ON THE MOVE

FOR
SOCIAL INCLUSION

TURKISH
GASTRONOMY
 TURKISH GASTRONOMY

For those who travel to engage in culinary pursuits and for the
ordinary tourist, Turkish cuisine is worthy of exploration.
The variety of dishes that make up the cuisine, the ways they all
come together in feast-like meals and the evident intricacy of each
craft offer enough material for life-long study and enjoyment.
Whether in a humble home or at a famous restaurant, familiar
patterns of this rich and diverse cuisine are always present. It is a
rare art which satisfies your senses while reconfirming the higher
order of society, community and culture.
 What makes Turkish Cuisine Glorious?

‘’Do not underestimate the dish by calling it just food.

The blessed thing is an entire civilization in itself!"
The vast geography that the Turks have lived until now,
the various climates, the soil and living conditions have enabled
Turks to develop a very rich culinary culture.
Turkish cuisine is fast making a name for itself on the
worldwide culinary platform. A colourful cuisine of aromatic rose
desserts to robust griddled meats. The combination of flavours
and ingredients are blended together to form dishes historically
influenced by a number of cultures including the Ottomans,
Greeks (Rum), Armenians, Circassians, Sephardic Jews, Tatars,
Descendants from Balkans and Middle-Easterns.
 Turkish Gastronomy Today

Turkish gastronomy can be viewed in two categories ;

Classical Turkish Gastronomy and Regional (Folk) Gastronomy.

Classical Turkish Gastronomy reflects the cuisine of the

Ottoman Palace, which is the founding ground for the Turkish
cuisine as we know it today. It is a combination of palace cuisine
and İstanbul cuisine, which is the cuisine of minorities that
reside in İstanbul. Since Ottoman periods, the self-ruling
minorities were able to preserve their traditions and religious
beliefs. Their eclectic cuisine also became a part of İstanbul
cuisine.
 Turkish Gastronomy Today

Regional Turkish cuisine is the combined food culture of

Turkey’s different regions. This cuisine is the result of different
food related traditions and culture of inhabitants of Anatolia,
who came from different backgrounds and ethnic groups, soil
structure and climate.
 A Repertoire of Turkish Gastronomy

A survey of the types of dishes according to their ingredients

may be helpful to explain the basic structure of Turkish
gastronomy. Otherwise, there may appear to be an overwhelming
variety of dishes, each with a unique combination of ingredients
and its own way of preparation and presentation. All dishes can
be conveniently categorized into grain-based, grilled meats,
vegetables, seafood, desserts and beverages.
 A Repertoire of Turkish Gastronomy

Grains : From Bread To Börek

The foundation of Turkish food is, if anything, dough made of
wheat flour. Besides "ekmek" (ordinary white bread), "pide" (flat
bread), "simit" (sesame seed rings), and "mantı" (similar to
ravioli), a whole family of food made up of thin sheets of a pastry
called "börek" falls into this category.
Mantı ; small dumplings of dough filled with a special meat
mix, are eaten with generous servings of garlic yogurt and a dash
of melted butter with paprika.
Börek ; the sheets of dough are layered or folded into various
shapes before being filled with cheese or meat mixes and baked
or fried.
 A Repertoire of Turkish Gastronomy

Grilled Meat
"Kebab" is another category of food which, like the börek,
is typically Turkish dating back to the time when the nomadic
Turks learned to grill and roast meat over camp fires.
Given the numerous types of kebabs, we see that they are
categorized by the way the meat is cooked.
Shish (Şiş) Kebab is grilled cubes of skewered meat.
Döner Kebab is made by stacking alternating layers of ground
meat and sliced leg of lamb on a large upright skewer, which is
slowly rotated in front of a vertical grill.
Mixed grills : lamb chops, "köfte", or "şiş". Köfte (meatballs) can
be grilled, fried, oven-cooked or boiled, mixed with special spices.
 A Repertoire of Turkish Gastronomy

Vegetables
Along with grains, vegetables are also consumed in large
quantities in the Turkish diet.
Turks have a big diversity of vegetables and of course this
reflects on the dishes. If a dish is cooked without any kind of meat
then it is called zeytin yağlı — meaning cooked with olive oil.
These kind of vegetable dishes are mostly served cold.
Dolma ; the generic term for stuffed vegetables, either fresh or
dried eggplants, peppers, tomatoes or zucchinis are stuffed with
a mixture of rice and onion with various spices.
Yaprak Sarma ; wrapped vine leaves with a filling of rice, onion
and spices like mint, currant, pepper and cinnamon.
 A Repertoire of Turkish Gastronomy

