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Turkish dishes on a "sini", or large tray, that used to be used in the rural areas as a traditional alternative to a table.
Turkish cuisine (: Türk mutfa??) is largely the heritage of , which can be described as a fusion and refinement of , , ,
cuisines. Turkish cuisine has in turn influenced those and other neighbouring cuisines, including those of . The
fused various culinary traditions of their realm with influences from , along with traditional
elements from
and ), creating a vast array of specialities—many with strong regional associations.
Turkish cuisine varies across the country. The cooking of , , , and rest of the Aegean region inherits many elements of
, with a lighter use of spices, a preference for rice over ,
and a wider availability of vegetable stews (türlü), , stuffed
and fish. The cuisine of the
uses fish extensively, especially the
(hamsi) and includes
dishes. The cuisine of the southeast -,
and - is famous for its variety of ,
and dough-based desserts such as , ,
Especially in the western parts of Turkey, where olive trees grow abundantly,
is the major type of oil used for cooking. The cuisines of the ,
regions are rich in vegetables, herbs, and fish.
has many famous specialties, such as ,
(especially from ) and .
A specialty's name sometimes includes that of a city or region, either in or outside of Turkey, and may refer to the specific technique or ingredients used in that area. For example, the difference between Urfa kebap and
is the thickness of the skewer and the amount of hot pepper that the kebab contains. Urfa kebap is less spicy and thicker than Adana kebap.
is a circular bread with sesame seeds. Common breakfast item in Turkey.
Turks usually prefer a rich breakfast. A typical Turkish
consists of cheese (,
etc.), butter, olives, eggs, tomatoes, cucumbers, jam, honey, and .
(spicy Turkish sausage, can be eaten with eggs), , , ,
and soups are eaten as a morning meal in Turkey. A common Turkish speciality for breakfast is called , which is prepared with tomatoes, green peppers, onion, olive oil and eggs. Invariably,
is served at breakfast. The Turkish word for breakfast, kahvalt?, means "before coffee" (kahve, 'coffee'; alt?, 'under').
Homemade food is still preferred by Turkish people. Although the newly introduced way of life pushes the new generation to eat out, Turkish people generally prefer to eat at home. A typical meal starts with soup (especially in wintertime), followed by a dish made of vegetables or legumes boiled in a pot (typically with meat or minced meat), often with or before rice or
accompanied by a salad or
(diluted cold yogurt dish with garlic, salt, and cucumber slices). In summertime many people prefer to eat a cold dish of vegetables cooked with olive oil (zeytinya?l? yemekler) instead of the soup, either before or after the main course, which can also be a chicken, meat or fish plate.
Although fast food is gaining popularity and many major foreign fast food chains have opened all over Turkey, Turkish people still rely primarily on the rich and extensive dishes of Turkish cuisine. In addition, some traditional Turkish foods, especially , , , b?rek and g?zleme, are often served as fast food in Turkey. Eating out has always been common in large commercial cities. Esnaf lokantas? (meaning restaurants for shopkeepers and tradesmen) are widespread, serving traditional Turkish home cooking at affordable prices.
In the hot Turkish summer, a meal often consists of fried vegetables such as eggplant (aubergine) and peppers or potatoes served with yogurt or tomato sauce.
are typical summer dishes, based on eggs. Sheep cheese, cucumbers, tomatoes, watermelons and melons also make a light summer meal. Those who like helva for dessert prefer summer helva, which is lighter and less sweet than the regular one.
Frequently used ingredients in Turkish specialties include: lamb, beef, chicken, , , , , , , and . Nuts, especially , , , , and , together with spices, have a special place in Turkish cuisine, and are used extensively in desserts or eaten separately. Preferred
include , , , , , , pul biber (red pepper), , and .
are also common on various breakfasts and meze tables frequently. In Turkey 'iftars' (fasts) are generally opened with olives.
or , , , , and
are widely used for cooking. , ,
oils are used as well. Kuyruk ya?? ( of ) is sometimes used in kebabs and meat dishes.
The rich and diverse flora of Turkey means that fruit is varied, abundant and cheap. In Ottoman cuisine, fruit frequently accompanied meat as a side dish. , , , , , , and , along with many kinds of
are the most frequently used fruit, either fresh or dried, in Turkish cuisine. For example,
(compote) or
(from Persian khosh ?b, literally meaning "nice water") are among the main side dishes to meat or pilav.
and pilaf usually contain currants or raisins. Etli yaprak sarma (vine leaves stuffed with meat and rice) used to be cooked with sour plums in Ottoman cuisine. Turkish desserts do not normally contain fresh fruit, but may contain dried varieties.
