish table

Before eating the food in Turkey it is common for the chef and others at the table to wish
each other ‘afiyet olsun’, which is essentially the same as saying bon appetite.

As a complement to the chef, the diners at the table will also say ‘elinize saglik’, which
literally means ‘health to your hands’ but is interpreted as a sign of endearment or ‘very
delicious, well done’.

Finally, before drinking, everyone will shout ‘serefe’, meaning cheers!

 44 Famous & Best Turkish Foods

1. Döner Kebab

This pita sandwich or lavash wrap is stuffed with thinly sliced meat (lamb, beef, or chicken)
cooked on an upright rotisserie or vertical spit. In addition to the meat, the bread is also
filled with tomatoes, onions, fried potatoes, and lettuce. For the sauce, you can have
mayonnaise or ketchup. It is analogous to the Greek gyros or the Arab/Iranian shawarma.

The streets of Istanbul are lined with tasty kebab vendors. The döner is the most popular
street food in this city and can be found on every block, making it perfect for a quick bite to
eat anytime you get hungry!

2. Baklava

Baklava is a decadent dessert pastry made from layers of filo dough, which are then filled
with chopped nuts and soaked in sugar syrup. It originated in Ottoman Palace kitchens and
became the most popular dessert in Turkey.

Turkey is the country to be if you are looking for some of the most amazing baklavas that
exist in this world. The different varieties have names like lady’s lips, nightingale’s nest, and
palace baklava, which are all equally good but taste different depending on what nuts and
filling they have.

3. Şiş Kebab

Şiş kebab is one of the most popular types of food in Turkey. It’s usually made with
marinated cubes of lamb, chicken, or beef cooked on a metal rod over charcoal and served
on a plate with grilled tomatoes, green peppers, and rice pilaf or bulgur pilaf.

Some of the most popular şiş kebabs are “tavuk şiş” (chicken shish kebab), “kuzu şiş” (lamb
shish kebab), “şaşlık kebabı” (thyme, olive oil, cream and soy sauce marinated and chopped
steak fillets) and çöp şiş (smaller pieces of meat on wooden skewers).

4. Kumpir

Kumpir is a popular Turkish dish that’s best described as a stuffed baked potato. It’s typically
an oversized baked potato cut in half and filled with slices of various vegetables, pickles,
mayonnaise, ketchup, grated cheese, olives, sausages, and other condiments.

One of the best places to try Kumpir is Ortaköy, a popular district in Istanbul.
5. Güllaç

Güllaç is a traditional Turkish dessert that is served during the month of Ramadan. It’s
popular because it’s light and easy to prepare, along with being a perfect, refreshing dessert
for after a long day’s fasting. Today, many restaurants and bakeries also serve it outside of
the month of Ramadan.

Güllaç is made by pouring a mixture of heated milk and rose water on sheets of Güllaç and
placing walnuts between these sheets. Usually, 6-10 sheets are used. Güllaç sheets are made
by cooking a mixture of water and flour with starch in a pan. They are then dried after they
cook.

6. Tulumba

The tulumba dessert that entered the Ottoman cuisine centuries ago for its richness and
sweetness is a Balkan-inspired dish.

This popular Turkish sweet is surprisingly crispy, soft, and juicy at the same time. It’s deep-
fried in oil, dipped into sugar syrup to make it sweeter with a golden-brown crust on the
outside.

7. Tarhana Çorbası

One of the first soups that come to mind when talking about Turkish cuisine is tarhana soup.
It’s made by adding vegetables, fresh herbs, and spices to yogurt before drying it and
crushing the mixture into a powder. This powder can last for years and is simply boiled in
water to make it a delicious soup.
One of the most ancient foods in Turkish cuisine, tarhana soup, is loved by many. It is
nourishing and natural; it’s a must-have for babies on their first solid food diet.

8. Lahmacun

Lahmacun is popular street food in Turkey that, round, thin piece of dough topped with
minced meat, tomatoes, onions, parsley, black pepper, and isot (red chili pepper), then
baked in wood-fired ovens.

It is a favorite lunchtime snack in Turkey and one of the most common foods found at
restaurants. Turkish people put parsley, onion, a little tomato, and lots of lemon in their
lahmacun and make it a wrap.
9. Iskender Kebab

Unlike doner kebab, this special kebab is always served on a plate and is not street food. It is
made by layering delicious döner meat mixed with tomato sauce over sliced pita bread and
generously topping it with melted butter. Iskender Kebab is usually served with roasted
tomatoes and peppers and yogurt on the side.

The perfect combination of these ingredients will make you remember the taste and
experience of Iskender kebab from time to time.

10. Zeytinyağlı Sarma (Stuffed Grape Leaves)

Zeytinyağlı sarma is another world-famous Turkish food that tastes much better in Turkey
than anywhere else.
Fresh or brined grape, cabbage, or chard leaves are boiled and then filled with rice, onions,
parsley, and spices wrapped tight and cooked in a deep pot. The vegetarian version is usually
served with garlic yogurt on top.

The meat dish version is called “Etli Yaprak Sarma,” and it is cooked with minced beef.

“Sarma” can be served as an appetizer, a side dish, or even the meat option for the main
meal. This exquisite traditional Turkish food found at most restaurants should be put at the
top of your culinary bucket list.

11. Köfte (Meatballs)

One of the most popular Turkish foods is meatballs. Turkey has hundreds of different recipes
for this national delight; almost every city in the country seems to have its specific recipe.
Köfte is cooked at home, served at restaurants, and it is even street food. Depending on the
recipe, it may include bread crumbs, garlic, onion, egg, and ground beef meat or lamb meat.

In short, you will have plenty of chances to enjoy this iconic Turkish food during your visit to
Turkey. We recommend trying at least 1-2 different types of köfte during your stay. Some
popular köfte are Sultan Ahmet Köftesi, İnegöl Köfte and İzmir Köftesi.

12. Künefe

The traditional recipe for Künefe is believed to originate from Hatay, a Turkish city with
strong ties with Syrian cuisine. Künefe is a cheese-filled, crispy dessert made with kadayıf,
which is shredded wheat.

If you’re looking for something sweet but not too heavy, this dessert is your perfect choice.
Künefe has an ideal balance of sugar, shredded wheat, and unsalted cheese.
Different from other syrupy desserts, künefe is both served and eaten warm. Most kebab
restaurants serve this popular Turkish dessert.

13. Mantı

Tiny mince-stuffed dumplings topped with butter-fried tomato paste and garlicky yogurt.
The main difference between mantı from dumplings or ravioli is its small size, making it
tastier but difficult to make. A sign of a delicious mantı is if you can fit 40 of them inside your
spoon.

Just like köfte, mantı is a typical dish in Turkish cuisine, and many cities prepare it according
to their tastes. The most popular type of mantı in Turkey is from Central Anatolia, and it is
called Kayseri Mantısı.

This traditional Turkish dish should be one of the first new foods you try when traveling in
Turkey.

14. Menemen

The hearty menemen is a staple in Turkish cuisine, and if you want to taste how the Turks
like their eggs, this iconic dish will be your answer.

Menemen is a scrambled eggs recipe that has been around for generations in Turkey, and
it’s now becoming popular throughout the world. This easy-to-make dish of eggs, tomatoes,
onion, and green peppers will become one of your favorite breakfast dishes while you are in
Turkey.

If your hotel doesn’t serve menemen at breakfast, go out for an authentic Turkish breakfast
in Istanbul and taste this delicious eggs dish.

15. Şakşuka

Şakşuka is one of the traditional Turkish foods that’s heavy on garlic and tomatoes. It
typically contains crushed tomato, eggplant, zucchini, olive oil, finely chopped onions, salt,
and pepper to taste.

It is often served as part of a meze or as a Turkish side dish. It is usually served cold and a
perfect meze for Raki, the national drink of Turkey. When it is time to order mezes, make
sure this popular starter is on the table.
16. Kuru Fasulye

One of the most popular Turkish foods is kuru fasulye, a stew dish made from dried navy
beans. Turkey has some excellent takes on this humble legume that might just convert
anyone who isn’t sold yet.

The recipe is simple yet highly nutritious; onions and tomato paste sauteed in sunflower oil
and boiled together with the dried white beans like a soup (in fact, kuru fasulye is not a
soup). Some recipes include various kinds of meats.

Many local restaurants include this masterpiece in their menu. It is usually eaten with rice
pilaf and pickles.

