| |
| Other Recipe Sites (Adverts) |
|
|
|
How to Cook dishes from Turkey
Turkey is in a unique
geographical position, straddling both
Europe and
Asia, and thus the national cuisine combines both
European and Asian influences. In fact, Turkish cuisine owes much of its heritage
to the cuisine of the vast Ottoman Empire, which encompassed not only
what is today modern
Turkey,
but also territorities in the Middle East,
North Africa and southern Europe.
As a result of this Ottoman heritage, Turkish cuisine combines influences from
Arab and Middle Eastern cuisine, as well as
Armenian cuisine,
Greek cuisine,
and Persian cuisine, with
traditional Turkic elements from Central Asia such as yogurt.
In would incorrect however to assume that Turkish cuisine
was homogenous throughout the entire country. This is very
far from the case - there are specific dishes and flavors
unique to each region of
Turkey:
- Olive trees are grown in
the densely populated region of Marmara (the area around
the Bosphorus, Dardanelles and the Sea of Marmara), as well as near to
the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts, and these regions are known
for their Mediterranean style cuisines.
- Northern Turkey, near
the Black Sea coast, is known for
anchovies and corn.
- Central Anatolia is famous for its pastry dishes: gözleme, keskek and manti.
- Southeastern Turkey
is well-known for mezes, kebabs and desserts such as
baklava, kadayif and künefe.
Here are some popular Turkish dishes:
- Adana kebap - A long grilled kebab made from ground lamb, originally from the city of Adana,
where it is known as "kiyma kebabi".
- Arnavut cigeri - Fried liver.
- Ayran - A popular chilled yoghurt drink.
- Börek - Dough stuffed with cheese, meat or vegetables.
- Bursa kebab - Originally invented by Iskender Iskenderoglu, and known as
"Iskender kebap" (which is a trademark), this
dish is a variant of döner kebap. Grilled lamb slices
are based with tomato sauce and layed over pide (pita)
bread, and covered with melted butter and yogurt.
- Cacik - The Turkish version of tzatziki
(a dip found in Greek cuisine)
- Yoghurt with cucumber, mint and olive oil, served cold and eaten as a side dish.
- Dolma - Stuffed vegetables. There are two main variants: a meat ("kiyma") mixture
containing ground meat, onions, rice and spices, which is served warm,
and vegetables mixtures, which are served at room temperature.
- Domates - Tomato soup.
- Döner kebap - Literally translated from
Turkish,
döner kebap means "turning roast". It is meat (lamb or mutton, beef, or chicken) cooked
on a rotating spit. The meat is usually served in a pide (Turkish pita bread).
Versions with salad and sauce added were
invented by the Turkish community resident in
Germany, in a (extremely successful)
attempt to broaden the dish's appeal
- döner kebap has become a popular fast food throughout the world.
- Gözleme - A savory pastry made by thinly rolling dough and repeatedly folding.
It is then filled and browned in a pan. There are many different variations, each
with their own names, including
Etli (meat filling),
Ispanakli (spinach),
Karisik (mixed filling),
Katmer (plain),
Kiymali (ground lamb),
Mantarli (mushrooms),
Patatesli (mashed potatoes) and
Peynirli (filled with feta cheese).
- Hummus - A dip made from ground chickpeas with sesame tahini (ground sesame seeds), lemon juice
and garlic.
- Imam bayildi - Eggplant (aubergine) stuffed with onions, tomatoes and garlic, then simmered in olive oil, served cold.
- Iskembe çorbasi - Tripe (edible offal from the stomaches of cattle) soup. Often
served season with lemon juice or vinegar.
- Karniyarik - Very similar to Imam bayildi, but also containing ground meat, and served hot.
- Keskek - A stew made from meat with wheat or barley.
- Köfte - Meatballs made from ground meat with bread and egg.
There are many variants such as "kadinbudu köfte" which contains
rice, and "Çig köfte" which contains raw ground meat.
- Kuskus - The Turkish version of couscous.
- Lahmacun - Sometimes known as "Turkish pizza",
lahmacun is a round flat piece of dough, topped with ground beef or lamb,
and served rolled up with vegetables (most commonly onions, peppers or tomatoes) or
pickles.
- Mahmudiye - Chicken with almonds, apricots, black pepper, currants and honey.
- Manti - A Turkish pasta made from dough balls filled with ground meat.
It is served with yogurt, flavored with herbs and spices, and warmed in olive oil
or butter.
- Menemen - Eggs with green peppers, onions and tomatoes.
- Patlican begendi - A hot eggplant (aubergine) dish, also containing meat, cheese, milk and flour.
- Patlican salatasi - Literally translated from
Turkish, the name means "eggplant salad".
There are quite a few variations of this dish, the eggplant (aubergine) may be baked or broiled (grilled) over
a open flame before peeling so it has a smokey flavor, and then mixed with yoghurt, olive oil and garlic, or with olive oil, lemon
juice and garlic, and served at room temperature.
- Shish kebab - Grilled chicken or lamb, marinated and cooked on a skewer over an open fire. Lamb
from milk-fed lambs is particularly favored.