Imam Bayildi with Borek
Eggplant (: patl?can) has a special place in the Turkish cuisine.
In some regions, meat, which was mostly eaten only at wedding ceremonies or during the Kurban Bayram? () as etli pilav ( with meat), has become part of the daily diet since the introduction of industrial production. , formerly shunned, is now widely consumed.
The main use of meat in cooking remains the combination of ground meat and , with names such as
fasulye (beans with ground meat) or k?ymal? ?spanak (spinach with ground meat, which is almost always served with ).
Alternatively, in coastal towns cheap fish such as sardines (sardalya) or hamsi (anchovies) are widely available, as well as many others with seasonal availability. Poultry consumption, almost exclusively of chicken and eggs, is common. Milk-fed , once the most popular source of meat in Turkey, comprise a small part of contemporary consumption. Kuzu ?evirme, cooking milk-fed lamb on a spit, once an important ceremony, is rarely seen.
Because Turkey is a Muslim country, pork plays no role in Turkish cuisine.
Fresh Ayran with a head of foam
A bowl of , the original form of seasoned, diluted
with chopped cucumber, eaten throughout the former Ottoman world, under different names, like the
is an important element in Turkish cuisine. In fact, the English word yogurt or yoghurt derives from the Turkish word yo?urt. Yogurt can accompany almost all meat dishes (kebabs, k?fte), vegetable dishes (especially fried eggplant, courgette, spinach with minced meat etc.), meze and a specialty called mant? (folded triangles of dough containing minced meat). In villages, yogurt is regularly eaten with rice or bread. A thicker, higher-fat variety, süzme yo?urt or "strained yogurt", is made by straining the yogurt curds from the whey. One of the most common Turkish drinks, , is made from yogurt. Also, yogurt is often used in the preparation of cakes, some soups and pastries.
Turkey produces many varieties of , mostly from 's milk. In general, these cheeses are not long matured, with a comparatively low fat content. The production of many kinds of cheese is local to particular regions.
is a salty
taking its name from its white color ("white cheese"). It is similar to
but not as strong. This is produced in styles ranging from unmatured cheese curds to a quite strong mature version. It has many varieties due to source of milk, region ( or ) and production methods (classic or cultured). It is eaten plain (e.g. as part of the traditional Turkish breakfast), used in salads, and incorporated into cooked foods such as ,
is one of two types of unsalted white , made by boiling the whey left over from making beyaz peynir. There are many regional varieties of ??kelek. Some are eaten fresh while others are preserved, either by storage in goatskin bags or pottery jars, or by drying in the sun. Kurut and ke? are regional names for dried bricks of yogurt made from low-fat milk or from ??kelek made from buttermilk.
is the other type of unsalted whey cheese, similarly made from the whey left over from ka?ar or strained yogurt manufacture. Lor is used in traditional desserts made from unsalted cheese like h??merim.
is Turkey's other ubiquitous cheese, a moderately fatty sheep's cheese similar to the Greek , sometimes marketed as "Turkish cheddar", being closer in consistency and taste to mild
than other Turkish cheeses. Less matured ka?ar, called fresh ka?ar, is widely consumed as well. Two varieties are popular
and Thrace.
is a wheel-shaped yellow sheep's cheese, similar to fresh ka?ar. The name is probably of Italian origin.
is a mostly sheep's curd molded in an animal skin bag called as tulum. There are regional varieties of tulum peynir in such areas as ?zmir, ?demi? and Erzincan.
("herbed cheese") is produced in many areas, chiefly in East Anatolia. Traditionally sheep's or goat's milk is used, but more recently cow's milk otlu peynir has been produced. The type of herb used varies by region: in V Bitlis otlu peynir contains a damp-loving herb known as sof otu. In other areas horse mint () and
is a salty, firm-textured cheese, generally with some mint added, made in . In Turkey, it is common to fry hellim in a pan in some olive oil.
(analogous to Swiss ) is produced in Turkey as well. Among others,
is famous for its graviera.
or Kelle peyniri is a hard sheep's cheese that can be grated, like . Sometimes goat or cow milk is used. It is a specialty from Karacabey, a town in Bursa province which was called Mihali? during Byzantine and Ottoman period. Mostly it produced from non-pastorized milk and processed by salt.
, "", is a specialty from .
, means " cheese". It has two variations, smoked or non-smoked.