17. Tantuni

Tantuni is one of the tastiest street foods in Turkey. It is made with julienned beef, or lamb
stir-fried on a traditional Turkish sac (a thin metal pan used for cooking food at high
temperatures) with sunflower oil. After the meat is cooked, it’s wrapped in lavash with
chopped onions, skinless tomatoes, and parsley. Do not forget to squeeze lemon in your
tantuni and order a cold glass of ayran drink with it.

While it is not as popular as döner kebab (just not yet), if you search for this Turkish street
food in any city in Turkey, it won’t take long before you find a great restaurant specializing in
tantuni.

18. Hünkar Beğendi

Hünkar Beğendi is one of the masterpieces created in the Ottoman palace kitchens. The
literal translation of this dish is “Sultan’s Delight.” When they served this dish to an Ottoman
Sultan for the first time, he was so ecstatic over it; they personified his euphoria in the
name.

This old Turkish recipe is perfectly tender lamb meat placed on the smoky aubergine and
melted cheese sauce.

Chefs need to master their skills for years to cook this delicious food. You can find Hünkar
Beğendi in some high-end traditional Turkish restaurants across the country.

19. Ezogelin Çorbası

Ezogelin soup is one of the most traditional Turkish soups and can be found anywhere in
Turkey. While not the same, it is similar to the equally delicious Mercimek Çorbası (lentil
soup). Ezogelin Çorbası is prepared with tomato paste, rice, red lentils, bulgur, onion, and
butter.

Just like most locals, squeeze some lemon in your soup before enjoying it.

20. Cağ Kebabı

Cağ Kebabı is one of the famous kebab types in Turkey. It is originated in Erzurum city. You
are not very likely to visit this beautiful but far eastern Anatolian city of Erzurum, but don’t
worry, you can find authentic cağ kebabı in Istanbul.

This ancestor of doner kebab is a horizontally stacked and marinated lamb that rotates on a
wood fire. Marination includes onion, basil, black pepper, and salt.

Cağ kebabı meat is medium-cooked, soft, juicy, and flavorful, making it perfect for placing in
your lavash bread and making a wrap.

21. Perde Pilavı

This dish is like a work of art. Rice, chicken, pine nuts, butter, and spices such as oregano and
black pepper are enveloped in a thin layer of dough, topped with almonds and currants, and
cooked inside fez-shaped pots. It looks like a cake at first glance.

This rice dish is prepared for weddings because it symbolizes the building of a new home.

22. Testi Kebabı

This specialty of the Cappadocia region translates as pottery kebab and is prepared in
pottery casseroles. It is usually made with a mix of meat, tomatoes, onions, eggplant,
potatoes, and some other fresh vegetables. All ingredients are placed in a clay pot, the lid of
the pot is sealed with dough, and it is slowed cooked in wood fire ovens for 4-8 hours.

This central Anatolian dish is available in touristy parts of Turkey nowadays and is cooked in
smaller clay pots. To entertain the guests, the pot is broken with a small hammer.

23. Gözleme

Gözleme is one of the grab-and-go foods that is served in tourist destinations. It’s sometimes
called a Turkish pancake, but it is prepared differently from regular pancakes.

All sorts of tasty fillings are put on a handmade phyllo dough, wrapped up, and cooked until
it’s golden brown and crispy. Some popular fillings are spinach and feta cheese, grated
cheese and mashed potatoes, minced meat, and cheese or mixed gözleme. You can choose
the stuffing according to your taste.

24. Pide

This popular Turkish food will be one of your dearest dishes in Turkey. It comes with dozens
of different toppings, is reasonably priced, delicious as a good pizza, and is available in every
corner possible.

The base of the pide is a boat-shaped dough similar to western pizza crust without tomato
sauce. Toppings vary widely and include but are not limited to Turkish cheese, sucuk (spicy
Turkish sausage), green peppers, ground meat, chopped meat, spinach, tomatoes, pastrami,
eggs, mushrooms, doner meat, chicken meat, and spices.

You can even find many vegetarian and vegan versions of pide. This dish is usually confused
with pide bread which is a basic bread type in Turkey.

25. Su Böreği

Su Böreği is the star of all Turkish pastries and börek and is considered one of the most
challenging recipes in Turkey. It translates as “Water Börek” symbolizing the soft and juicy
handmade phyllo sheets inside. The tricky part of this recipe is giving it the right softness and
juiciness inside.

Phyllo sheets are cooked in simmering water and then stuffed and baked. 12 of these phyllo
sheets are brushed with butter and sprinkled with cheese in between, and baked in the
ovens. The result is crunchy outside and melting soft inside.

It is eaten for breakfast available at most bakeries in Turkey. Su Böreği is also cooked at
home to serve important guests.

26. Simit

Simit (similar to a bagel) is popular street food and can be found at street vendors and
bakeries all around the country. The capital city of Turkey, Ankara, is famous for its simit.

Before it is cooked, traditional simit is covered in sesame seeds and dipped in grape
molasses, giving it a caramelized color and a hint of sweetness.

While there is no need for another food to enjoy this Turkish delicacy, water buffalo clotted
cream, honey, cheese, or traditional Turkish tea are some of the best options if you want
more flavors. Typical Turkish breakfast usually has a simit served with it.
27. Çiğ Köfte

Finely grounded fatless lamb, bulgur, onions, garlic, tomato, and hot pepper paste is treated
with extremely hot spices (isot, pul biber) and kneaded until the lamb is cured (cooked) by
these hot spices. As the meat is not properly cooked, it should be consumed fresh and can’t
be stored overnight.

Çiğ köfte is sold all around Istanbul and is one of Turkey’s most famous street foods. Still,
fortunately, the original recipe above has been banned for commercial production due to
health reasons.

Nowadays, nearly all the Çiğ köfte in Istanbul are prepared without meat, making it a
fantastic vegan food! This delicious street food is usually wrapped in lettuce and eaten with
a squeeze of lemon. You can also have it wrapped in lavash bread.

28. Maraş Dondurması (Maraş Ice Cream)

Sorbet, gelato, and most other types of ice cream are also served in Turkey, but none are as
unique and special as Maraş Dondurması.

This ice cream is sweet, creamy, stretchy, and sticky at the same time. This stretchy
stickiness is thanks to the inclusion of the roots of wild orchids called “salep.” In addition to
salep, this ice cream is made with the milk of goats fed with thyme, crocus, astragalus, and
hyacinth plants.

This Turkish ice cream is one of the best ice creams globally, and authentic Maraş
Dondurması should be at the top of your food list to try in Turkey. It has an unbeatable
aroma that will have you licking all over it before devouring every last bite.

29. Lokum (Turkish Delight)

Turkish delight is one of the top 10 Turkish foods in many sources, and they’re right.
Although its recipe might be simple, it tastes like something special due to its unique blend
of flavors, making it a favorite across many cultures throughout centuries.

Lokum is based on a gel of starch and sugar. Expensive varieties consist mainly of full-size,
crushed, or ground pistachios, hazelnuts, or walnuts bound by the gel; traditional varieties
are often flavored with rosewater, mastic, pomegranate, or lemon.

The bliss of tasting the authentic Turkish delight will make you think about all other fake
delights found outside Turkey, but each bite is worth a regret.
30. Aşure

This unique Turkish dessert has a religious background. According to Islamic belief, Noah
made this dessert with the last ingredients he had when he set foot on land after the Great
Flood. In English, it is known as Noah’s Pudding.

The original recipe has 41 ingredients including, apricots, raisins, currants, figs, pine nuts,
wheat, walnuts, hazelnuts, chickpeas, and navy beans. All these are sweetened with sugar
and fruit juices and cooked all together in one large pot.

Aşure is much more than just a delicious dessert in Turkey. It has an important place in
Turkish culture, and there’s even a particular month for it. During this time, people cook and
offer their neighbors aşure to remember various religious events that happened in old times.

This dish is easily identifiable in dessert shops by its vibrant toppings.

31. Sütlaç

Turkey is famous for its wide selection of milk-based desserts, and Sütlaç is the most famous
and delicious of them all. This old and traditional Turkish dessert is similar to the rice
pudding found around the world.

It is a light and healthy dessert and is usually eaten after heavy meals. Cooked in every
Turkish home and available at most restaurants, it will be hard to miss this sweet treat.

The most prevalent version is called “Fırın Sütlaç,” which is baked in an oven to give it a
caramelized skin.

32. Mücver

Mücver is similar to hash browns, but it is mostly prepared with zucchini instead of potatoes
in Turkey. The ingredients are grated zucchini, eggs, onions, flour, parsley, and dill.

Mücver can be served as an appetizer or as the main course and usually comes with garlic
yogurt on top. It is perfect for hot days, providing you with the freshness and light flavor of
zucchinis.