A Real Story of Sweets : Beyond ‘Baklava’

The most well-known sweets associated with Turkish Cuisine are
"lokum" (Turkish delight), and "baklava", giving the impression
that these may be the typical desserts eaten after meals.
In fact, the family of desserts is much richer than just these two.
These are not typical desserts served as part of a main meal.
Baklava is often eaten with coffee, as a snack or after a kebab dish.
The most wonderful contribution of Turkish cuisine to the family
of desserts is the milk desserts – the "muhallebi" family. These are
among the rare types of guilt-free puddings made with starch and
rice flour, and originally without any eggs or butter.
 A Repertoire of Turkish Gastronomy

Beverages Beyond ‘Turkish Coffee’ and ‘Ayran’

As a beverage Turkish coffee carries special preparation and
brewing techniques. It is softer, more aromatic and more
concentrated than other types of coffee.
Tea is the main source of caffeine for the Turks. It is prepared
by brewing it over boiling water and served in delicate glasses to
show the deep red colour and to transmit the heat to the hand.
Sherbet ; sugar, honey, rose, various herbs and fresh fruits are
all boiled and then water is added to the mixture.
When it comes to alcoholic beverages, "rakı", made of either
grapes or raisins, is the anise flavoured alcoholic drink of Turks.
It is often served with seafood or ‘meze’.
 ON THE MOVE
FOR
SOCIAL INCLUSION

TURKISH
RECIPES
 ALİ NAZİK KEBAB

Ali Nazik Kebab is a scrumptious Turkish specialty.

It is a delicious marriage of char-grilled smoked
eggplant puree mixed with yoghurt and topped with
tender lamb stew.

INGREDIENTS INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 180 C/ 350 F
**FOR THE EGGPLANT AND YOGHURT PUREE
First prepare the eggplants. Place the eggplants or
4 medium purple eggplants aubergines directly over the burner on medium heat
16 fl. oz./2 cup thick, whole milk strained yoghurt and roast for about 15 - 20 minutes, turning
occasionally.
2 cloves of garlic, crushed and finely diced Use metal tongs to turn the eggplants around so that
15ml/1 tbsp. olive oil all sides would cook evenly and the skin is nicely
Salt and ground black pepper to taste chargrilled. Cook until the skin is burnt and the flesh
is soft.
Remove the cooked eggplants to a colander to allow
**FOR THE MEAT TOPPING them to cool. Once cool, peel and discard their burnt
skin and leave them in the colander to drain its bitter
450gr/1 lb. small chunks of lamb
juices.
1 medium onion, finely chopped Chop the flesh of the eggplant and mix in the chopped
½ tbsp. red pepper paste or 2 tsp. chili flakes garlic, season with salt and ground black pepper.
Combine well, cover and set aside until the lamb stew
1 tbsp. tomato paste
is ready.
30ml/2 tbsp. olive oil To roast the vegetables, spread the quartered and
30 ml/ 2 tbsp. water sliced onions, tomatoes and peppers in a tray and stir
in 2 tbsp. olive oil. Season with salt and ground black
pepper and combine well. Roast at the preheated
**FOR THE ROASTED VEGETABLES oven (180 C/ 350 F) for 30 – 35 minutes.
3 medium tomatoes, quartered For the lamb stew, cut the lamb into chunky,
generous bite size pieces.
1 green, yellow and red bell peppers, deseeded and
Pour in 2 tbsp. olive oil in a wide, heavy pan and stir
quartered
in the diced onions. Sauté over medium to high heat
1 onion, quartered and sliced for 3 minutes, the onions will start to soften.
30 ml/ 2 tbsp. olive oil Stir in the lamb pieces and sauté with the onions for
5 minutes, mixing regularly. The lamb will release its
Handful of chopped flat leaf parsley to serve
juice.
Add the red pepper paste and/or red pepper flakes (if
using) and tomato paste to the pan, combine well.
Check the seasoning and turn the heat to low. Stir in
2 tbsp. water, combine and cover the pan. Simmer the
lamb gently for about 20 minutes, until tender.
Just before serving, pour in 1 tbsp. olive oil in a pan
and gently reheat the eggplant & garlic puree until it
is hot. Turn the heat off and stir the yoghurt to the
eggplant pure and combine well.
 TURKISH ROASTED LAMB (KUZU TANDIR)

Kuzu Tandır is the most beloved lamb dish in Turkish

cuisine. The lamb is so fragrant and tender that
it falls away from the bone and melts in your mouth
like cotton candy.

