Turkish cuisine has an extremely rich culture with popular dishes all over the world. As Turks are fond of food as much as they are fond of hospitality, they are people who are interested in instilling a love of food. They like to proudly introduce Turkish cuisine to the whole world and have famous Turkish dishes tried. Turkish food is mostly a continuation of Ottoman cuisine, which itself incorporated many ingredients and influences from other cultures, including Central Asian, Balkan, and Caucasian cuisines.
No matter what you eat—main dishes, desserts, appetizers, or juices—Turkish cuisine will leave your taste buds in awe and make you want to eat it constantly. As Mama Fatma, we continue to offer you the unique and delicious dishes of Turkish cuisine. We have five dishes about Turkish cuisine and Turkish culture that we will introduce to you.
Köfte: The Classic Turkish Meatballs
Everyone loves kofta, which is a very traditional dish that can be enjoyed by both adults and children. It is also quite practical to prepare numerous dishes. Depending on the location in Turkey, there are reportedly up to 300 different kinds of köfte. As a result, you may find it in restaurants and houses on every street.
And the köfteci will have their own unique recipe for each of these several kinds of kofta. Obviously, secrets are kept. We have a tried-and-true traditional Turkish meatball recipe. When paired with sumac onions, the Turkish bean salad known as piyaz, and the Turkish cold cucumber dip known as cacik, Turkish meatballs transform a dinner table into an authentic feast. They are simple to prepare and make the ideal family dinner. This is one of our most well-liked recipes for Turkish food because of this.
The greatest Turkish kofte has salt, cumin, black pepper, and dried thyme, though the specific spices you use in a kofta combination are up to your taste. We use these as the foundational spices while preparing Turkish kofta, but you can be inventive and add your own.
Pide: The Turkish Flatbread With Endless Topping Options
One of the most well-known Turkish dishes, it is readily available throughout Turkey. Turkish pide is a type of traditional Turkish flatbread that is fashioned into a circle or oval. It is a common item in many Turkish homes, but during Ramadan, when people break their daily fast, it becomes particularly well-liked. When it comes to bread, pide is straightforward to prepare and needs only a brief rising period. In this recipe, yogurt is used instead of milk to create a soft, finished bread.
The basic dough recipe consists of water, yeast, oil, and sifted white flour. The dough is made fluffier with yogurt, and it is finished with lovely color and flavor from olive oil and zaatar seasoning. There are countless alternatives! You are going to adore this fluffy Turkish Pide no matter how you eat it. You can find and taste any kind of pita you want at Mama Fatma. We can say that it will have an irresistible taste.
Manti: The Tiny Dumplings Packed With Flavor
The sauce for manti, which is made of garlic yoghurt, tangy sumac, red pepper flakes, and dried mint soaked in olive oil, adds yet another delectable layer. But, in Eastern Anatolia, smashed chickpeas with cumin and red pepper seasoning are also used as filler, and it is a delectable vegetarian choice. Originally, the filling consisted of ground beef, onions, and spices.
A spiced ground beef or lamb mixture is placed into little squares of rolled-out, pasta-like dough. Manti is typically served with a spicy butter sauce and a yogurt sauce that is flavored with garlic. Manti is well known outside of Turkey. It is well known in Balkan, Central Asian, and Middle Eastern cuisines, just like borek. Certainly, it goes by various names in each culture. Only a few of them include monta, manty, and mantu.
For handmade manti dough, not many ingredients are required. Fill each square with a little filling, then seal it off one at a time to create a bundle. The following is a paraphrase for you. Occasionally, we use whole wheat flour, but all-purpose flour works better. Yogurt is mixed with salt and minced garlic. If you are using strained yogurt, you could have to add a little water to thin it. By adding a little tomato paste and some water to the pan, we can occasionally transform the butter sauce into a tomato sauce. And it tastes fantastic.
İç Pilavı: The Satisfying Rice And Meat Dish
A tasty Turkish dish called ic pilav is made of rice (typically of the Baldo kind), mint, currants, tomatoes, onions, and pine nuts. Often, allspice, cinnamon, salt, and pepper are used to flavor it. After the rice is cooked and the ingredients have been incorporated, the pilaf is ready for one final stir before serving. Ic pilav is typically served as a side dish to dishes made with roasted or fried meat, although it can also be stuffed.
Brown or white rice Rinse the rice for pilaf numerous times in a cauldron of lukewarm water. After washing, the final water should still be entirely transparent. Several varieties of rice can be used to make pilaf, but preferably ones that aren’t very starchy. Long-grain parboiled rice is also useful because it hardly sticks together.
Kısır: The Vibrant And Nutritious Bulgur Salad
Kisir is a delicious bulgur wheat salad with fresh herbs, vegetables, and pomegranate. For a delicious and nutritious supper, use this Turkish salad recipe. Although bulgur wheat shouldn’t be consumed uncooked, you don’t necessarily need to boil it. The cracked wheat can be easily softened by giving it a simple 20-minute soak in hot water.
Whole-grain salads typically taste best when they are fresh. Although you could attempt it, frozen fine grain bulgur might make the grain soggy when you reheat it. Just make sure to freeze it in a container or zip-top storage bag that is well covered and freezer-safe.