This dish is not the most common one on this list of best Turkish foods. If you ever have
mücver on any restaurant’s menu, it is best to order it just in case there may not be another
chance.
33. Türk Kahvesi (Turkish Coffee)

In 1517 the Ottoman Turks conquered a small Yemeni town named Mocha and took their
coffee beans back home. They were unaware that this was the beginning of an empire’s
favorite drink!

Turkish coffee is cooked by boiling, not brewing, or mixing with hot water, unlike many other
types of coffee. Coffee consumption is customary after meals or when guests are over at the
Turkish household.

Turkish coffee has a strong taste and is usually served in espresso-sized cups. Serving a
Turkish delight or a small piece of chocolate with it is a common tradition in Turkey.

Fun Fact: You don’t have to pay for an expensive fortune teller when you can get it by
downloading one of the many so-called “fortune telling” apps on your phone. Just take a
picture of any coffee cups, and learn about what’s in the future for you!

34. Karnıyarık

If you’re an eggplant fanatic, then Turkey is the perfect place for your culinary pilgrimage.
The country’s cuisine features many ways to cook this tangy purple vegetable, with recipes
ranging from vegetarian dishes like “İmam Bayıldı” or meat dishes such as the delicious
Turkish version of “Moussaka.”

Karnıyarık translates as “split belly”; eggplants are sliced opened in the middle and stuffed
with onions, tomatoes, peppers, and ground meat before being cooked for perfection in the
oven. It is often accompanied by rice, yogurt, or cacık.

35. Adana Kebab

From the list of kebab types in Turkey, Adana kebabs are undoubtedly one of the most
popular among meat lovers.

Adana kebab is generally made with beef mince mixed with lamb tail fat. The tail fat makes it
juicy and flavourful. Mince is skewered and cooked on a charcoal grill. It is either served on a
plate with bulgur pilaf and sumac flavored salad or as a lavash wrap with tomatoes, onions,
lettuce, and parsley.

Adana city is one of Turkey’s best-kept culinary secrets. They are known for their spicy
kebabs, and the city claims ownership of some of the most delicious in the country. While
there are good kebabs available all over Turkey, some say that if you want to experience the
best kebab ever, it can only be found at their birthplace: Adana!
36. İçli Köfte

İçli köfte, which translates as stuffed meatballs in English, is a traditional Turkish appetizer or
main meal and is sometimes found as street food in Istanbul.

Balls of dough made from a mix of fine bulgur, potato, and spices are used as the outer shell
and filled with beef or lamb mince. It is then cooked by boiling or grilling. It can be consumed
hot or cold.

It’s often challenging for cooks and home chefs alike to prepare this complex recipe, and
therefore it is becoming a delicacy at restaurants in Turkey.

37. Tavuk Göğsü (Chicken Pudding)

Tavuk Göğsü is made of real chicken breast meat, cornstarch, milk, rice flour, and sugar. It is
a popular dessert in Turkey and is easily found at most restaurants and dessert shops.

Tavuk Göğsü is one of the oldest and most fascinating dishes in Turkish cuisine. It’s a dish
that dates back to the medieval ages when any form of thickening agents like starch was not
invented yet, and shredded chicken meat was used to thicken desserts.
38. Bal & Kaymak (Honey & Water Buffalo Clotted Cream)

This underrated mouth-watering Turkish specialty should be on top of the “Worlds Best
Flavor Combos” list.

The traditional way of making Turkish kaymak is to boil the raw water buffalo milk gently,
then simmer it on low heat for two hours, and then the cream is skimmed and left to chill
overnight. This fresh cream is drizzled with pine honey and eaten mostly at breakfasts in
Turkey.

The creamy richness of this delicious breakfast pairing will keep your energy level high
throughout the day, so enjoy it with Turkish bread or simit at every breakfast to guarantee
that you never feel tired or drained during your Turkey visit!

39. Çöp Şiş

his is a type of Turkish shish kebab, but çöp şiş is generally cooked on wooden skewers
rather than iron ones and the pieces of meat are pretty small.

The tail fat placed between the meat in çöp şiş helps to make the tiny pieces of meat juicy
and flavourful, while also providing a nice contrast of texture. If you’re disappointed with
dry, flavorless meat on a stick before, these little bits of delight will change everything for
your taste buds.
This popular Turkish dish is often served with lavas, a kind of flatbread you can use to wrap
your çöp shish kebab with fresh onions and tomatoes.

40. Etli Ekmek

Etli ekmek can easily rank among the top 10 bread-based Turkish dishes for locals. Similar to
pide mentioned on this list of best Turkish foods, Etli ekmek has a thinner crust and fewer
varieties. The meat is never machine minced for Etli ekmek, it is finely chopped by hand.

Konya, Turkey’s hometown for etli ekmek as well as many other traditional Anatolian dishes
such as Arabaşı Çorbası, Fırın Kebabı, Tirit and Höşmerim. Konya is also a scenic locale that
was home to the renowned mystic, Rumi.

41. İşkembe Çorbası (Tripe Soup)

İşkembe Çorbası has been a staple in Turkish cooking for centuries. It’s served at nearly
every restaurant specializing in soups as well as cooked by all of Turkey’s baby boomer and
Gen X mothers.

After thoroughly cleaning the beef tripe, it is pressured cooked with flour, butter, onions,
and lemon.

Tripe soup is often served with a vinegar-garlic sauce on the side, or it can be mixed with an
egg yolk and lemon juice sauce after cooking.

42. Kısır

The Turkish dish, kısır, is a popular and delicious meal that any housewife can make quickly.
It generally requires no more than five-six ingredients, which often include bulgur, tomato
paste, spring onions, parsley, fresh mint, and pomegranate molasses. You can think of kısır
as a bulgur salad.

Locals will often prepare kısır on their way to visit neighboring friends or family members to
snack on this unique food while chitchatting. There are monthly gatherings called “day of
kısır” in local communities, which is a women-only gathering.

Kısır is also offered as an appetizer in many restaurants.

43. Katmer

Katmer is an ancient flaky pastry of Anatolia, traditionally eaten during breakfast; but rather
appropriate as a dessert with a cup of Turkish çay (Turkish tea).
Katmer is essentially a flaky pastry prepared like flatbread (yufka) or baklava. However, what
makes this food different (and exceedingly indulgent and delicious!) are the generous
amounts of butter and oil used to prepare the pastry.

This pastry is flipped in the air and stretched by hand until it becomes paper-thin and see-
through. It is filled with crushed pistachios, sugar, and kaymak (water buffalo clotted cream)
and folded into an envelope. Cooked on a large sac (thin iron plate) and served hot with
grounded pistachio nuts on top.

This special Turkish dessert is available in many kebab restaurants in Turkey and Istanbul.

44. Bulgur Pilavı

Bulgur is an ancient cereal food made from the cracked parboiled groats of wheat. It can be
cooked to make various dishes, pilafs, and it’s often used as an ingredient in soups or salads
for added texture and flavor.

Bulgur Pilavı is a classic hearty and healthy pilaf dish that is easy to make and is an
alternative to rice pilaf. It can be served with many traditional Turkish dishes such as Taze
Fasulye (green beans), Kuru fasulye, kebabs, and vegetable dishes.

Bulgur, tomatoes, onions, and green peppers are sauteed and boiled in enough water and
meat stock before being served with the main meal.
 Turkish High Plateau Soup Recipe: Yayla Çorbası

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 5 cups chicken stock or water

• 1 cup rice
• 2 tablespoons unsalted clarified butter
• 2 cups plain yoğurt
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons dried mint
• Salt
Topping

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon dried mint
Method

1. Place the stock, rice, and butter in a heavy medium-size saucepan. Bring the
liquid to a boil, then lower the heat to medium, and simmer for about 30
minutes, or until the rice is tender.
2. Mix the yogurt, flour, and egg yolks until smooth. Stir the mixture into the
soup. Add the mint and season with salt. Simmer for another 10 minutes, or
until the soup has a creamy consistency.
3. To make the topping, melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat; add
the paprika and mint, and stir the mixture until it sizzles. Ladle the soup into
individual bowls and drizzle the butter mixture over each serving. Serve at
once.

