BEHİYE DR.
NEVHİZ IŞIL
PRIMARY
SCHOOL
TURKISH CUISINE
AFİYET OLSUN
ENJOY YOUR MEAL
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It is said that three major kinds
of cuisine exist in the world;
Turkish, Chinese, and French.
Fully justifying its reputation,
Turkish Cuisine is always a
pleasant surprise for the visitor.
In addition to being the refined
product of centuries of
experience, Turkish Cuisine has
a very pure quality. The variety
and simplicity of the recipes
and the quality of the
ingredients are guarantees of
delicious meals. Let yourself
get into the most delicious
cuisine all over the world with
real recipes….
TRADITIONAL TURKISH DISHES
 Döner Kebap
 Slices of marinated lamb on
a tall vertical spit and grilled
as it slowly turns are
delicious. The cooked parts
of the cone of meat are cut
in very thin slices by a huge
sword-like knife, and
arranged on a plate with
Ace or flat pide (pitta)
bread. This dish is the most
formidable obstacle to the
victory of the hamburger in
the fast food market. Doner
kebap in rolls with slices of
pickle and chips is the most
common stand-up lunch for
city office workers.
ADANA KEBAP (ADANA KEBAB)
INGREDIENTS
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250 gr ground lamb
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tiny pieces
250gr ground veal
Extra virgin olive oil, melted unsalted butter, or vegetable oil
for brushing
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper, or more to taste
2 medium onions, peeled and sliced
2 teaspoons freshly ground coriander seeds
1 tablespoon sumac
2 teaspoons freshly ground cumin seeds
Finely chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
Salt to taste
2 pide bread
DIRECTIONS
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In a large bowl, knead the lamb, veal, cayenne, coriander, cumin,
pepper, salt, and butter together well, keeping your hands wet so
the meat doesn't stick to them. Cover and let the mixture rest in
the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Prepare a charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill on medium-low for
15 minutes. Form the meat into patties. Grill until the köfte are
springy to the touch, about 20 minutes, turning often.
Meanwhile, brush the pide bread with olive oil, melted butter, or
vegetable oil and grill or griddle for a few minutes until hot but
not brittle.
Arrange the köfte on a serving platter or individual plates and
serve with the pide bread, sliced onions, a sprinkle of sumac, and
chopped parsley as a garnish.
ŞİŞ KEBAP (SHISH KEBAB)
INGREDIENTS
½ kg beef or lamb, (or a mixture)
 8 skewers
 2 tbl olive oil
 salt
 pepper
 red pepper, roasted and seeded
 1 cup walnuts, toasted
 1/2 tsp cumin
 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
 lemon juice
 1/4 tsp salt
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DIRECTIONS
Preheat the broiler.
 Thread the meat onto the skewers and brush with oil.
 Sprinkle with salt and pepper and place under the
broiler, 2-3 minutes on each side, depending on the type
of meat you use.
 In the meantime, make the puree – combine the
remaining ingredients in a food processor and blend
until smooth.
 Serve alongside the cooked shish-kebabs.
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ÇİĞ KÖFTE (RAW MEATBALLS)
INGREDIENTS
500 gr mutton ground 3 times
 1/4 teaspoon allspice
 250 gr. fine bulgur
 1/2 teasponn cumin
 2 firm tomatoes
 500 gr. onion
 1 bunch parsley
 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
 1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper
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DIRECTIONS
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Wash and drain the bulgar.
Grate the onions, chop the parsley and mix them together.
Skin and dice the tomatoes and add to the onions and
parsley.
Put the salt, black pepper, red pepper, allspice and cumin
into the mixture, and blend by mixing with the hand a couple
of times and set aside.
Put the meat and bulgur on a large tray and make into a
apste by kneading.
Moisten hands with cold water occasionally while kneading.
Add the prepared mixture of onion, tomatoes and spices to
the meat and knead to make a paste.
Take small pieces of the mixture and press with the palm to
flatten it, and put on a serving plate.
Decorate with lettuce and parsley before serving.
İÇLİ KÖFTE (STUFFED MUTTON BALLS)
INGREDIENTS
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OUTER SHELLS
1cup fine bulgur
1/2cup flour (whole weath better)
2egg whites
1teaspoon ground cumin
1/2teaspoon salt
1tablespoon red pepper paste or paprika flakes
1cup hot water
FOR THE FILLING
2 egg-sized miced beef
1onion , chopped
2tablespoons butter
1teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4teaspoon sugar
salt to taste
DIRECTIONS
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Cook in bolling water like pasta
To make the filling ,heat the butter and saute meat , and onion.
Add black pepper , salt, sugar, red pepper flakes and cook for a
furter 10 minutes. Add chopped parsley and set aside to cool.