A Turkish meal usually starts with a thin
(?orba). Soups are usually named after their main ingredient, the mos mercimek () ?orbas?, yogurt, or wheat (often mashed) called
?orbas?. Delicacy soups are the ones that are usually not the part of the daily diet, such as
?orbas?, although the latter also used to be consumed as a nutritious winter meal. Before the popularisation of the typical Turkish breakfast, soup was the default morning meal for some people. The most common soups in Turkish cuisine are:
Tuzlama, a
from Turkey.
/ (which is served cold)
Domates ?orbas? ()
Dü?ün ?orbas? (Wedding soup)
Lahana ?orbas? ( soup)
Mercimek ?orbas? ()
Tavuk (, with almond becomes "Bademli Tavuk")
(lentil dish with noodles)
M?s?r ekme?i ()
(a broad, round and flat bread made of wheat flour)
(known as "gevrek" in Izmir, another type of ring-shaped bread covered with sesame seeds. Simit is commonly eaten in Turkey, plain or with cheese, butter or marmalade).
a round and flat bread, made of wheat flour, thinner than pide.
Tableside preparation of the g?zleme pies in a (traditional) restaurant near
ready to be served.
Turkish cuisine has a range of savoury and sweet pastries. Dough based specialties form an integral part of traditional Turkish cuisine.
The use of layered dough is rooted in the nomadic character of early Central Asian Turks. The combination of domed metal
(the Turkish rod-style rolling pin) enabled the invention of the layered dough style used in
(especially in su b?re?i, or 'water pastry', a salty baklava-like pastry with cheese filling),
is the general name for salty pastries made with
(a thicker version of phyllo dough), which consists of thin layers of dough. , made with boiled / layers, cheese and parsley, is the most frequently eaten.
(also known as Tatar b?re?i) is fried and stuffed with minced meat.
is another well-known type of b?rek that takes its name from its shape, as do
(coffee cup),
(talisman),
(cigarette). Other traditional Turkish b?reks include
(phyllo dough filled with vegetables and diced meat), .
is a sweet type of b?rek, widespread in the .
is the label name for dough based salty pastries. Likewise
is another label name used for both sweet and salty pastries.
is a food typical in rural areas, made of
bread or phyllo dough folded around a variety of fillings such as spinach, cheese and parsley, minced meat or potatoes and cooked on a large griddle (traditionally ).
is another traditional rolled out dough. It can be salty or sweet according to the filling. Katmer with
is a sweet food and one of the most popular breakfast items in .
(meaning dough with meat in Arabic) is a thin flatbread covered with a layer of spiced minced meat, tomato, pepper, onion or garlic.
, which can be made with minced meat (together with onion, chopped tomatoes, parsley and spices),
cheese, spinach, white cheese, pieces of meat, braised meat (), sucuk, past?rma or/and eggs put on rolled-out dough, is one of the most common traditional stone-baked Turkish specialities.
is a soft bread found in most parts of Turkey. It is similar to simit in shape, is covered in a glaze, and is usually eaten as a part of breakfast or as a snack.
with yogurt and garlic, spiced with red pepper powder and melted butter.
Typical Turkish pilav. Rice with .
Definition
Sade pilav
Plain rice pilaf is often the primary side dish to any meal. It is made by sauteing rice with butter until lightly toasted and simmering with water or stock.
Domatesli pilav
tomato pilaf
Etli pilav
rice containing meat pieces
Nohutlu pilav
rice cooked with chickpeas
rice with liver slices, currants, peanuts, chestnut, cinnamon and a variety of herbs
Patl?canl? pilav
rice with eggplant
?zbek pilav?
Uzbek pilaf
rice with lamb, onion, tomato, carrot
Acem pilav?
Persian pilaf
rice with lamb, cooked in meat broth with pistachios, cinnamon, etc.
a cereal food generally made of
wheat. Most of the time, tomato, green pepper and minced meat are mixed with bulgur. The Turkish name (bulgur pilav?) indicates that this is a kind of rice but it is, in fact, wheat.
Perde pilav?
rice with chicken, onion and peanuts enveloped in a thin layer of dough, topped with almonds
Hamsili pilav
spiced rice covered with anchovies, cooked in oven. A speciality from the Black Sea Region.
Frik pilav?
rice made of burnt wheat. A speciality from Antioch/.