Turkish Ayran Aşı Soup Recipe: Ayran Aşı Çorbası

Cold ayranaşı soup is a mainstay of the Turkish summer table and can be enjoyed chilled or
lukewarm. Thanks to bulgur and chickpeas, cold ayranaşı soup makes for a satisfying and
light main meal; practical, tasty and nutritious.
Ingredients

• 1 cup of wheat
• 1 cup chickpeas
• 250 gr of strained yoghurt
• 250 gr of yoghurt
• 1 cup of water
 • 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon of dill
Method

1. Transfer 1 cup of wheat into boiling water, add water to it and start cooking.
2. Take the sour wheat from the stove and drain it.
3. Take 250 grams of yogurt and strained yogurt in a large mixing bowl and
whisk.
4. Add 1 cup boiled chickpeas and wheat. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and mix.
5. Adjust the consistency by adding 1 glass of cold water little by little.
6. Then add the dill and mix well.
7. Serve your soup after cooling in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Turkish Tripe Soup Recipe: İşkembe Çorbası

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 900 gr beef tripe, washed and drained

• 6 garlic cloves, chopped, divided
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• Salt
• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1 cup milk
• ¼ cup white wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons red pepper
Method

1. Place the tripe, 4 cloves of the garlic, the lemon juice, olive oil, and 2 quarts
water in a large heavy saucepan. Season with salt. Bring the mixture to a boil;
then cover the saucepan and simmer for about 4 hours, or until the tripe is
soft. Add extra water as needed to keep the tripe submerged. Skim off any
scum that rises to the surface.
2. Remove the tripe from the saucepan and let it cool. Reserve 1 ½ quarts
cooking liquid-add a little extra water if necessary. Cut the tripe into ½ – inch
pieces.
3. In a separate saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Use a wooden
spoon to stir in the flour, and cook the mixture for 2 minutes, stirring
constantly. Gradually stir in the cooking liquid, then add the milk and tripe
pieces. Stir well and simmer the mixture for about 30 minutes.
4. To serve, mix the vinegar, Turkish red pepper, and remaining garlic in a small
bowl.
 Ladle the soup into individual bowls and spoon some of the vinegar mixture
onto each serving. Serve at once.

Turkish Tomato Soup Recipe (Domates Çorbası)

Soup or ‘çorba’ is an integral part of the Turkish meal plan. Served as a prelude to most
lunches and dinners – or as a light meal on its own – Turks have certainly mastered the art of
cooking this local favorite. This is lucky for me, I guess, as I love to both cook and eat çorba. I
especially love the simple but fresh flavours of this roasted Turkish tomato soup. However,
please note that I found this an especially light-bodied soup, very much suited for summer. It
could also be served as a gazpacho (cold, or room temperature). For a little more body when
eating as a stand-alone meal, I shredded some poached chicken as added it.

Turkish Tomato Soup Ingredients:

• 1 kg of tomatoes (about 7-8 medium-sized tomatoes)
• 1 onion
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 2 tbsp of olive oil, plus extra to serve
• 1 tbsp of flour
• 3 cups of water (or chicken or vegetable stock)
• Freshly ground black pepper and salt, to season
• Fresh basil leaves
Method:
1. Before you start cooking Turkish tomato soup, preheat oven to 200-degrees.
2. Cut the tomatoes and onion in half.
3. Put the tomatoes and onions (in the shell) on a tray with the garlic (also in the
shells), and drizzle with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, and
top with 2 sprigs of fresh basil.
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
5. Once cooled slightly, peel and chop the tomatoes, onions and garlic.
6. Heat a saucepan with the other tbsp of olive oil and add the chopped roasted
onions, tomatoes and garlic. Saute the vegetables for 3 minutes over a
medium heat.
7. Add the flour to the vegetables in the pan and stir in.
8. Add 4 cups of hot water (or stock) and bring to the boil. Simmer uncovered
for 10 minutes.
9. Blend all ingredients until the desired consistency of Turkish tomato soup is
achieved. (add more boiling water if you find it too thick)
10. Serve topped with freshly ground black pepper and salt, and a few basil
leaves.

Turkish Chicken and Vermicelli Soup Recipe: Şehriyeli Tavuk Çorbası

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons unsalted clarified butter

• 2 tablespoons finely grated onion
• 230 gr boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced
• 1 cup vermicelli, broken into 1- to 1 ½ -inch pieces
• 1 ½ quarts chicken stock
• Salt
• 5 tablespoons lemon juice
Method

In a heavy medium-size pot, melt the butter over medium heat and cook the onion for 1
minute, stirring, until it’s softened but not brown. Add the chicken and vermicelli, stirring,
for 2 minutes. Add the stock and salt to taste. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 20
minutes. Add the lemon juice and serve.

Turkish Tarhana Soup Recipe: Tarhana Çorbası

Tarhana soup is one of the most popular soups in Turkish cuisine. It is nutritious and natural,
and as a result it is one of the first foods Turkish babies start eating following breast milk. If
you have tarhana powder ready at home, making tarhana soup will be very easy. It will take
up to 10 minutes to prepare your nutritious and satisfying soup with few ingredients.
Please note that you need the tarhana powder for this recipe. Making traditional tarhana
powder is a long process and takes days. Find a recipe for the powder here.
Alternatively, Turkish supermarkets in your town should have Tarhana powder. Amazon also
sells Turkish Tarhana powder. Tarhana soup recipe needs tomato paste and it tastes better
with Turkish style tomato paste. If you are visiting a Turkish market or shopping Amazon for
tarhana powder, add this Tomato paste to your basket too.
Ingredients

• 1 cup of powdered tarhana

• 7.5 cups hot broth or water
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of black pepper
• 1 teaspoon of paprika
• 1 teaspoon of mint
• 2 cloves of garlic
Method

1. Mix 1 cup of powder tarhana with 1.5 cups of warm broth (or water) and let it
soften.
 2. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a deep saucepan. Add 2 cloves of crushed
garlic and 1 teaspoon of tomato paste and fry for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add 1 teaspoon of salt, pepper, paprika and 1 teaspoon of mint into the
butter and mix.
4. Add the tarhana you soaked in to butter which you fried with tomato paste,
garlic and spices.
5. Add the remaining 6 cups of hot water (or broth) and mix it constantly with a
whisk to make the soup thicken.
6. Serve the boiling soup hot without waiting. Enjoy your meal.
Keep stirring the soup as it cooks so that the powder will dissolve completely.

Note: Since it is a soup that thickens as you cook it, you can add water when you are
consuming it the next day.

Turkish Red Lentil Soup Recipe: Mercimek Çorbası

This Turkish red lentil soup recipe is nutritious, healthy and comforting, especially during the
colder autumn and winter months.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 cup red lentils

• 1 carrot
• 1 potato
• 1 onion
• 1 clove of garlic
• 6 cups lamb or chicken stock or hot water
For the sauce

• 3 tablespoons sunflower oil

• 1 tablespoon plain flour
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Method

1. First, take any discoloured lentils from the mix. Wash your red lentils
thoroughly with water until the water runs clear, and drain.
2. Peel the onion, carrot, potato and garlic and slice them into small pieces.
3. In a large pot add your lentils, chopped vegetables and water (or stock). Bring
to the boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for 35-40 minutes or until lentils
are soft.
4. Once your lentils are soft, blend it into a puree with a stick/immersion
blender. (You can also do this little by little with a stand blender, but be
careful of the hot soup in the blender.) If the consistency is too thick, add a
little hot water.
5. To make the sauce: Heat the sunflower oil in a small pan. Once hot, add the
flour and cook until a light brown colour. Then add the tomato paste, salt and
pepper.
6. To your sauce mix, add 3 ladles of your pureed soup mix to dilute it. Then add
the diluted sauce into your soup and mix it through.
7. Continue to cook your soup over low heat for another 3-5 minutes. Then, it’s
ready to serve.
 20 Best & Most Famous Turkish Kebabs
What does kebab mean?

Kebab generally refers to any dish of meat, fish, or vegetables, which are grilled on a skewer
or roasted using a rotisserie.

In Turkey, the word kebab extends to include any of these dishes cooked over, or next to, a
flame. It consists of both small and large cuts of meat, as well as ground meat.

Kebab in Turkey can be served on plates (known as porsiyon), in sandwiches, or even in

wraps (known as dürüm).

What kind of meat is used for kebabs?

Traditionally, the meat used to make Turkish kebabs is lamb. However, as individual tastes
evolved and regional specialties developed, other popular meats used in Turkish kebabs
have extended to include beef, chicken, and fish.

Using vegetables in kebabs has also always been popular in Turkey, and most commonly,
you’ll find varieties of kebabs made with eggplant, tomato, peppers, and onion.

Origins of kebabs

It is generally accepted that the first kebabs in Turkey originated from the Erzurum province
in Eastern Turkey, as cağ kebab, with meat stacked and cooked on a spit horizontally, rather
than vertically as today’s döner kebabs are.

