Ingredients
Fish
- 4mackerel fillets, or 2 whole mackerel, filleted
- 1 tbspsalt
- juice of 1 lemon
- olive oil
Bread
- 4half loaves of Turkish bread, or 4 crusty white rolls
To fill
- 1red onion, very thinly sliced
- 1 tspsumac
- a handful rocket or lettuce
- sliced tomato
- chopped parsley
To finish
- lemon wedges
- salt and black pepper
- turşu suyu, pickle juice, optional
To serve
- immediately, standing up, by the water
Directions
- Leave the skin on, which holds the fillet together and crisps on the grill. Salt the fillets and leave them for ten minutes, then pat them dry. Salting draws out a little moisture and firms the flesh, which helps it hold together.
- Brush the fillets lightly with oil. Now the grill, which must be hot. Grill over charcoal if you can, or on a very hot ridged griddle pan. Get the grill genuinely hot before the fish goes on, and oil the bars.
- Lay the fillets skin side down and leave them alone for three or four minutes. Do not move the fish while the skin sets, since it releases from the grill only once it has crisped.
- Turn once and give the flesh side a minute or two only. Mackerel cooks quickly and it goes dry and cottony if overdone.
- Slice the red onion very thinly and toss it with sumac and a little salt. Sumac is the standard dressing for raw onion in Turkey, and its sourness takes the harsh bite off the onion.
- Use a crusty white bread, not a soft roll, since the sandwich needs to hold together against oily fish. Warm the bread briefly on the grill, which is what the stalls do.
- Lay rocket or lettuce in the bread, then the hot fish fillet, then the sumac onion, tomato and parsley. Put the leaves under the fish, which stops the bread going soggy from the fish oil. Squeeze plenty of lemon over the fish and season with salt and pepper. Serve it immediately, wrapped in paper.
Technique
- The original Eminönü boats were removed around 2012 after a permits dispute.
- Much of the mackerel is now imported, since Bosphorus stocks have declined.
- Sumac-dressed raw onion is what balances the oily fish.
Substitutions
- Any fresh oily fish, such as sardine or herring.
- Lemon juice and a pinch of salt if you have no sumac.
Variations
- With pickled vegetables added inside.
- Made with the fish fried rather than grilled.
- Served with şalgam, the sour turnip juice.
History
A simple sandwich made from freshly grilled fish, typically mackerel, served in a piece of bread with onion and lettuce, documented across Turkey, particularly associated with Istanbul, where the sandwich is traditionally sold from small boats moored along the Golden Horn or the shores of the Bosphorus, with fish grilled directly aboard the rocking boats before being handed to customers on the dock. Its name, meaning literally fish bread, describes the sandwich’s simple, defining components, and balik ekmek’s specific association with dockside boat vendors reflects Istanbul’s long historical relationship with the fishing trade along its famous waterways. Balik ekmek remains one of Istanbul’s most iconic and specifically associated street foods.
Frequently asked questions
What is Balik ekmek?
Balik ekmek is a street food from Turkey: grilled mackerel sandwich with onion and greens from Istanbul’s waterfront. A simple sandwich made from freshly grilled fish, typically mackerel, served in a piece of bread with onion and lettuce, documented across Turkey, particularly associated with Istanbul, where the sandwich is traditionally sold from small boats moored along the Golden Horn or the shores of the Bosphorus, with fish grilled directly aboard the rocking boats before being handed to customers on the dock. Its name, meaning literally fish bread, describes the sandwich’s simple, defining components, and balik ekmek’s specific association with dockside boat vendors reflects Istanbul’s long historical relationship with the fishing trade along its famous waterways. Balik ekmek remains one of Istanbul’s most iconic and specifically associated street foods.
How long does Balik ekmek take to make?
Balik ekmek takes 20 min of preparation and 15 min of cooking. The recipe makes 4 sandwiches. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Balik ekmek?
Yes, within limits. Any fresh oily fish, such as sardine or herring. Lemon juice and a pinch of salt if you have no sumac.
What is the most important thing to get right in Balik ekmek?
Brush the fillets lightly with oil. Now the grill, which must be hot. Grill over charcoal if you can, or on a very hot ridged griddle pan. Get the grill genuinely hot before the fish goes on, and oil the bars.