For making outer shells ,put the bulgur in a food
processor. Add paprika flakes or red pepper paste,
cumin,salt and 1/2cup of warm water, let sit 10 minutes.Add egg
whites and flour .Knead until well mixed like a dough. Add a little
ice water if needed.
To make kibbeh.Wet your hands and shappe bulgur dough into
small balls. Put a ball on left hand make it like a small plate put
some filling on.
Close up sides together and taper ends to a point resemling a
lemon. Continue until all the mixture is used up.
Boill 3-4 cups water in a pan. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Add the kibbeh and cook for ten munites like pasta. Drain. Add 2-3
table spoon souce and mix.
Transfer on a serving dish and serve
LAHMACUN (TURKISH PIZZA)
INGREDIENTS
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250 g sheep meat
10g yeast
75g sheep fat
1 tsp salt
2 chopped onions
150 g of water
3 tbsp chopped parsley
30g milk
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp red pepper
1 peeled, chopped tomato
dough
250g flavor
DIRECTIONS
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Mix onion, and parsley in a big tray and add minced meat, sheep
fat, salt, tomato and bitter red pepper and mix this mixture
properly. Place the ingredients into a tray.
DOUGH : Add yeast and salt to water in a bowl. Mix for 3 minutes.
Add flavour and mix properly. Cover the dough with wet cloth and
wait for 30 minutes.
Divide the dough to two pieces by pressing hand. Roll each dough
by palm. Cover with wet cloth and wait for 30 minutes more.
Lay each dough as thin sheets until they reach the same size as the
plate. Use hands for laying and push with your fingers to shore for
thinning.
Heat owen to 240' C. Place dough to tray and spread milk by brush
to doughs.
Place ingredient to dough. Push tray to owen.
Wait for 6-7 minutes for cooking.
Serve hot
KARNIYARIK (SLASHED EGGPLANT)
INGREDIENTS
1 chopped tomato
 100 gr margarine
 250 gr ground meat
 4-6 medium sized eggplants
 1 medium sized onion
 1 green pepper
 1 glass of water
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DIRECTIONS
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Chop the onions and cook in a saucepan with some butter
until pink.
Add ground meat and roast, stirring constantly. Remove from
heat and add salt and pepper.
Peel the eggplants in a ribbon fashion.
Soak them in salted water for a while.
Drain and dry. Fry eggplants lightly in oil.
Make a deep incision in each eggplant.
Place the eggplants in a saucepan, with the cut sides facing
up.
Place some stuffing on each eggplant and top each with a
slice of tomato and green pepper.
Add a small amount of water and cook over low heat for 2530 minutes.
ETLİ YAPRAK DOLMASI - STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES
INGREDIENTS
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2 cups water
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1-2 large onions,finely chopped
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juice of 1 to 2 lemons
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a pinch of salt
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½ kg ground meat
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1 cup long grain rice
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3 Tbs of olive oil
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A jar of grape leaves
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2 cloves of garlic,crushed
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butter
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2 Tbs finely chopped parsley
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pinch of ground allspice
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pinch of ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS
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Cut the stems of the grape leaves.Place them in a large bowl,cover
with boiling water and soak for 10-15 minutes and rinse with cold
water.
Soak the rice in salted hot water for 25 minutes.
Meanwhile saute the chopped onions,garlic,herbs and seasoning
in the oil.
Remove from heat, add the drained rice and the meat,mixing
everything together very well.
Place a grape leave on a work surface, place about 2 tablespoons
of the meat mixture near the stem end,then fold in the end and
sides and roll up neatly.
Pour in the water, add dabs of butter on the top.
Cover with a lid and simmer slowly for 1 to 2 hours, or untill the
leaves are tender.
Serve the "dolma" lukewarm,sprinkled with lemon juice.
KIRMIZI MERCİMEK KÖFTESİ (RED LENTIL BURGERS)
INGREDIENTS
1 cup red lentils
 Corn flour for binding
 1 1/2 cup hot water
 Oil
 1 Vegetable bouillion cube
 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
 3 cloves garlic; minced
 An onion; finely minced
 1 tablespoon cumin
 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
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DIRECTIONS
Boil the lentils with the bouillion and water.
 When the lentils are cooked, all the water should be
absorbed.
 When the lentils are cooked and relatively cooled, add
the parsley, garlic, onion, and spices.
 If the mixture is watery, add some corn flour to bind the
ingredients.
 Shape the lentils into patties and broil in oven or fry in
skillet.
 Garnish the lentil 'kofte' like you would a burger.
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PİLAV (PILAF)
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Generally made of rice, but
also of bulgur (cracked wheat)
and sehriye (vermicelli), pilaf
(pilav) is one of the mainstays
of the Turkish table. The rice
should not be sticky but
separate into individual grains.