These Turkish kebabs are first mentioned in Ottoman travel books dating back to the 18th
century.

The ‘father’ of the modern döner kebab, Iskender Efendi, then wrote that he and his
grandfather “had the idea of roasting the lamb vertically rather than horizontally” and
invented a vertical rotisserie. It is this dish that is today most commonly recognized
throughout the world as ‘kebab.’

How many different types of kebabs are there?

There are at least 110 different kebabs only in Turkey, and each one has its unique taste. In
this blog post, we will be discussing the 20 most popular Turkish kebabs that everyone
should try at least once!
1. Şiş Kebab (Shish kebab)

A traditional and familiar Turkish kebab of meat and vegetables, generally cubed and
threaded onto a skewer before being grilled and served with bread and rice with salads. Çöp
şiş is a variety of this popular kebab, made with smaller pieces of meat and generally cooked
on wooden skewers, as opposed to iron.
2. Adana Kebab

Hailing from the South-Eastern Turkish province of the same name, Adana kebab is a spicy
(read: hot) kebab made from ground mince formed over a wide skewer and grilled over
charcoals. A milder version originates from a nearby town and is known as Urfa kebab. Both
kebabs are served with grilled vegetables and bulgur pilaf.

3. Iskender Kebab

This kebab inspired Iskender Efendi to invent the vertically cooking kebab and originates
from his seaside hometown of Bursa. Iskender kebab is essentially döner kebab, served with
a slathering of melted butter over a bed of bread, with yogurt on the side.

4. Cağ Kebab

This kebab is commonly accepted as the predecessor to the modern döner kebab. It is made
from lamb meat cooked on a horizontal rotisserie before being sliced off and grilled on a
skewer. This grilled lamb is usually eaten with lavash bread. Cağ Kebab is often referred to as
a favorite Turkish kebab by visitors on our Flavours of the Old City tour.

5. Patlıcan Kebab (Eggplant kebab)

If you’re an eggplant fanatic, then Turkey is the perfect place for your culinary pilgrimage.
There are 2 different types of Patlıcan Kebabı in Turkey.

The first version is made from marinated kebab meat, skewered with aubergines, and
cooked on a grill or in the oven. It is usually served with a yogurt sauce.

Alternatively, meatballs or large pieces of lamb, onions, tomatoes are arranged in a large
circular tray with chunks of eggplant and cooked in the ovens.

6. Ciğer Kebab (Liver kebab)

Don’t be put off – this Turkish kebab is more delicious than it sounds! This tasty kebab is
made from portions of lamb livers, diced and marinated with herbs, and grilled on a skewer
before being served with bread and salads. It is commonly enjoyed in Istanbul by both locals
and ex-pats alike for its wonderful flavors.
7. Döner Kebab

The world-famous Turkish kebab means ‘rotating’ kebab in Turkish. It is made from lamb,
chicken, or beef, slowly roasted on a vertical spit, and then thinly sliced off. Döner is served
on a plate with salad and rice or potatoes; in bread like a sandwich; or in a wrap known as
dürüm.

8. Hünkar Beğendi (Sultan kebab)

This is also known as the Sultan’s kebab because it was the favorite kebab of Ottoman
sultans. It is made from sliced lamb meat, served over a bed of creamy pureed eggplant
flavored with herbs.

9. Tandır Kebabı (Büryan)

Generally hailing from Central or Eastern Anatolia, this kebab is made from lamb pieces – or
even a whole lamb – baked slowly over many houses in a unique traditional oven called a
tandır. The result is a tender and tasty meat that is then served with bread and raw onions.

10. Testi Kebabı (Pottery kebab)

This unique Turkish kebab originated in Central Anatolia and the Black Sea region. It consists
of meat and vegetables cooked in a clay pot (‘testi’ means jug, in Turkish) over the fire. The
seal of the pot is generally broken at your table, right before eating, and is undoubtedly a
fun experience during your visit to Istanbul!

11. Beyti

Beyti is a newly invented Turkish kebab that consists of ground beef or lamb, skewered and
grilled. It’s then wrapped in lavash and served topped with tomato sauce and yogurt- all the
while remaining juicy on both ends.

The dish is named after its creator Beyti Güler, the owner of the famous restaurant “Beyti” in
Istanbul.

12. Çökertme Kebabı

Julienne cut fillet meat is served on thin fried potatoes with garlic yogurt and tomato sauce.
Ground cumin, chili pepper, onion, and thyme are all great seasonings to use for Çökertme
Kebabı.

This type of kebab is popular on the Aegean coast of Turkey.

13. Fırın Kebabı (Woodfire oven kebab)

Oven kebab requires only two ingredients: lamb and salt. Only the forearm and ribs of the
lamb or sheep are used. The lamb is cooked in the oak wood fire ovens for 4 hours, while the
sheep are cooking longer – 8 to 10 hours.

After cooked, Fırın Kebabı is placed on pita bread and served with fresh onions and ayran.

This kebab is popular in Konya and Karaman, which are both parts of the Central Anatolia
region.

14. Kağıt Kebabı (Paper kebab)

Kağıt Kebabı is one of the main dishes of Malatya cuisine. It is prepared by first cutting the
lamb meat into manageable pieces before marinating it with spices and wrapping them in
oiled paper. Tail fat is placed on these papers to keep the meat juicy.

It is cooked in wood fire ovens for 8-12 hours before being served.

15. Kilis Kebabı (Tepsi Kebabı)

The ingredients of this kebab are flavorful but straightforward. It is made of ground lamb
meat, red peppers, onion, and garlic. Marinated lamb mince is given a flat shape by kneading
in a tray and cooked in ovens with sliced tomatoes and peppers on the side of the tray.

This kebab takes its name from Kilis, the city where it originates.

16. Tavuk Şiş Kebab (Chicken shish kebab)

One of the most popular kebabs in Turkey is chicken shish kebab. The dish consists of cubes
of chicken that are marinated, then skewered and grilled. It is usually made of chicken
breasts marinated in yogurt, milk, and tomato paste.

At most restaurants, it is served with bulgur pilaf, grilled tomatoes, and green peppers.

17. Tokat Kebabı

Tokat kebabı is a traditional Turkish kebab originating from the Tokat region in Turkey. It has
been prepared locally for hundreds of years and became popular all across the country due
to its rich flavor, which comes from a blend that includes fresh lamb meat, potatoes,
eggplants, tomatoes, green bell pepper, garlic, olive oil, and other spices all cooked with
onions.
18. Yoğurtlu Kebap (Kebab with yogurt)

Minced meat is kneaded with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes (Aleppo pepper).
Mincemeat is then placed on skewers and cooked on charcoal grills. The pita bread is soaked
with the oils of the cooking meat and softened. The bread is placed on a plate, and freshly
whipped yogurt is poured over the bread. Cooked meats are placed on yogurt and served
with melted butter on top.

19. Orman Kebabı (Forest kebab)

Not all kebabs are prepared on skewers, but sometimes they can be cooked in pots as a
stew. One of these pot kebabs is Orman Kebabı, which originated from Ottoman cuisine and
is a dish unique to Turkey’s Bolu region. This dish is primarily made from lamb and cooked
with various vegetables, such as celery, eggplant, peppers, carrots, and peas.

One of the distinguishing features of Orman Kebabı is that it includes peas in its recipe.

20. Soğan Kebabı (Onion kebab)

Onion kebabs are an ingenious Turkish dish made with ground lamb kofte placed inside
onion slices and flavored with pomegranate sauce and freshly ground black pepper. This
recipe is easy to prepare and cook.

The red-skinned winter onions are used in this dish. They should be small and fresh for the
best flavor.

Turkish Shish Kebab Recipe: Şiş Kebap

Serves 4

Ingredients

Marinade

• ½ cup olive oil

• 1 small onion, grated
• 1/3 cup milk
• Salt and black pepper
• 900 gr boned leg of lamb, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
Method

1. Place the olive oil, onion, and milk in a large nonreactive bowl. Season with
salt and pepper and mix well. Add the lamb cubes, coating them with the
marinade. Cover the pan and refrigerate for 24 hours, turning the meat once
or twice while it marinates.
2. Prepare a charcoal grill.
3. Remove the meat from the refrigerator 30 minutes before grilling. Arrange
the lamb cubes on 4 skewers. Cook the lamb on a grill set about 5 inches
above the coals, turning it frequently and brushing it with the marinade. Cook
the meat about 8 minutes for medium or 12 minutes for well done. Pull the
skewers from the lamb or serve with the skewers still in place.

Adana Kebab Recipe.

Make about 20~25 skewers.