Turkish pasta that consists of folded triangles of dough filled with minced meat, often with minced onions and parsley. It is typically served hot topped with garlic yogurt and melted butter or warmed olive oil, and a range of spices such as oregano, dried , ground , and
powder. The combination of meat-filled dough with yogurt differentiates it from other dumplings such as tortellini, ravioli, and Chinese wonton. Mant? is usually eaten as a main dish. Minced chicken and quail meats are also used to prepare mant? in some regions of Turkey.
homemade pasta is called eri?te in Turkey. It can be combined with vegetables but it can also be used in soups and rice.
a meat and wheat (or barley) stew
the Turkish version of , which can be served with any meat dish or stew
A vegetable dish can be a main course in a Turkish meal. A large variety of vegetables are used, such as , , , , , , , green and red ,
and . A typical vegetable dish is prepared with a base of chopped onions, carrots sautéed first in olive oil and later with tomatoes or . The vegetables and hot water will then be added. Quite frequently a spoon of rice and lemon juice is also added. Vegetable dishes usually tend to be served with its own water (the cooking water) thus often called in colloquial Turkish sulu yemek (literally "a dish with juice"). Minced meat can also be added to a vegetable dish but vegetable dishes that are cooked with olive oil () are often served cold and do not contain meat. Spinach, leek, string bean and artichoke with olive oil are among the most widespread dishes in Turkey.
is the name used for stuffed vegetables. Like the vegetables cooked with olive oil as described above dolma with olive oil does not contain meat. Many vegetables are stuffed, most typically green peppers (biber dolmas?), eggplants, tomatoes, or /courgettes (kabak dolmas?), vine leaves (yaprak dolmas?). If vine leaves are used, they are first pickled in brine. However, dolma is not limited t many other vegetables and fruits are stuffed with a meat or rice mixture. For example, artichoke dolma () is an Aegean region specialty. Fillings used in dolma may consist of parts of the vegetable carved out for preparation, rice with spices or minced meat.
, although being named k?fte, does not contain any meat. Instead, red lentil is used as the major ingredient together with spring onion, tomato paste etc.
is a version of
with no minced meat inside. It can be served as a meze as well.
Fried eggplant and pepper is a common summer dish in Turkey. It is served with yogurt or tomato sauce and garlic.
is prepared with grated squash/courgette or potatoes, egg, onion, dill or cheese and flour. It can be either fried or cooked in the oven.
can be served either as a side dish or main dish but bulgur pilav? (pilav made of boiled and pounded wheat - bulgur) is also widely eaten. The dishes made with kuru fasulye (), nohut (), mercimek (), b?rülce (), etc., combined with onion, vegetables, minced meat, tomato paste and rice, have always been common due to being economical and nutritious.
is pickle made with brine, usually with the addition of garlic. It is often enjoyed as an appetizer. It is made with a large variety of vegetables, from cucumber to courgette. In the towns on the Aegean coast, the water of
is consumed as a drink. It comes from the Persian "Torshi", which refers to pickled "Torsh" (sour) vegetables.
(left) as part of a Turkish breakfast
consists of scrambled eggs cooked with tomato, green pepper, and onion.
is another traditional Turkish food made with poached eggs, yogurt and oil.
consists of eggs with spinach and onion.
can be described as something of a cross between the pancake and the omelet in Ottoman cuisine. It used to be served with cheese, honey, crushed nuts, or eggplant. However, it is almost forgotten in the big cities of Turkey.
A plate of Turkish meze
A plate of piyaz
A plate of
decorated with green
is a selection of food served as the appetizer course with or without drinks. Some of them can be served as a main course as well.
Aside from , mature ka?ar , white cheese, various mixed pickles , frequently eaten Turkish mezes include:
– hot spicy freshly mashed tomato with onion and green herbs
(also known as muhammara) – a spread having both
origins, prepared with from
paste, ground , tomato paste, bread crumbs, garlic, and spices
(literally "Albanian liver") – fried liver cubes served with onion, parsley and hot pepper
Roka () salad
– eggplant salad
– white bean or potato salad with onion and vinegar
or in another version
– fried and chopped eggplants and peppers served with garlic yogurt or tomato sauce
– hummus prepared from broad bean
cooked with garlic, tomato paste, carrot and olive oil
– very thin dough layers staffed with cheese, meat or vegetables
– cucumber with yogurt, dried mint and olive oil
– a meze prepared with walnut, red pepper, pepper paste, onion and cumin
(literally "Circassian chicken")
Ahtapot () – On seatowns served as a salad or grilled
– raw meat patties, similar to , prepared with ground beef (sometimes lamb) and fine- a vegetarian version using tomato paste is known as etsiz ?i? k?fte (literally "meatless raw meatballs")
– a mixed salad of tomato, cucumber, onion, green peppers, and parsley
(, also called common
– vine leaves, cabbage leaves, chard leaves, peppers, tomato, squash, pumpkin, eggplant or mussels stuffed with rice or meat
cooked with garlic, tomato paste, carrot and olive oil
– broad/horse bean puree
– mustard plant salad
for "chickpea") – a spread prepared from sesame , chickpeas, garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice.
