Foods you should try in Türkiye (2)
Welcome to the second part of our series of Foods you should try in Türkiye. In this part, we will take a look at delicious and wonderful dishes. Let's dive in!
Sarma
Sarma is a traditional Turkish dish that is popular throughout the Balkans, Middle East. It consists of grape leaves stuffed with a mixture of ground meat, rice, onions, and herbs, which is then rolled into small parcels and cooked.
The dish can also be made with other types of leaves, such as cabbage, Swiss chard, or even zucchini. In addition to the filling, sarma is often seasoned with spices like cumin, paprika, and cinnamon, and is typically served with yogurt or a tomato-based sauce.
Sarma is a delicious and satisfying dish that is enjoyed as a main course or as part of a mezze platter. It's a great option for vegetarians and meat-lovers alike, as the filling can be made with either ground meat or vegetables like mushrooms or eggplant.
Kısır
Kısır is a traditional Turkish dish that is similar to tabbouleh. It is a salad made from bulgur wheat, finely chopped vegetables like tomatoes, onions, and parsley, and a flavorful mixture of spices and herbs.
The bulgur wheat is typically soaked in hot water and mixed with tomato paste, olive oil, lemon juice, and spices such as cumin and paprika. Chopped vegetables and fresh herbs like parsley and mint are then added to the mixture to create a bright and colorful salad.
Mantı
Mantı is a dish that consists of small dumplings filled with ground meat and spices, typically served with yogurt and a garlic-tomato sauce. The dough for the dumplings is usually made with flour, water, and salt, and is rolled out thinly and cut into small squares. The filling is made by mixing ground lamb or beef with spices like onion, garlic, black pepper, and paprika.
To make mantı, the dumplings are boiled in salted water until they are cooked through, and then served in a bowl with the yogurt and tomato sauce drizzled over the top. The dish is often garnished with chopped parsley or mint
Hünkar Beğendi
Hünkar Beğendi is a traditional Turkish dish that is typically made with lamb or beef, cooked in a rich tomato-based sauce, and served over a bed of creamy eggplant puree.
To make the dish, cubes of lamb or beef are first cooked in a sauce made with tomatoes, onions, and spices like garlic, paprika, and cumin. The meat is then placed on top of the bed of eggplant puree, which is made by roasting eggplant and blending it with milk, butter, and cheese.
Beyti kebap
Beyti kebabı is a popular dish that consists of ground lamb or beef mixed with spices, wrapped in lavash bread, and grilled until charred and crispy on the outside.
To make beyti kebabı, the ground meat is seasoned with spices like cumin, paprika, and garlic, and then shaped into long, thin logs. The logs are then wrapped in lavash bread, which is a thin, soft flatbread, and grilled until the bread is crispy and the meat is cooked through.
The dish is typically served with a side of yogurt sauce, tomato sauce, and grilled vegetables such as bell peppers and onions. Beyti kebabı is a popular street food, and it is also served in many restaurants and kebab shops throughout the country. It is a delicious and satisfying meal that is enjoyed by locals and tourists alike.
Stay tuned for more articles on Turkish cuisine. Hope you have enjoyed it.
Berkay, OLS Community Manager – Turkish