Ingredients:
• ± 200 gr lamb, minced with a mincing knife (better) or machine
• ± 300 gr beef, minced with a mincing knife (better) or machine
• ± 50-100 gr tail fat, minced with mincing knife or machine
• 2~3 big red capia chilly peppers, seeded
• 2~3 carliston chilly pepper/ banana pepper, seeded
• ± 2 tsp salt or to taste
• pinch of black pepper powder
• pinch of cumin powder (optional-İ like adding a pinch of cumin on my kebab)
• ± 2 tsp smoked paprika powder or Cayenne pepper powder
• ± 1 tbsp Isot biber (Sanliurfa pepper flake)
• Some wide skewer. İf you use bamboo skewers like mine, soak in oil for a few
minutes.

How to make:

1) On a wide cutting board, chopped carliston, capia chilly pepper, and chopped it very finely
using a mincing knife. Drain the excess water.

2) Place all ingredients in a big bowl, mix and knead to combine well.
Wet your palm with water, take skewer and with your wet hand take kebab mixture
and form the meat around kebap skewers. Squash each ball around the skewer, pressing
the mixture so it spreads along the skewer. Once all skewers are firmly covered, put them
back in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour for develop the flavor.
Sorry, İ mostly work alone in my kitchen so nobody help me taking pictures

3) Heat lightly oiled grilled pan/ electric one over medium heat. Grill your chicken kebab
until done both sides. Grill also your lavash bread, tomatoes and carliston chilly pepper to
lightly brown for serve later. You can do over charcoal also, it's even better!

For onion salad:

• Big red onions, lengthwise sliced (today İ use yellow onion)
• parsley, roughly chopped
• sumac
• Isot biber
• salt to taste
Make salad just before serving, mix all salad ingredients and toss to combine.

Baked Aubergine Kebab with Meatballs – Firinda Patlican Kebabi

We greatly enjoy this delicious southern Turkish style Baked Aubergine Kebab with
Meatballs – Firinda Patlican Kebabi, especially popular in Gaziantep region in Turkey. I love
the ease of this all in one bake dish. Please make sure to sprinkle salt over the aubergine
slices and squeeze out their excess moisture with a paper towel. Then simply coat olive oil
and seasoning over the aubergine slices. There is no need to sauté or fry the aubergine slices
and the meatballs before baking. They bake all together very well, infusing their flavour to
one another. You can prep this dish ahead of time and freeze leftovers successfully.
Author: Ozlem Warren
Recipe type: Aubergine/eggplant and meatballs bake
Cuisine: Turkish
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
• For the kofte (meatballs):
• 450g/1lb minced/ground lamb, beef or mixture
• 1 medium onion, grated
• 60g/2oz stale bread, soaked in water and squeezed dry
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 small bunch finely chopped flat leaf parsley
• 5ml/1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 5ml/1 teaspoon Turkish pul biber or red pepper flakes
• 5ml/1 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Small bowl of water for kneading kofte and getting your hands wet
• And the rest:
 • 2 medium and long (or 3, if smaller) aubergines / eggplants
• 1 green bell pepper, deseeded and sliced in chunky wedges
• 2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 45ml / 3tbsp olive oil (to coat the aubergine slices)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• For the sauce:
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed and finely chopped
• 30ml/2tbsp double concentrated tomato paste
• 30ml/2tbsp olive oil
• 200ml/7fl oz warm water
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 200C/400F
2. First prepare your meatball mixture. Discard the crusts of the bread, soak in the
water and squeeze dry. Then crumble them into a large bowl. Add all the kofte,
meatballs ingredients except the ground/minced meat and knead well. This will
soften the onions and enable the spices to blend in the mixture evenly. Add the
minced/ground meat and knead well again until the mixture resembles a soft
dough. Cover with cling film and keep in the fridge until ready to use.
3. Slice the aubergines/eggplants into about 1.5cm / 0.6in circles and spread over a
large tray. Sprinkle some salt over them and leave for about 10 minutes. Gently
squeeze out their excess moisture with paper towel. Place them back on a clean
large tray.
4. Drizzle 45ml / 3tbsp olive oil over the aubergine/eggplant slices. Season with salt
and freshly ground black pepper. Using your hands, gently rub the olive oil and
seasoning over the aubergine/eggplant slices.
5. Now, shape your meatballs. Have a bowl of cold water near you. With damp
hands, take a piece the size of a large walnut and roll into a round meatball, as
large as your aubergine/eggplant slices, and slightly flatten. Place them on large
dish or a tray side by side.
6. Have a round baking dish with 25cm/10in diameter near you (a 25cmx25cm
square baking dish would work well too). Place a slice of aubergine upright and
place a meatball alongside. Repeating this, place all the aubergine slices and
meatballs side by side, quite tightly, so they can stay upright.
7. Gently tuck in the coarsely sliced bell peppers around the aubergine slices and
meatballs. Place the tomato slices around the middle part of your round baking
dish, in between aubergine and meatball layers, or if you are using a square
baking dish, in between layers.
8. For the sauce; combine the finely chopped garlic, 200ml/7fl oz warm water,
2tbsp tomato paste and 2tbsp olive oil in a bowl. Season with salt and ground
black pepper and combine well.
9. Pour the sauce over the prepared aubergine, meatballs and vegetables. Cover
with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for about 40-45 minutes.
10. Then take the cover off, gently spoon the sauce in the baking dish over the
aubergine and meatballs and bake further 20 – 25 minutes, until the meatballs
and vegetables cooked and slightly charred.
 11. Drizzle the sauce from the baking the dish over the aubergine and meatballs
again. Serve with plain pilaf rice and cooling Cacik dip of cucumber and yoghurt
aside.

Hünkar Beğendi Recipe - Sultan's Delight

Hünkar Beğendi, or Sultan's Delight, is a rich, creamy dish

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 50 minutes
Servings4
Calories600kcal

Ingredients
For The Lamb Stew

• 500 g lamb from the leg, chopped into cubes

• 3 medium-large tomatoes roughly chopped
• 1 large onion finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic crushed
• 1 dessert spoonful tomato paste
• 1 dessert spoonful thyme or oregano, or a mix of both
• 1 knob butter for cooking, around 20g
• salt & pepper for seasoning

For The 'Beğendi'

• 3 medium-sized aubergines eggplants

• 1 handful parmesan grated, or a strong tulum cheese if you are in Turkey
• 50 g butter
• 50 g plain flour
• ½ litre milk
• 1 handful fresh parsley chopped, to garnish

Instructions
For The Lamb Stew

1. Melt your butter over a medium heat in large saucepan.

2. Now add your lamb and stir it round until it starts to brown.
3. Once your lamb is browned all over, add your onion and garlic and stir.
4. Cook for 5 minutes or so, until your onion starts to sweat.
5. Now add your chopped tomatoes, tomato paste (salça) and one cup of hot water.
6. Stir everything together.
7. Add your thyme/oregano (kekik), salt & pepper and stir.
8. Once your stew is simmering, put a lid on the pan and turn the heat to low.
9. Simmer your stew for around 1 hour, until the lamb has softened and your sauce has
thickened.
10. Remove from the heat and make your 'beğendi' puree...

To Make The Aubergine (Eggplant) Puree - The 'Beğendi'

1. Preheat your oven to 240 degrees.

2. Prick your aubergines with a sharp knife and place on a baking tray in the centre of
the oven.
3. Bake the aubergines until they are soft to touch (around 15-20 minutes).
4. Remove from the oven and leave them to cool.
5. Once cooled, make a slit along the length of each aubergine.
6. Scrape out the pulp with a teaspoon.
7. Discard the skins and as many of the seeds as possible.
8. Chop up the pulp.
9. Now melt your butter in a saucepan over a medium heat.
10. Once melted, gradually add your flour, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon.
11. After you've added all your flour, your mixture will be relatively solid and now you
can start to add your milk.
12. Add your milk a little at a time, again, stirring continuously so that the mixture
remains smooth.
13. Keep going until you have used up all of your milk and you have a smooth, milky
mixture.
14. Keep stirring and after a couple of minutes, you will notice the sauce start to thicken.
15. Once the sauce has started to thicken, add your aubergine. Keep stirring, gently.
16. Now add your grated cheese and keep stirring until your 'beğendi' sauce has
thickened enough to make a suitable nest for your lamb.
17. To serve, share the beğendi sauce between your plates, making a little nest in the
centre of each.
18. Now spoon the lamb stew into the nest and allow the sauces to run over the
aubergine puree.
19. Sprinkle the parsley over the lamb and serve up your Sultan's Delight
 The Best Turkish Cold Vegetable Dishes With Olive Oil
Did you know that Turkey is a vegetarian's paradise? Appetizers, soups, salads and main dishes
made from seasonal fresh vegetables, herbs, leaves, beans, and legumes are very important
in Turkish cuisine.