(also known as oruk) – served either as a especially in the east of Turkey, when it is cooked through boiling in a pot, i?li k?fte is served as a main dish
– stuffed
blossoms, a kind of
Kalamar () – fried or grilled, served with
Karides () – served as a salad, grilled, or stewed with vegetables in a
(a casserole)
(also known as 'sarma i?i') – a very popular meze or side dish prepared with fine-ground bulgur, tomato paste, parsley, onion, garlic, sour pomegranate juice and a lot of spices
, various fried vegetables (eggplants, peppers, courgettes) served with yogurt or tomato-and-garlic sauce
– meatballs
Midye () – In istanbul or seatowns fried and served with
or as midye dolma (mussels stuffed with rice filling)
: see Acuka
Oruk: see ??li k?fte
Semizotu () salad – served with yogurt
– a spread made with fish
- olives and green onion salad
Turkish yaprak sarma
verb dolmak 'to be stuffed(or filled)', and means simply 'stuffed thing'. Dolma has a special place in Turkish cuisine. It can be eaten either as a meze or a main dish. It can be cooked either as a vegetable dish or meat dish. If a meat mixture is put in, it is usually served hot with yogurt and spices such as oregano and red pepper powder with oil.
(dolma with olive oil) is the dolma made with vine leaves stuffed with a rice-spice mixture and cooked with olive oil. This type of dolma does not contain meat, is served cold and also referred to as , which means "wrapping" in Turkish. If dolma do not contain meat, they are sometimes described as
meaning "fake" dolma.
such as figs or cherries and cinnamon used to be added into the mixture to sweeten zeytinya?l? dolma in Ottoman cuisine.
(yaprak) could be filled not only with rice and spices but also with meat and rice, , in which case it was often served hot with yogurt. The word sarma is also used for some types of desserts, such as
(wrapped pistachio).
dolma along with
dolma was one of the palace's specialties (raw melon stuffed with minced meat, onion, rice, almonds, cooked in an oven). In contemporary Turkey, a wide variety of dolma is prepared. Although it is not possible to give an exhaustive list of dolma recipes,
("kabak"),
("patl?can"),
("domates"),
("balkaba??"),
("biber"),
("lahana") (black or white cabbage),
("paz?") and
("midye") dolma constitute the most common types. Instead of dried cherries in the palace cuisine, currants are usually added to the filling of dolma cooked in olive oil. A different type of dolma is
dolmas?, for which the membrane of intestines of sheep is filled up with a spicy rice-nut mixture.
cooking on a spit
A plate of Kuzu Güve? in , , Finland.
Consisted of chicken or lean veal, D?ner kebap is a common Turkish fast food.
Tantuni (similar to dürüm, meat cut in very small pieces, served with lavash, a specialty from the
province of Turkey)
Kuzu güve? (lamb cooked in earthenware casserole)
Past?rmal?
(white kidney bean stew with )
(spring lamb stewed)
Ha?lama (boiled lamb with vegetables and lemon juice)
Kavurma ("kavurma", which means roasting/parching in Turkish, is generally used for roasted lamb. ?oban kavurma is a variety of it, prepared with diced lamb with tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, peppers and herbs. Kavurma is one of the favorite dishes of Ramadan.)
, a home-style Turkish
variety which is a specialty of the .
Hünkarbe?endi (the name means that the sovereign/sultan liked it, the dish consists of a puree of grilled eggplant with ka?ar cheese, topped with cubed lamb meat)
Türlü (a stew of vegetables and meat cooked in güve?-casserole)
(pilav with lamb)
Elbasan tava
Tand?r (without adding any water, the meat is cooked very slowly with a special technique)
?ncik ( cooked in the oven)
(broad bean/spinach/squash boraniye, vegetables cooked together with meat, yogurt and chickpea)
(split-belly eggplant) (eggplants are cut off and fried. Then they are filled with minced meat, onion, garlic and tomato paste and cooked in the oven)
(meatball) is another meat dish in Turkey. The word
is sometimes preceded by the name of a town, which refers to the technique for cooking it or the ingredients or spices specifically used in that region, ,
(mainly in
province) etc. Its main ingredients are minced meat, parsley, bread-egg (not necessarily, usually homemade k?fte contains egg yolk and some crumbled bread) and a range of spices: cumin, oregano, mint powder, red or black pepper powder with onion or garlic.
is another tr minced meat is mixed with cooked rice and fried.