INGREDIENTS INSTRUCTIONS
When you buy your leg of lamb, ask your butcher to
1 leg of lamb (drumstick and thigh portions)
clean off as much excess fat as possible. Then, have
1/4 cup olive oil the leg separated into 3 pieces at the joints.
Juice of 1/2 lemon Preheat your oven to 285 F. Place the lamb in a
1 teaspoon of salt shallow, metal oven roasting tray. In a bowl, whisk
together the olive oil, lemon juice, and spices. Pour
1/2 tsp of black pepper the mixture over the lamb.
4 to 5 bay leaves Rub the mixture all over the lamb, massaging it into
2 to 3 fresh rosemary sprigs the meat for several minutes. Add the bay leaves
and rosemary sprigs. Place the tray in the oven
1/2 cup hot water
uncovered.
Let the lamb cook slowly at this low temperature for
about 1 1/2 hours. You'll see that the meat will
release its fat and juices, then reabsorb them as it
cooks. After the first 30 minutes, turn the pieces of
lamb over. Repeat this 2 more times during the
cooking process.
When 1 and a half hours have passed and you have
turned the meat 3 times, pour the 1/2 cup of hot
water over the meat, then close the roasting pan
completely with aluminum foil. Turn up the oven
temperature to 365 F and leave the meat to roast for
at least 1 hour more.
After about 1 hour, remove the pan from the oven
and let it rest for 5 minutes. Remove the foil. The
meat should be very tender and fall cleanly off the
bones. Using 2 forks, remove all the meat from the
bones and discard them. Also, remove the bay leaves
and rosemary.
Your kuzu tandır is ready to serve. Serve it with
piping hot Turkish rice pilaf with orzo, or with potato
puree.
 RED LENTIL BALLS

Tender, spicy, vegetarian meatballs made with red

lentils and bulgur are a popular finger food
in Turkey.

INGREDIENTS INSTRUCTIONS
Wash lentils and boil them in 2 cups of water until the
1 cup red lentil water is almost gone.
1/2 cup fine bulgur Once you turn it off, add bulgur and salt.
1/2 cup olive oil Mix once and cover to let the bulgur expand.
Let it cool off.
2 cups of water Heat oil in a pan and add the onion (not the green
1 medium onion, very finely chopped one!) and cook until soft.
Add tomato paste and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
1 tsp cumin
Add cumin and stir once you turn it off.
1 tbsp tomato paste Add this to the lentils which should be cool by now.
1 tbsp red pepper paste (if you cannot find red Add lemon juice and half of finely chopped parsley
pepper paste you can use 2 tbsp tomato paste) and green onion (we're saving the rest of parsley and
green onions to garnish) to the lentils.
1 tsp salt Mix all well.
Take walnut size pieces and give them ball shape in
Juice of half or 1 lemon (depends on how you your hands.
like it: sour or not so sour) Keep a little bowl of water close by to wet your hand
frequently during this process since the ball mixture
1/3 bunch parsley, finely chopped will get stuck on your hands.
You can either place lettuce leaves on a serving plate
1/2 bunch green onion, finely chopped
and put balls on top as in the picture, or serve balls
curly leaf lettuce
and lettuce leaves separately, or skip lettuce leaves
completely; however, they really go well together.
 MENGEN PILAF

Authentic Turkish pilaf (rice) from the hometown of

the most famous Turkish chefs.

INGREDIENTS INSTRUCTIONS
Let it rest for 15 minutes in hot salted water by
2 cup baldo rice extracting the rice.
250 g of lamb
Wash and drain water until starch flows.
1 piece of onion
Melt the butter in a rice pot and cook the lamb until
2 tomatoes the juice is removed.
300 g of mushrooms
If the meats are not softened, add some hot water to
Salt cook some more until the meat is dehydrated.
1 cup of chopped walnut Chop the onions and mushrooms finely and add to
½ bunch of dill the pot.
2 tsp thyme Peel the tomatoes, cut into cubes. Add the tomatoes
3 cups of broth when the mushrooms are dehydrated.

2 tbsp butter Add rice, roast a little.

Add the hot broth, salt, pepper and thyme.