You can experience great Turkish regional cooking by following the seasons around the
country to enjoy locally prepared dishes made with vegetables harvested from nearby fields.

Turkish people cherish their fresh vegetables dishes that are simply cooked or braised in their
own juices, then doused with olive oil and served cold. In Turkish, this entire group of dishes is
called 'zeytinyağlılar', which means "those with olive oil".

Serving one or more of these recipes is standard with almost every meal. There's always a
'zeytinyağlı' selection ready in the refrigerator.

All 'zeytinyağlı' vegetables are cooked in a similar fashion. The vegetables are washed and cut
into the desired shapes, then braised in a pressure cooker or covered saucepan with onions,
seasonings and sometimes rice.

The key is to use as little extra water as possible while cooking. This will ensure the vegetables
cook in their own juices and won't end up too soft or bland.

Once the vegetables are very tender and the liquid has reduced and thickened, they are left to
cool down to room temperature. Before serving or storing them, the vegetables are drizzled
with generous amounts of extra virgin olive oil.

This not only complements their flavor, but it also helps to keep them fresh in the refrigerator
for several days.

Home cooks will often prepare the week's vegetable dishes on Sunday, and the family will eat
them all through the week.

The best line-up of Turkish 'zeytinyağlı' dishes is below. Many are hearty enough to stand
alone as a vegetarian meal.

You'll see many interesting vegetables that you may have never tried before. Do fava
beans, artichoke bottoms or steamed samphire sound tempting?

What about leeks and carrots or roasted eggplant salad? Choose any recipe from the list
below, or try them all to get a taste of authentic Turkish vegetarian cuisine.
 Turkish-Style Artichoke Bottoms (Zeytinyağlı Enginar)

Artichoke bottoms Turkish-style is a spectacular dish eaten alone, as an alternative to salad, or

the traditional Turkish way as a part of a larger line-up of meze, or starters served before the
main meal. The light flavors and seasoning with fresh dill weed accent rather than overpower
the delicate flavor of the artichoke.
This recipe makes a wonderful dish for company. You can prepare it beforehand, and it looks
beautiful on the plate. Once you learn how to cut and peel the artichoke, preparation is easy.
Artichokes are very nutritious, low in calories, carbs, and fat and high in fiber and vitamin C
among other healthy nutrients. This recipe is also great for vegetarians and vegans.
Ingredients

• 6 large artichokes
• 1 cup pearl onions (peeled)
• 1 medium carrot (peeled and cut into small cubes)
• 2/3 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
• 1 medium new potato (peeled and cut into small cubes)
• 1 lemon (juice and rind)
• Several sprigs of dill weed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Steps to Make It

Trimming Your Artichokes

1. To begin, you should have a sturdy, sharp knife with a fairly short blade and a clean
pair of gardening gloves to protect your hands from the thorns on the end of each leaf.
2. First, remove all the leaves by hand.
3. Then, use your knife to remove the soft inner leaves and the "choke" in a circular
motion as if you were peeling an apple.
4. You can cut off the stems, or for a decorative touch, you can peel then and cut them all
about the same length at about two inches long.
5. Also, use your knife to trim neatly around the edges and remove the leaves from the
bottom.
6. In the end, you should have a pretty, neatly trimmed artichoke cup with or without the
stem.
7. Repeat the same with all your artichokes.
8. When you are finished, rub some lemon juice all over the artichoke cup to keep it from
darkening.
9. You can also store them in the fridge for a day or two submerged in water mixed with
lemon juice.
Cooking Your Artichoke Bottoms

1. Arrange your artichoke bottoms with the stems up in the bottom of a large saucepan.
2. Add the pearl onions, cubed carrots, peas, sugar, salt and pepper, and lemon juice and
rind.
3. Add enough water to the pan to cover the bottoms by about one-half inch.
4. Drizzle the olive oil on top and lay the sprigs of dill weed on the top.
5. Turn the heat on high, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover.
6. Let the artichokes simmer gently for about 15 minutes.
7. Add the cubed potato and continue to simmer until the artichokes are tender and the
liquid has nearly disappeared, about 15 minutes more.

Plating and Serving Your Artichokes

1. Remove the pan from the heat, remove the cover, and let it cool down to room
temperature.
2. Remove the sprigs of dill weed and discard them.
3. Remove each artichoke bottom gently with the aid of a spatula and arrange them on a
serving platter.
4. Spoon the cooked vegetables randomly around the bases of the artichokes.
5. Drizzle the remaining liquid over them, adding some olive oil if needed.
6. Garnish with chopped fresh dill weed.

Turkish Braised Leeks and Carrots In Olive Oil

Like many Turkish vegetable dishes, the leeks, or 'pırasa' (pur-AH'-SAH'), are simply braised
with carrots, rice, and spices until tender. This method of cooking allows the understated,
oniony flavor of the leeks to combine with the sweetness of the carrots to give you a
delightful, tender vegetable dish with delicate flavors.
Ingredients

• 5 large leeks
• 3 large carrots
• 2 tbsp. rice (short grain, heaping spoonful)
• 2 tbsp. sugar (heaping spoonful)
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. white pepper
• 1 tbsp. parsley (chopped Italian parsley leaves)
• 1/2 medium lemon (juiced)
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 cup olive oil (extra virgin)

Steps to Make It
 1. Begin by washing the leeks and cutting them into 2-inch diagonal slices. Place them in
your pressure cooker or in a large saucepan.
2. Wash and peel the carrots and cut them into diagonal slices about ¼ inch thick. Place
them in the saucepan with the leeks.
3. Add the uncooked rice, sugar, salt, pepper, and parsley. Drizzle the water and lemon
juice over the top. Bring the water to a boil then reduce the heat and cover the pan.
Let the leeks and carrots simmer slowly until the water is almost gone and they are
very tender.
4. Once your vegetables are cooked, leave them to cool down in the pan with the cover
on. When they've cooled down to room temperature, remove the lid. Pour the olive oil
evenly over the vegetables and move them around in the pan to work the oil through
them. Don't stir them as this will damage the vegetables. Sprinkle some more chopped
fresh parsley over the top.
5. When you are ready to serve them, slide the vegetables out of the pan on to your
serving plate. If you need to use a spatula or spoon, scoop them out of the pan very
gently as not to damage them.
6. You can serve the leeks and carrots at room temperature, or refrigerate them for a few
hours before serving. You can squeeze a little more lemon juice over the top just
before serving for extra tang.

Turkish Beans: Pinto Beans in Olive Oil

Ingredients

• 2.5 lbs fresh pinto beans in their hulls, or 1 lb. of hulled, fresh pinto beans
• 1 large onion (finely diced)
• 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 3 or 4 large cloves garlic
• 1 cup grated tomatoes (2 to 3 tomatoes yields about 1 cup)
• 1 large carrot, peeled and diced into small cubes
• 3 rounded tbsp. tomato paste
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Garnish: chopped Italian parsley

Steps to Make It

1. First, peel and dice your onion and garlic and put them in a covered saucepan along
with 3 tbsp. of olive oil. Saute the onion and garlic until they're soft and reduced.
2. Add the beans, carrots, grated tomato, tomato paste, sugar, and spices. Add enough
water to just cover the beans and stir until combined.
 3. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Let the beans
simmer gently until much of the water is reduced and the beans and carrots are
tender.
4. When the beans are tender, turn off the heat and let the pan cool down. After it cools,
spoon the beans gently onto your serving plate. Drizzle the olive oil evenly over the
top.
5. Cover with cling wrap and chill until ready to serve.
6. Just before serving, sprinkle the top with your chopped Italian parsley leaves for
garnish.

Turkish Steamed Samphire With Olive Oil and Garlic

Samphire (Salicornia europaea) is a type of salt marsh grass native throughout Europe, North
America, and South Asia. For centuries, its juicy stalks have been sought out for their digestive
soothing properties and high nutritional value.

In Turkey, samphire is steamed and eaten as a meze, or starter, and served most often as a
prelude to fish and seafood meals.

Samphire is known in much of the world as a substitute for asparagus. Once it's steamed and
removed from its hard inner stalks, the taste, color, and texture of the cooked flesh actually
resemble asparagus.

Samphire is a wellness food. It's low in calories, rich in trace minerals that are important for
good health and it contains no saturated fat or cholesterol. Like many other Turkish regional
dishes and 'meze,' this starter is good for vegetarians and vegans, too.