can be described as a shell of "bulgur" filled with onion, minced meat and nuts.
is a meze from south-eastern Turkey meaning raw meatballs, prepared with "bulgur" and raw minced meat. Terbiyeli Sulu K?fte is another meatball speciality cooked with flour, tomato paste and water in which lemon and egg sauce is added.
is a form of raw sausage (made with beef meat and a range of spices, and garlic) commonly eaten with breakfast. Instead of classical sausages (sosis), sucuk is the most used ingredient for snacks and fast-food style toasts and sandwiches in Turkey.
is another famous beef delicacy. Both past?rma and sucuk can be put in
(dry beans) to enrich the aroma. Both can be served as a meze as well. Sucuk or past?rma with , served in a small pan called sahan, is eaten at breakfast in Turkey.
(the intestines of sheep) with spices is a traditional low-price fast food in Turkey.
is fried in Turkish cuisine. "Arnavut ci?eri" (meaning Albanian liver), served with onion and , is usually eaten as a meze, in combination with other mezes such as fava. "" is another famous liver dish from . Liver is first frozen so that it can be cut into very thin layers. After being cut off, liver layers are fried.
Kelle (roasted sheep's head)
Kuzu etli enginar (artichokes with lamb)
Etli taze fasulye (green beans stew with meat)
Etli bamya (okra with meat)
??kembeli nohut (chickpea with tripe)
Pili? dolma (stuffed chicken with spice filling)
Alinazik kebab over garlic-eggplant puree with vermicelli rice pilaf, grilled tomato and green bell pepper.
Doner being carved.
?skender kebap
Main article:
For a list of kebab variants, see .
Kebab refers to a great variety of meat-based dishes in Turkish cuisine. Kebab in Turkey encompasses not only grilled or skewered meats, but also stews and casseroles.
or k?yma kebab? – kebab with hand-minced meat mixed with chili on a flat wide metal skewer (shish); associated with
region although very popular all over Turkey.
, "Ali Pasha kebab" – cubed lamb with tomato, onion and parsley wrapped in phillo.
– Ground meat kebab sautéed in a saucepan, with garlic, yogurt and eggplants added.
, 'gardener's kebab' – Boneless lamb shoulder mixed with chopped onions and tomato paste.
– Ground lamb or beef, seasoned and grilled on a skewer, often served wrapped in
and topped with
and , traced back to the famous kebab house
and particularly popular in Turkey's larger cities.
– Lamb and aubergine casserole.
, "steamed kebap" – cooked in low heat until the meat releases its moisture and reabsorbs it.
, 'spoke kebab' – Cubes of lamb roasted first on a ca? (a horizontal ) and then on a skewer, a specialty of
region with recently rising popularity.
, 'liver paper kebab' – Lamb liver kebab mixed with meat and marinated with ,
, 'arbor kebab' – Stuffed lamb meat in a .
– Sirloin veal kebap stuffed with
and potatoes.
, 'earthenware bowl kebab' – Meat and vegetable casserole (called a
in Turkish) with eggplant, carrots, shallots, beans, tomatoes and green pepper.
, "small skewer kebab" – a specialty of
near , pounded boneless meat with tomatoes and garlic marinated with black pepper,
and oil on wooden skewers.
, 'Sultan's kebab' – Sliced lamb meat mixed with
(aubergine purée), basil,
– d?ner kebap served with , tomato sauce and , originated in . The kebab was invented by ?skender Efendi in 1867. He was inspired from Ca? kebab and turned it from horizontal to vertical.
, 'steamed kebab' – Another version of the aubergine kebab without its skin, marinated in sunflower oil.
– Lamb cooked in a paper wrapping.
, 'pit kebab' – Prepared from the goat it is special for
region, similar to .
, 'lamb shank kebab' – Lamb shanks mixed with peeled eggplants and chopped tomatoes, cream, salt and pepper.
– Shish prepared with marinated milk-fed lamb meat.
[[]] or Shish k?fte – minced lamb meatballs with herbs, often including
and , on a stick, grilled.
region version of the kebab is smaller and flat size shish meat on the sliced
bread, flavored with butter, and stuffed with tomato, garlic and green pepper.
, 'forest kebab' – Lamb meat on the bone and cut in large pieces mixed with carrots, potatoes and peas.
, 'potato kebab' – Beef or chicken mixed with potatoes, onions, tomato sauce and bay leaves.
, 'aubergine kebab' – Special kebap meat marinated in spices and served with
(aubergine), hot pide bread and a yogurt sauce.
