Baku Kitchen! An independent reference of traditional food

Turkey

Ask what Turkey eats and the answer starts with this: kebabs, meze, flaky pastries and syrupy sweets bridging Anatolian, Ottoman and Mediterranean traditions, washed down with tea. Look for Döner kebab (seasoned meat roasted on vertical spit, shaved into bread or dürüm wraps), Manti (tiny beef dumplings under garlic yogurt, chili butter and dried mint) and Baklava (paper-thin phyllo layered with pistachios, soaked in syrup). Vertical-spit roasting emerged in nineteenth-century Bursa; Turkish migrants in 1970s Berlin turned it into the bread-wrapped fast food now sold worldwide. This atlas has 53 Turkey dishes catalogued below, from everyday cooking to food kept for festivals and special occasions.

53 dishes.

Adana kebabAdana kebabspicy hand-minced lamb skewer grilled over charcoal, served with sumac onionsAsureAsurepudding of grains, pulses, dried fruit and nuts, shared with neighboursAyranAyranSalted yoghurt thinned with cold water, drunk with kebabs and pilaf.BaklavaBaklavawalnut phyllo in syrup, New Year's favoriteBalik ekmekBalik ekmekgrilled mackerel sandwich with onion and greens from Istanbul's waterfrontBeyaz peynirBeyaz peynirbrined white sheep or cow cheese; the core of every Turkish breakfastBorekBoreklayered yufka pastry filled with cheese, spinach or minced meatBozaBozaThick fermented millet drink, faintly sour, sold from dedicated shops.Cig kofteCig koftespicy kneaded bulgur with pepper paste, served in lettuce with lemonCokelekCokelekDry crumbly curd cheese made from buttermilk, mixed with herbs for breakfast.DolmaDolmavegetables stuffed with spiced minced meat, simmered in white chickpea sauceDöner kebabDöner kebabSpit-roasted meat in flatbread with salad; Berlin's Turkish-German staple.GullacGullacSheets of starch wafer softened in sweet milk, layered with walnuts and rosewater.HardaliyeHardaliyeNon-alcoholic fermented grape drink flavoured with crushed mustard seed and cherry leaves.Hunkar begendiHunkar begendilamb stew spooned over smoky aubergine béchamelIcli kofteIcli koftebulgur shell stuffed with minced meat, onion and walnuts, then friedImam bayildiImam bayildiwhole aubergine braised in olive oil with onion, tomato and garlicIskender kebabIskender kebabdöner slices over pide with tomato sauce, melted butter and yoghurtIslak burgerIslak burgerSteamed burger soaked in garlicky tomato sauce, held warm in a glass cabinet.KasarKasarFirm yellow sheep or cow milk cheese, sliced for toast and pastries.KaymakKaymakthick clotted cream from the summer pastures, eaten with bread and honeyKazandibiKazandibiMilk pudding deliberately scorched on the pan base, rolled and served in caramelised slices.KisirKisirbulgur salad with pepper paste, pomegranate molasses and herbsKofteKoftegrilled minced-meat patties with onion and spices; countless regional stylesKokorecKokorecseasoned lamb intestines grilled on skewer, chopped into breadKumpirKumpirGiant baked potato mashed with butter and cheese, piled with many cold toppings.KunefeKunefeshredded pastry baked over melting cheese, drenched in syrup; served hotKuru fasulyeKuru fasulyewhite beans stewed with tomato and pepper paste, served with riceLahmacunLahmacunthin crisp flatbread topped with spiced minced meat; rolled with parsley and lemonLentil soupLentil soupsmooth red-lentil soup with lemon and chili butter; everyday starterLokmaLokmasyrup-soaked fried dough balls, often handed out free in memory of the deadMantiMantitiny beef dumplings under garlic yoghurt, chili butter and dried mintMaras dondurmasiMaras dondurmasiStretchy goat-milk ice cream thickened with salep, cut with a knife.MenemenMenemeneggs scrambled with tomatoes and green peppers, scooped with breadMidye dolmaMidye dolmaMussels stuffed with spiced rice, squeezed with lemon and eaten from the shell.PastirmaPastirmaair-dried cured beef sheathed in çemen paste of fenugreek, garlic and paprika

  • Raki

    Anise spirit that turns milky with water; sipped slowly through a meze meal. A wine & spirit recipe from Turkey.

  • Tursu

    Vegetables brined with garlic and vinegar; the sour juice drunk from glasses. Ready in 40 min prep and 5 min…

  • Gullac

    Sheets of starch wafer softened in sweet milk, layered with walnuts and rosewater. Ready in 30 min prep and 4…

  • Adana kebab

    Spicy hand-minced lamb skewer grilled over charcoal, served with sumac onions. Ready in 30 min prep and 12 min cooking.…

  • Asure

    Pudding of grains, pulses, dried fruit and nuts, shared with neighbours. Ready in 30 minutes prep and 2 hours cooking.…

  • Ayran

    Salted yoghurt thinned with cold water, drunk with kebabs and pilaf. 5 min to prepare. 4 glasses. A drink recipe…

  • Balik ekmek

    Grilled mackerel sandwich with onion and greens from Istanbul’s waterfront. Ready in 20 min prep and 15 min cooking. 4…

  • Beyaz peynir

    Brined white sheep or cow cheese; the core of every Turkish breakfast. A cheese & dairy recipe from Turkey.

  • Borek

    Layered yufka pastry filled with cheese, spinach or minced meat. Ready in 40 min prep and 45 min cooking. 8…

  • Cig kofte

    Spicy kneaded bulgur with pepper paste, served in lettuce with lemon. 1 hr 30 min to prepare. 8 servings. A…