Turkish Cuisine-The Delicious Food In Istanbul
Istanbul is an incredible city, home to the ultra-modern and the ancient alike. Iconic structures like the Blue Mosque or Hagia Sophia, long a symbol of religious tolerance, share the skyline with flashy modern skyscrapers. This city’s cultural mix is due to its location straddling two continents, and its cuisine is no different. With its unique blend of tastes – eastern, western, and central – Istanbul offers delicious and varied dishes.
There is no need to go to a fine restaurant to experience Turkish cuisine. Many of the best are found at simple street-side eateries. On the street, you can find Islak kebap – grilled lamb served in round, flatbread. Then there’s Kokoreç – skewered lamb intestines that are grilled to perfection. Kumpir, a popular street food, is a baked potato stuffed with butter, vegetables, cheese, and whatever else the patron desires. Another common street option is Lahmacun, a thin, flatbread pizza with spiced ground lamb layered on top. These dishes offer a delicious and fairly inexpensive way to experience Istanbul’s unique flavors.
One of the most iconic dishes, and an essential part of Turkish cuisine, is Döner Kebap. This is a vertical rotisserie of lamb that is slowly rotated while cooking. Döner Kebap is served in pita or flatbread with salad, onions, fried peppers, and yogurt sauce.
The city also bustles with small “pide kent” (pide houses), where you can get pide. This is a type of crunchy pizza, topped with cheese, butter, vinegar, and an egg. Pide can also be topped with a variety of meat, vegetables, black olives, sweetcorn, or mushrooms.
It would be impossible to talk about Istanbul and not mention Turkish delight. This iconic sweet treat is made from com syrup and starch paste, and often flavored with lemon juice, rosewater, and coconut. You can find all varieties of Turkish delight at street kiosks across the city.
If you’re looking for dessert, Baklava is the quintessential Turkish treat. Thin layers of flaky pastry are filled with chopped walnuts and pistachios, drenched in a thick syrup. Baklava is a royal treat, its ingredients representing luck, prosperity, and richness.
It’s also equally common to find fish, both on the street and in sit-down restaurants. Grilled and fried fish, such as sea bass, sea bream, or sea salt are served with parsley, lemon, and onions. Here, the emphasis is placed on freshness and simplicity.
The Influences of Turkish Cuisine
Istanbul is a city with a history of many clashes of civilizations over the centuries. Hence, Turkish cuisine reflects the multi-cultural influences it has absorbed from the people who lived in this city. Turkish cuisine also contains Arab, Balkan, Persian, and Armenian influences. This has allowed it to incorporate flavors from around the Mediterranean region, from the Levant, and from the Black Sea region.
Soups and appetizers are plentiful in Turkish cuisine. Many dishes feature a variety of vegetables, including eggplant, carrots, squash and beans. Appetizers like meze are served with most meals, often accompanied by slices of bread. The platters usually feature a variety of cheeses, olives, dips, and cold meats.
A flatbread called “pide”, often said to be the Turkish version of pizza, is a traditional accompaniment. Simit, a traditional Turkish bread made from flour, sesame, and poppy seeds, is also quite popular in the city. Simit is eaten as a snack and topped with feta cheese or pistachio.
Vegetarian Meals in Istanbul
If you’re looking for vegetarian dishes, there is certainly no shortage. In Istanbul, you’ll find many dishes that are easily made vegetarian. For example, the popular main course of stuffed cabbage rolls, called sarma, can easily be made without meat, using either dairy or egg-based fillings instead. Ezogelin Soup is a popular soup in Istanbul, made with red lentils and bulgur wheat. One of the most famous salads is Ezme, made with puréed tomatoes, onions, and green peppers, plus olive oil, some lemon, and herbs.
In restaurants, you’ll find Vegetarian Moussaka, made with a base of mashed aubergines (eggplant), topped with a mild tomato sauce and Béchamel sauce. Grilled vegetable platters can also be found, often featuring aubergines, courgettes, peppers, mushrooms and onions.
Stuffed vegetables are also available, such as Dolma. This is a mix of cooked vegetables and a stuffing of herbed rice, pine nuts, and currants. Türlü, a stew of vegetables, chickpeas, and tomato paste, is also a popular choice. For the more adventurous, there is Piyaz, a dish of beans, chicory, and vegetables cooked with sautéed onions, olive oil, vinegar, and garlic.
The Popularity of Turkish Coffee and Tea
Turkish coffee and tea are also essential components of the cuisine. Turkish coffee is a finely ground coffee that is boiled with sugar and spices. It’s traditionally served in small cups with foam on top. Turkish tea is made with strong black tea, boiled with water and sugar. It’s served in small glasses and often accompanied by traditional pastries or desserts.
Each and every area of Istanbul has its own special delicacy. In the Old City, street vendors prepare “simit” (a plain and sesame bread) and “balik ekmek” (fish sandwich). In the Taksim region, you’ll find “kumpir” (baked potatoes) and “lahmacun” (a Turkish pizza). And in the Asian side, “kokoreç” (grilled lamb intestines) and “ıslak kebap” (grilled lamb pita) are king.
No matter what type of food you’re looking for in Istanbul, you will certainly find it. This city is brimming with flavors, fusions, and tastes that you will never forget.
Indian and Chinese Dishes in Istanbul
In Istanbul, you will find a great variety of cuisines from all around the world. Indian restaurants serve traditional dishes like dhal, samosas, and curries. Chinese restaurants also offer a great variety, such as noodles, spring rolls, egg rolls, dumplings, dim sum, and other Chinese specialties. Istanbul is a cultural melting pot, and this is clearly reflected in its vast array of globally inspired restaurants.
Another popular dish is Kebabs, a dish of cooked meat served on a bed of flatbread. This dish is often served with salad, onions, fried peppers, and yogurt sauce. Kebabs originated in Persia but have become a popular Turkish dish, with many different styles and variations.
If you’re looking for something on the sweeter side, Istanbul has that too. The most commonly found desserts are Gazoz, a refreshing drink flavored with citrus and honey, Kanafeh, a cheese-based pastry flavored with syrup and spices, Baklava, a flaky pastry layered with nuts and honey, and Lahmacun, a thin, flatbread-style pizza topped with spiced ground lamb.
Conclusion
Istanbul has flavors from around the world, with unique and delicious dishes that are the perfect way to experience all this city has to offer. From street-side falafel and döner to classic Turkish desserts like baklava and kanafeh, there’s something for everyone in Istanbul. Whether you’re looking for a traditional dish or something more exotic, you’ll find it in Istanbul.