, ' kebab' – Meat mixed with yogurt, tomato and garlic stuffed with fresh mint or garnish on Pide bread.
– Prepared with fish, lamb or chicken meat on thin metal or reed rods, grilled.
– - chicken grilled on a stick
– Associated with the
region, similar to Tokat kebab but especially lamb ribs are preferred and it also differs from Tokat kebab? on the point that there are no potatoes inside.
, 'waterless kebab' – Cooked after draining excess fluid from the meat rubbed with salt and cinnamon in saucepan.
, 'sawdust kebab' – Diced lamb, mixed with grated onions, brown meat mixed with flour dough.
, 'tandoor kebab' – Lamb pieces (sometimes a whole lamb) baked in an oven called a , which requires a special way of cooking for hours. Served with bread and raw onions.
, 'bowl kebab' – Stewed kebab in a bowl, beginning with the cooking of the vegetables in butter employing a method called yaga vurmak, ("butter infusion"), before the meat itself is cooked in the same grease.
, 'earthenware-jug kebab' – Ingredients are similar to , prepared in a
instead of a , generally found in Central Anatolia and the Mid-Western Black Sea region.
– Associated with the
region, it is made with veal marinated in olive oil, aubergine, tomatoes, potatoes, onion, garlic and special
– is similar to , but not that spicy.
Istavrit on display at a fish market.
Turkey is surrounded by seas which contain a large variety of fish. Fish are grilled, fried or cooked slowly by the bu?ulama (poaching) method. Bu?ulama is fish with lemon and parsley, covered while cooking so that it will be cooked with steam. The term pil?ki is also used for fish cooked with various vegetables, including onion in the oven. In the Black Sea region, fish are usually fried with thick corn flour. Fish as smoked (isleme) or dried (?iroz), canned, salted or pickled (l?kerda). Fish is also cooked in salt or in dough in Turkey. Paz?da Levrek is a seafood speciality which consists of
leaves. In fish restaurants, it is possible to find other fancy fish varieties like bal?k dolma (stuffed fish), bal?k iskender (inspired by Iskender kebab), fishballs or fish en papillote.
prepared with vegetables, onion and flour is common in coastal towns and cities. In 's
and other coastal districts, grilled fish served in bread with tomatoes, herbs and onion is a popular fast food. In the inner parts of Turkey,
alabal?k is common as it is the main type of freshwater fish. Popular seafood mezes at coastlines include stuffed mussels, fried
and fried kalamar () with
Popular sea fish in Turkey include:
?upra or ?ipura,
barbun(ya), sea bass levrek,
mezgit (allied to the cod fish) or bakalyaro,
mercan, t?ran?a, istavrit and
is prepared on large trays and cut into a variety of shapes
Sütla?, or .
, means the bottom of "kazan" because of its burnt surface.
One of the world-renowned desserts of Turkish cuisine is . Baklava is made either with pistachio or walnut. Turkish cuisine has a range of baklava-like desserts which include , , , , and .
('Kaday?f') is a common Turkish dessert that employs shredded yufka. There are different types of : tel (wire) or
(wring) kaday?f, both of which can be prepared with either walnut or pistachio.
Although carrying the label "kaday?f",
is totally different from "tel kaday?f" (see ).
are rich in syrup and butter, and are usually served with
(clotted/scrambled butter). Künefe contains wire kaday?f with a layer of melted cheese in between and it is served hot with pistachio or walnut.
Among milk-based desserts, the most popular ones are , ,
(rice pudding), ,
(meaning the bottom of "kazan" because of its burnt surface), and
(a sweet, gelatinous, milk pudding dessert quite similar to kazandibi, to which very thinly peeled chicken breast is added to give a chewy texture). A speciality from the Mediterranean region is , which consists of pieces of starch pudding and ice cream (or crushed ice) put in rose water sweetened with syrup.
(flour helva is usually cooked after someone has died),
(cooked with semolina and pine nuts),
(made from walnut or almond),
(crushed sesame seeds), ,
(floss halva).
Other popu
(with semolina and starch), , , , , , , , , , , , .
is a dessert typically served at Ramadan, which consists of very thin large dough layers put in the milk and rose water, served with pomegranate seeds and walnut. A story is told that in the kitchens of the Palace, those extra thin dough layers were prepared with "prayers", as it was believed that if one did not pray while opening phyllo dough, it would never be possible to obtain such thin layers.
can be described as a sweet soup containing boiled beans, wheat and dried fruits. Sometimes cinnamon and rose water is added when being served. According to legend, it was first cooked on
and contained seven different ingredients in one dish. All the Anatolian peoples have cooked and are still cooking a?ure especially during the month of Muharrem.