Cook over low heat (about 15 minutes).

Place a paper towel in the mouth of the pan for 10

minutes.

Garnish with finely chopped dill and chopped

walnuts
 KAZANDİBİ DESSERT

'Kazandibi' is a Turkish classic: a thick, milky

pudding with a golden-brown coating of
caramelized sugar on the outside.

INGREDIENTS INSTRUCTIONS
Crush the mastic with a bit of sugar in a mortar and
1 litre of milk pestle until finely ground.
65 grams of rice flour
Combine the starch and the flour in a pot. Add about
55 grams of corn starch a glass of the milk and mix well until dissolved. Make
220 grams of sugar sure no lumps remain.

5 drops of vanilla Add the remaining milk, ground mastic and the
sugar to the pot, again mix well.
3 tbsp powdered sugar
1 tbsp butter to grease Start cooking over small-medium heat, while
continuously mixing. When you start obtaining a
3 grains of mastic pudding like texture and bubbles start coming up
1 tbsp cinnamon to garnish close the heat. Add the vanilla.

If possible, pour the mixture into a mixer and

constantly mix the mixture at lowest possible speed.
If not set aside with lid covered.

Grease your pan/Pyrex dish with butter.

Sprinkle with powder sugar all around evenly. Add

on top about a cup of the pudding mixture. Start
caramelizing over medium heat on the stove.
Moving your pan/dish around will help this happen
evenly. The bottom will soon caramelize and turn
brownish, be patient. When you decide it is browned
enough remove from the stove.

Slowly pour the remaining pudding on top don't

damage the burned bottom. Let cool for about five
minutes then prepare another tray with water and
place the pan/dish into it so that later serving will be
easier. Keep in the water tray for about 10 minutes
then fridge it until serving.

To serve, use a knife to cut the pudding to

rectangulars. Use a spatula to take each piece out.
You can either serve up-side down or make it round
again with up-side down.

Sprinkle some cinnamon. Enjoy.

 SHREDDED WHEAT PUDDING

More than a creamy shredded wheat pudding…

INGREDIENTS INSTRUCTIONS
Leave the shredded dough (kadaifi) in the freezer for
½ lb shredded dough (Kadaifi)
about 1-2 hours prior to use.
5-6 tbsp sugar
Then, take it out and crack it into small pieces.
4-5 tbsp butter
Take it to a pot and add butter and sugar.
1 ½ cups walnuts/pecans, largely crushed
Cook stirring constantly over medium heat until it
½ lb whipped cream gets pinkish.

**FOR THE MILK PUDDING (MUHALLEBİ) Stir in walnuts/pecans and turn the heat off. Let it
cool.
1 lt milk (5 cups)
In a pot, sautee margarine/butter and flour over
1-1½ cup sugar medium heat for about 2-3 minutes.
4-5 tbsp flour Then stir in milk and sugar and stir continuously. If
125 gr butter/margarine (1 stick) you’ll use mastic gum, add it.

1 tsp vanilla extract/1 package ground vanilla or Then stir till the pudding becomes thick, turn heat
mastic/mastic gum low and cook for 3-4 minutes.

If you’ll use vanilla instead of mastic gum, then add

vanilla, stir and turn the heat off. Let the milk
pudding cool and add whipped cream.

Mix with a mixer until it gets smooth.

Take the half of the shredded dough mixture over a

rectangular big Pyrex dish and spread the milk
pudding over.

Finally spread the remaining milk pudding mixture

over.

Cut in square slices and serve.

 MILKY SEMOLINA DESSERT

A luxurious comfort food any time of the year…

Milky, rich, sweet, smooth.
A cold dessert in summer or warm comfort food ...

INGREDIENTS INSTRUCTIONS
Place semolina and butter/margarine in a pot
2 cups of semolina
and sauté over medium heat. They will turn to
1 ½ cup sugar light brown.
4 cups of boiling water/milk Then, turn the heat off.
125 gr (1 stick) butter/margarine Stir in boiling water/milk and close the lid.
50 gr pine nut Set aside for 10 minutes, so that semolina will
1 tsp vanilla extract / 1 package vanilla absorb the water.
2 tbsp oil Stir in sugar and vanilla, close the lid and leave
for 5 minutes.
In a small pan, sauté pine nuts with oil until they
turn to golden brown.
Stir in semolina.
Let the Semolina Halvah cool and serve with
cinnamon on top if desired.