Eight Turkish Foods to Try Before You Die
One of the great joys of any trip to Turkey is, of course, Turkish food. And, as the Ottoman Empire stretched across swathes of Europe, Asia and the Middle East at its peak, many of the flavours may well be familiar to you from elsewhere. Here’s a very subjective selection of eight of my personal Turkish food favourites – and don’t miss fresh fruit if it’s in season when you visit.
Stuffed Mussels
I must confess I was suspicious when Kristy of Vagabond Kids recommended stuffed mussels (midye dolma) to me, but these things are moister, and infinitely more flavoursome, than I could have imagined. With a squeeze of lemon, they’re arguably the perfect holiday street food.
Mantı
You’ll find variations on dumplings all around the world, even in Nepal, but mantı are closer to ravioli than the larger dumplings of Asia or the heavier fare of the Balkans. Tiny parcels of lightly spiced meat, wrapped in durum wheat, they are typically served with lashings of tomato sauce and yoghurt.
Turkish Ice Cream
I’ve written about Turkish ice cream before, but until you’ve tried the stretchy, icy delicacy known as dondurma, and watched the men who sell it in action, you really haven’t lived. My favourite flavour? Blackcurrant.
Adana Kebab
The mangal, a long, open, charcoal grill, sits at the heart of much Turkish cuisine, and the much-maligned kebab reaches quite phenomenal heights of taste here. Adana kebabs are made from mince meat, with a subtle paprika-chilli heat, and ideally served with at least one of the long, thin green peppers that are Turkey’s answer to pimientos padrones.
Guveç
A bit of a cheat here – guveç, or goulash in other languages – is basically a stew, and covers a range of ingredients. Some of the best meals I’ve had on our Turkey holidays have come from wandering into a simple diner full of bubbling trays of stew and picking a couple of plates. Choose one with a lot of locals, and walk straight in.
Baklava
The art of baklava, with its fine, multi-layered filo pastry, its delectable honey coating, and a spicy filling, normally made from either pistachio or walnut (though I’ve seen almond baklava around too), is a special one. Look for a cake shop where the baklava are glistening and sticky with honey, and dive straight in.
Lokum
I’ve written about lokum in Bulgaria, but the Turks take their home sweet, AKA Turkish Delight, with a seriousness that amazes. The Spice Bazaar in Istanbul is a mecca for this stuff, which comes packed with nuts, plain, or in every flavour under the sun. Like baklava, it’s really not for dieters.
Ayran
Turkey’s answer to India’s lassi, ayran is a diluted yoghurt drink that’s typically served salty. While it comes in a range of consistencies, my favourite is the light, thin kind that’s often sold at street stalls, machine whipped so it has a head frothier than the finest cappuccino. It’s even more refreshing than salt lassi, and I do not say this lightly.