- Sujuk - A sausage made from ground beef with spices, and allowed to dry for
several weeks. It must be cooked before eating, and is a popular at breakfast and in
fast foods.
- Tarhana - A dried food based on a fermented mixture of cracked wheat, yogurt
and vegetables - its dryness and acidity means that it preserves well for a long time.
Tarhana is eaten in the form of a soup.
Some Turkish desserts and sweets include:
- Baklava - A sweet pastry dessert made with phyllo dough, filled with chopped walnuts
or pistachios, and sweetened with syrup or honey.
- Helva - A sweet made from tahin (sesame seed paste), flour or semolina.
- Kadaif - A dessert made from shredded dough or phyllo pastry. There are quite a few variants of
this dish, including "künefe" which contains melted cheese and is served hot with pistachios
and walnuts.
- Lokum - Turkish delight.
On this page, you will find a selection of Turkish cookbooks.
Related pages on this web site:
Disclosure: Products details and descriptions provided by Amazon.com. Our company may receive a payment if you purchase products from them after following a link from this website.
By Ozcan Ozan
Periplus Editions
Paperback (160 pages)
 | List Price: $21.95*
Lowest New Price: $12.46*
Lowest Used Price: $12.46*
Usually ships in 24 hours*
*(As of 17:14 Pacific 3 Feb 2012 More Info)
Click Here | Product Description:
Tangy egg-lemon soup. Vegetable-stuffed eggplants sauteed in fragrant olive oil. Richly stewed lamb on a bed of pilaf. These are the flavors of Turkey, whose fabled cuisine evolved in Ottoman kitchens: those traditions are rendered by an expert in The SultanÆs Kitchen. Over 130 tantalizing recipes, complete menu suggestions, and stunning images will inspire any cook to create dishes fit for a sultan. |
|
By Greg Malouf
Chronicle Books
Hardcover (356 pages)
 | List Price: $50.00*
Lowest New Price: $23.94*
Lowest Used Price: $23.93*
Usually ships in 24 hours*
*(As of 17:14 Pacific 3 Feb 2012 More Info)
Click Here | Product Description:
With terrain from rugged mountains to idyllic coastline, Turkey has become a sought-after travel destination, enjoyed not only for its beauty, but its culinary wonders. In Turquoise, Greg and Lucy Malouf visit spice markets and soup kitchens, enjoy fish sandwiches on the Bosphorus, and drink in ancient teahouses. The recipes inspired by their travels capture the enticing flavors that define Turkish cuisine from the ancient ruins of Pergamum to modern day Istanbul. Some are traditional favorites, such as Little Kefta Dumplings in Minted Yogurt Sauce, while many morefrom Roast Chicken with Pine Nut and Barberry Pilav Stuffing to Pistachio Halva Ice Creamare Greg's own, flavored with his years ofexperience cooking Middle Eastern food. With its hundreds of luscious photographs, Turquoise is a chance to share in this unforgettable Turkish journey. |
|
By Ghillie Basan
I. B. Tauris
Released: 2012-01-03
Paperback (224 pages)
 | List Price: $25.00*
Lowest New Price: $14.55*
Lowest Used Price: $16.24*
Usually ships in 24 hours*
*(As of 17:14 Pacific 3 Feb 2012 More Info)
Click Here | Product Description:
Classic Turkish cooking ranks among the greatest cuisines of the world. It has a long and colorful history, from its nomadic Central Asian routes to the refined recipes of the Ottoman empire that influenced culinary traditions throughout the Middle East and Mediterranean. In this classic and much-loved work - shortlisted for the Glenfiddich Cookery Award and the Guild of Food Writers Award—Ghillie Basan presents a unique collection of delicious traditional dishes from the Anatolian heartlands and sophisticated and classical recipes from the palace kitchens of the Ottoman sultans. |
|
By Ayla E. Algar
William Morrow Cookbooks
Released: 1999-04-07
Paperback (320 pages)
 | List Price: $19.99*
Lowest New Price: $11.35*
Lowest Used Price: $7.54*
Usually ships in 24 hours*
*(As of 17:14 Pacific 3 Feb 2012 More Info)
Click Here | Product Description:
Turkish food is one of the world's great cuisines. Its taste and depth place it with French and Chinese; its simplicity and healthfulness rank it number one. Turkish-born Ayla Algar offers 175 recipes for this vibrant and tasty food, presented against the rich and fascinating backdrop of Turkish history and culture. Tempting recipes for kebabs, pilafs, meze (appetizers), dolmas (those delicious stuffed vegetables or vine leaves), soups, fish, manti and other pasta dishes, lamb, poultry, yogurt, bread, and traditional sweets such as baklava are introduced here to American cooks in accessible form. With its emphasis on grains, vegetables, fruits, olive oil, and other healthful foods, Turkish cooking puts a new spin on familiar ingredients and offers culinary adventure coupled with satisfying and delicious meals. |
|
By Nur Ilkin
Interlink Pub Group
Hardcover (350 pages)
 | List Price: $35.00*
Lowest New Price: $23.08*
Lowest Used Price: $20.00*
Usually ships in 24 hours*
*(As of 17:14 Pacific 3 Feb 2012 More Info)
Click Here | Product Description:
Turkey has made an enduring contribution to the world's cuisine with its diverse and important gastronomic history and classic--simple yet rich in flavors--recipes. Turkish cuisine is a colorful mosaic, enriched by the recipes and techniques of many ancient cultures--Phoenician, Hittite, Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Persian, Chinese, and Greek--and the creativity of the cooks and the geography of the regions they lived in. Inspired by the best of regional cooking, this unique and masterful collection of recipes shares a rediscovery of timeless authentic, healthful, refreshing, and easy-to-prepare Turkish dishes--from classics to lesser known family favorites, and even lost recipes. Written with a zest for food and culture, this book is packed with the delights of Turkey's regions, from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean, from Europe to Asia, the Aegean to Anatolia. Using only the healthiest and freshest ingredients--from fresh fruits and yogurt to vegetables, fish, poultry, and meat--the regional recipes are cooked in an infinite variety of ways, with exciting flavor and texture combinations. Eggplant alone can be prepared in more than 40 different ways. In areas where fish, meat or poultry weren't available, cooks created outstanding recipes that utilized grains, pulses, and vegetables. Since Turkish cooking requires no special equipment or unusual ingredients it is generally very easy to prepare. Healthful and tantalizing, simple and delicious, Turkish cuisine is well on its way to becoming the next big trend in cooking as more and more attention is being paid to it as the original Mediterranean diet. |
|
By Ghillie Basan
Anness
Paperback (96 pages)
 | List Price: $16.99*
Lowest New Price: $11.60*
Lowest Used Price: $9.86*
Temporarily out of stock. Order now and we'll deliver when available. We'll e-mail you with an estimated delivery date as soon as we have more information. Your credit card will not be charged until we ship the item.*
*(As of 17:14 Pacific 3 Feb 2012 More Info)
Click Here | Product Description:
A skilful blend of Mediterranean and Asian influences, Turkish food is famous for its fresh, vibrant flavours, excellent seafood and the huge range of delectable titbits that are found on the meze table. |
|
By Judy Bastyra
Anness
Paperback (256 pages)
 | List Price: $24.99*
Lowest New Price: $24.99*
Lowest Used Price: $21.48*
*(As of 17:14 Pacific 3 Feb 2012 More Info)
Click Here | Product Description:
Thai cuisine is becoming one of the most popular ways of eating. This book not only has 150 fragrant recipes to try, but includes fascinating information about the history and traditions of this rich culture. |
|
By Ghille Basan
Lorenz Books
Hardcover (256 pages)
 | List Price: $35.00*
Lowest New Price: $29.63*
Lowest Used Price: $23.71*
*(As of 17:14 Pacific 3 Feb 2012 More Info)
Click Here | Product Description:
In this exciting and comprehensive new book, Ghillie Basan explores the rich culinary history, culture and traditions of the Turkish people, the evolution of their cuisine, and the classic dishes that are known and loved all over the world. |
|
By Denis Cotter
Attic Press
Hardcover (256 pages)
 | List Price: $41.95*
Lowest New Price: $27.52*
Lowest Used Price: $26.85*
Usually ships in 24 hours*
*(As of 17:14 Pacific 3 Feb 2012 More Info)
Click Here | Product Description:
Over one-hundred sumptuous recipes allow you to create at home the experience of Ireland's most celebrated vegetarian restaurant. Denis Cotter is the co-founder and chef of Cork city's Cafe Paradiso and has an international reputation for innovation. He uses the finest seasonal organic produce to create dishes bursting with flavor and richness, food created purely for pleasure. Restaurant critics have waxed euphoric about the experience of eating there, and now with `The Cafe Paradiso Cookbook' you can enjoy the atmosphere of the restaurant and the pleasure of eating Cotter's dishes at home. The recipes include appetizers, entrees, and desserts that range from the simple and comforting to the exotic and extravagant. The pleasure which Cotter derives from food and cooking is obvious in the sensuous descriptions and recipes; recipes that are fun to read as well as delicious. A best seller in Ireland, this book is popular with non-vegetarians as well as vegetarians. A conversion guide for measurements and ingredients is included. |
|
By Joan Peterson
Ginkgo Press
Paperback (140 pages)
 | List Price: $11.16*
Lowest New Price: $7.79*
Lowest Used Price: $7.80*
Usually ships in 24 hours*
*(As of 17:14 Pacific 3 Feb 2012 More Info)
Click Here | Product Description:
Second in the "Eat Smart" series of culinary travel guidebooks, this paean to Turkish cuisine contains a rich historical perspective on food origins and extensive background on regional dishes, including recipes. It mixes information and inspiration to give readers the tools to journey into the culinary soul of their destination. Eat Smart in Turkey will take the guesswork out of choosing from an unfamiliar menu. Its comprehensive guide to Turkey's unique cuisine will give vacation-goers, business travelers and backpackers alike an extra dimension of travel pleasure. If you're going to Turkey, this is one book you must take along!
Distributed for Ginkgo Press |
|
| |