Some traditional Turkish desserts are fruit-based: ayva tatl?s? (), incir tatl?s? (), kabak tatl?s? (), elma tatl?s? () and armut tatl?s? (). Fruits are cooked in a pot or in the oven with sugar, carnation and cinnamon (without adding water). After being chilled, they are served with walnut or pistachio and .
Homemade cookies are commonly called
in Turkish. The most common types are
(prepared only with egg, sugar and almond),
(flour kurabiye) and cevizli kurabiye (kurabiye with walnut). Another dough based dessert is .
is a traditional combination especially in rural areas. Tahin is
and pekmez is grape syrup. These are sold separately and mixed before consumption.
(), which was eaten for digestion after meals and called "rahat hulkum" in the Ottoman era, is another well-known sweet/candy with a range of varieties.
(named after its sucuk/sujuk like shape, also known as
in Circassian region) and
(fruit pestils) are among other common sweets.
badem ezmesi or f?st?k ezmesi (made of ground pistachio) is another common confection in Turkey.
Another jelly like Turkish sweet is .
of / (which was also called "nevruziye" as this macun was distributed on the first day of spring in the Ottoman Palace) contains 41 different spices. It is still believed that "mesir macunu" is good for health and has healing effects. As with lokum,
(prepared with mint) used to be eaten as a digestive after heavy meals. Herbs and flowers having curative effects were grown in the gardens of Topkap? under the control of the chief doctor "hekimba??" and pharmacists of the Palace who used those herbs for preparing special types of
There are also several types of ice creams based
(Turkish gum ice cream), dried fruit ice cream, ice cream rose petals.
Dried fruit, used in dolma, pilav, meat dishes and other desserts is also eaten with almonds or walnuts as a dessert. Figs, grapes, apricots are the most widespread dried fruits.
Kaymak (clotted cream-butter) is often served with desserts to cut the sweetness.
or , with or without sugar, is usually served after dinner or more rarely together with desserts.
Although the majority of Turks profess the Islamic religion,
are as widely available as anywhere. However, some Turks abstain from drinking
during the holy month of .
(pronounced [?a'k?]) is the most popular alcoholic drink in Turkey. It is considered as the national alcoholic beverage of Turkey. There are a few local brands of
such as Bomonti, Marmara34 and
and a large variety of international beers that are produced in Turkey such as Skol, , , ,
There are a variety of local
produced by Turkish brands such as , , Doluca, Corvus, Kayra, Pamukkale and Diren which are getting more popular with the change of climatic conditions that affect the production of wine. A range of grape varieties are grown in Turkey. For the production of red wine, the following types of gr in Marmara Region, , , , , , , ; in Aegean Region, , , , , ; in Black Sea Region and eastern part of the country, , ; in Central Anatolia, , , ; in Mediterranean Region, , . As for white wine, the grapes can
in Marmara Region, , , , , ; in Aegean Region, in Black Sea Region, ; in Central Anatolia, ,
(for further info ). In addition to mass production, it is quite popular to produce wine in private farms and sell them in the locality. Visitors can find different "home made" wines in Central Anatolia (Kapadokya/ region - ), Aegean coast ( and
(an island in the Aegean Sea)).
At breakfast and all day long Turkish people drink . Tea is made with two teapots in Turkey. Strong bitter tea made in the upper pot is diluted by adding boiling water from the lower.
(salty yogurt drink) is the most common cold beverage, which may accompany almost all dishes in Turkey, except those with fish and seafood.
(mild or hot turnip juice) is another important non-alcoholic beverage which is usually combined with kebabs or served together with .
is a traditional winter drink, which is also known as millet wine (served cold with cinnamon and sometimes with ).
is another favorite in winter (served hot with cinnamon). Sahlep is extracted from the roots of wild orchids and may be used in Turkish ice cream as well. This was a popular drink in western Europe before coffee was brought from Africa and came to be known.
(Turkish ?erbet, pronounced ) is a syrup which can be made from any of a wide variety of ingredients, especially fruits, flowers, or herbs. Examples include pear, quince, strawberry, apple, , pomegranate, orange, rose petals, rose hips, or licorice and spices. Sherbet is drunk diluted with cold water.
In classical Turkish cuisine,
(from the Persian "Khosh-ab", meaning "fresh water") alternatively accompanies meat dishes and pilav ().
Nur ?lkin -i Taste of Turkish cuisine
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English names for fish from , Mediterranean Seafood, Penguin, 1972.
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Marianna Yerasimos, Ottoman cuisine
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