Ingredients
• 1 large bunch fresh samphire (about 2.5 pounds)
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• Lemon wedges, for garnish
Steps to Make It

1. Gather the ingredients.

2. Bring a large saucepan of water to a rolling boil.
3. Once water is boiling, add samphire, stalks and all. Let boil for 10 to 15 minutes.
4. When flesh turns bright green and seems tender, strain out cooked samphire and
plunge into cold water to prevent from overcooking. Drain.
5. Once cooked samphire is cool enough to handle, you should be able to pull flesh off
each hard stalk easily. It should come off in long, hollow tubes. Discard stalks as you go
along.
6. Place cooked samphire in a large bowl. Using fingers, gently toss together with with
olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice.
 7. Serve immediately garnished with lemon wedges for squeezing. Enjoy.

Turkish Baked Eggplant Filled With Ground Beef

Eggplant is one of the most beloved, and one of the most common ingredients in Turkish
cuisine. So is ground beef. When you put both together in the same recipe, magic happens. No
cuisine in the world beats Turkish cuisine when it comes to dishes featuring these two
ingredients.
Ingredients

• 3 pounds/1.5 kilograms Japanese eggplant (or another oblong eggplant)

• 2 cups vegetable oil (for frying)
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 onions
• 7 ripe tomatoes
• 3 green bell peppers (or other green pepper)
• 1.5 pounds/800 grams ground beef
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 cup chopped Italian parsley leaves

Steps to Make It

1. Prepare the eggplant. Using a vegetable peeler or sharp knife, peel alternate strips
from the eggplant from end to end leaving a striped pattern. Let the eggplants soak in
heavily salted water while you prepare the other ingredients.
2. Prepare the filling. Put the olive oil in a large skillet. Fry the onions until they become
tender and reduced. Add the ground beef and brown it thoroughly.
3. Using a sharp paring knife, peel five of the tomatoes and dice them into cubes. Once
the meat is nicely browned, add the cubed tomato and continue stirring. You can also
substitute fresh tomatoes with canned, diced tomatoes. Drain off the juice before
adding them to the meat.
4. Add spices and garlic and stir well. Add the chopped parsley Stir the mixture about
three minutes more then turn off the heat and let it rest.
5. Drain the eggplants and blot them dry with paper towels. In another skillet, heat the
vegetable oil and fry the eggplants whole, turning them to cook evenly on all sides.
When the eggplants soften, remove them from the oil and drain them on paper towels.
6. Line up the fried eggplants side by side in an oven-proof baking dish. Using your paring
knife, cut a slit from end to end of each eggplant and gently open up each one with
your fingers.
 7. Fill the center of each eggplant with the meat mixture. Slice the two extra tomatoes
thinly, cut each slice in half and place the slices over the filling. Do the same with the
peppers.
8. Mix the water with the tomato paste and pour it into the baking dish. Cook the
eggplant in a 375 F/200 C oven for about 30 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven
and let it rest for a few minutes before serving.

Celeriac Cooked Turkish-Style Makes a Fragrant Vegetable Side Dish

Celeriac is native to the Mediterranean region and parts of Europe and is used in many
cuisines throughout this region. You may have seen recipes for celeriac soups and celeriac
mashes, but in Turkish cuisine, celeriac is lightly cooked in olive oil and served as a vegetable
side dish.
Ingredients

• 2 large celeriac (with stalks and leaves)

• 1 large carrot (peeled and sliced)
• 1 small onion
• 1/2 lemon (juiced)
• 1 orange (juiced)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1/2 cup olive oil (extra virgin)

Steps to Make It

1. First, cut the stalks from your celeriac and sort them, saving the fresh, green stalks and
some leaves. Next, peel the celeriac using a sturdy paring knife.
2. Cut each peeled celeriac in half, then slice the halves about ½ inch thick. Line the
bottom of a large, covered saucepan with the sliced celeriac and drizzle the lemon juice
and orange juice over the top. This will keep them from turning dark while you work.
3. Peel the carrot and cut in slices about ¼ inch thick and arrange them on top of the
celeriac. Peel the onion and cut it in quarters. Coarsely slice each quarter and separate
the rings. Arrange the onion over the top.
4. Coarsely chop the green stalks and leaves you've set aside and add them to the pan.
Add the salt, pepper, sugar and ¼ cup of the olive oil.
5. Add about 1/2 cup water. Turn the heat on high and bring the pan to a boil. Turn the
heat to low, cover the pan and let the vegetables simmer until all are tender and the
liquid is reduced.
6. If the liquid seems too much, remove the lid and turn up the heat to evaporate the
extra liquid quickly. Let the vegetables cool down to room temperature in the pan.
7. Gently remove the vegetables from the pan and arrange them on your serving plate.
Drizzle the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil over the top.
8. Garnish with a few more chopped celery leaves just before serving.
 Turkish Roasted Eggplant Salad

Roasted eggplant salad made Turkish style is one of my favorite ways to use eggplant. It's
traditionally eaten as a cold starter, or 'meze,' but it also works as an appetizer dip. Eggplant
salad has only three main ingredients, but it's quite time-consuming to prepare. Roasting the
eggplants takes the most time, but it's worth it.

Ingredients

• 3 or 4 large globe eggplants

• 4 to 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional: 1 or 2 cloves garlic (crushed)
• Optional: 1 tablespoon mayonnaise or strained yogurt (Greek yogurt)

Steps to Make It

1. Roast your eggplants on the grill, and remove the pulp. Once you've extracted the flesh
and discarded the skin and seeds, use it right away. If not, let the pulp sit in a bowl with
some water and lemon juice in it. This prevents the eggplant from darkening.
2. Put your eggplant into a fine wire strainer, and squeeze out any excess liquid. Transfer
the pulp to a mixing bowl.
3. Add the olive oil, salt, pepper, and optional crushed garlic.
4. With a fork, whip the mixture until it becomes homogenous, light, and fluffy with no
large chunks or strings of eggplant. This can take awhile. You may have to take several
breaks in between to rest your arm.
5. Once the puree is ready, you can gently stir in your optional mayonnaise or yogurt.
Chill before serving.

Turkish Fava Bean Puree Makes a Delicious Appetizer

Fava beans were a staple food in ancient times, and they are still common in many
Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines today. Fava beans, also known as broad beans, are
prized in Turkish cuisine as well for their delicious flavor and high nutritional value.

Fava beans are very high in protein and fiber and naturally low in fat and cholesterol. They
have a pleasing light green color and unique, earthy flavor.

In Turkey, a popular appetizer, or "meze," is fava bean puree made with dried fava beans. The
beans are boiled until soft and then strained together with olive oil, salt, and pepper. The
resulting paste is left to set, then cut into cubes. Drizzle the cubes with olive oil, sprinkle on
some fresh dill weed, and you have a beautiful appetizer fancy enough for company.

Ingredients
 • 2 1/2 cups beans (dry fava beans)
• 8 cups water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 2 pinches sugar
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Garnish: chopped fresh dill weed

Steps to Make It

1. Gather the ingredients.

2. Bring the water to a rolling boil in a covered saucepan. Add the dry fava beans, reduce
the heat and cover. Let the mixture simmer slowly until the fava beans are very soft
and falling apart, and the water is reduced, about 20 minutes.
3. Once the beans are soft enough to fall apart when you touch them with a wooden
spoon, add the salt, pepper, sugar, and olive oil to the pan and stir until combined.
4. Place a large, fine wire strainer over another pan or large bowl. Pour some of the pasty
bean mixture into the strainer and press it through using a wooden spoon. Repeat until
you've pressed through all the mixture. Don't forget to remove the extra from the
bottom of the strainer.
5. You should have a thick, pasty but smooth mixture with no lumps. If your paste seems
too thick and dry, stir in about 1 tablespoon more olive oil.
6. While the paste is still warm, spoon it into a shallow rectangular, square, or circle-
shaped serving dish about 3 inches deep. Glass works best. We like to use a 9-inch
round glass oven dish. Smooth the top of the paste with the bottom of a spoon. Set it
aside to cool and set.
7. Once it's cooled down to room temperature, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate
it for several hours.
8. When you remove it from the refrigerator, the paste should have set and be firm
enough to cut. Wet the blade of a sharp knife and cut the fava into squares or
diamonds. Make sure to re-wet the blade often to prevent sticking.
9. Remove the blocks of fava gently and arrange them on your serving plate. Drizzle them
with a little extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle the chopped, fresh dill weed over the top.