The pilaf may include
aubergines, chick peas, beans
or peas. Although pilaf is
traditionally a course in its
own right, in recent years it
has appeared as a garnish with
meat and chicken dishes at
many restaurants.
ANCHOVY PILAF (HAMSI PILAVI)
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Ingredients :
1 kg filleted anchovies
2 tablespoons olive oil
For the pilaf:
250g rice
1 medium onion (finely
chopped)
1/4 cup of water
1/2 cup olive oil
50 g pine nuts
50 g currants
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon thyme
1 tablespoon mint
salt and pepper
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Preparation :
Pour sufficient scalding water over the rice to cover, stir in a
tablespoon of salt and leave to cool. Meanwhile put the
chopped onions and 1/4 cup of water into a saucepan and
cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes. Add the olive oil
and continue to cook for a few minutes. Drain the rice, add
and cook for 5-6 minutes. Mix in the currants, pine nuts, 1.5
cups of nearly boiling water and sugar, cover, and cook over a
medium heat for 10 minutes. Stir in the other spices, cover
and leave for 10 minutes. Meanwhile grease an earthenware
casserole and line the base and sides with just over half the
anchovy fillets skin side outwards. Pour the rice mixture into
the centre and cover the surface with the remainder of the
anchovies. Sprinkle a little olive oil over and bake for 30-40
minutes at 200 degrees Centigrade.
MANTI (TURKISH RAVIOLI)
INGREDIENTS
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Dough:
3-3 ½ cups flour
1 egg
2/3 cup lukewarm water
1 teaspoon salt to taste
Filling:
½ kg ground beef
1 onion, chopped
½ teaspoon salt to taste
½ teaspoon black pepper
For cooking:
8 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
Sauce:
2 cups yogurt
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon salt to taste
3-4 tablespoon butter/oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste/1 tablespoon paprika
2-3 tablespoons water
Dried mint
Sumac
DIRECTIONS
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In a bowl place the flour, crack the egg and add the salt and water. Then
knead till you get a firm and smooth dough.
Meanwhile in a plate mix all the filling ingredients and set aside.
Flatten the dough with a rolling pin as thin as you can.
Then, cut it with a knife into square pieces .
Then place ¼ tsp filling over each square . Then stick the sides with your
finger tips .
For cooking, boil the water in a big pot and add salt.
Then add all the manti into the boiling water.
Stir with a wooden spoon to prevent them sticking to each other.
Cook over medium heat till manti gets soft (for about 10-15 minutes).
Meanwhile prepare the sauce. In a bowl mix yogurt, salt and garlic.
In a small pan; melt the butter/oil and stir in tomato paste and water.
Cook for 2 minutes over low heat.
Drain the cooked manti and transfer it into serving plates.
Let it cool for a while and pour the yogurt sauce over.
Finally pour about one tbsp of butter/oil mixture all over .
And if desired sprinkle some dried mint and sumac over the Turkish Ravioli.
DÜĞÜN ÇORBASI - WEDDING SOUP
INGREDIENTS
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6 tablespoons butter
1/2 tablespoon paprika
1 /2 kg lamb or beef, diced fine or ground
cayenne pepper
1 carrot, chopped fine
garnish: dusting of cinnamon.
1 onion, chopped fine
5 cups beef stock
2 egg yolks
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon butter
DIRECTIONS
Melt the butter in a large saucepan, add meat, carrots, and
onions and saute over low heat for 10 minutes.
 Stir in flour and cook until blended.
 Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for an hour.
 When ready to serve, remove soup from heat.
 Beat the egg yolks, then beat the lemon juice into them
and slowly stir into the soup.
 Ladle into bowls
 Then quickly saute the paprika and cayenne in the tablespoon
of butter and swirl equally into the individual soup servings.
 Serve with cinnamon.
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EZOGELIN SOUP
INGREDIENTS
1 cup red lentil
 6-7 cups water
 1/2 cup fine bulgur
 salt to taste
 1 middle size onion
 2 table spoons tomato paste
 1/2 tea spoon hot pepper sauce or paste
 2 table spoons olive oil
 1 tea spoon red pepper flakes
 1 tea spoon dried peppermint flakes
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DIRECTIONS
Peel, wash and mince the onion. Then place it in a soup pot.
 Add olive oil and saute the onion.
 Wash red lentil and add it to the pot together with bulgur,
tomatoe paste, pepper sauce and salt.
 Cook them until lentil and bulgur are soft.
 Let it boil few minutes and then remove pot from the heat.
 Pour soup in plates and decorate top with red pepper and
peppermint flakes.
 Serve it hot.
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İŞKEMBE ÇORBASI (TRIPE SOUP)
INGREDIENTS
Tripe ½ kg
 Salt
 Water 2 lt.
 Egg yolks 4
 Flour 2 tablespoons
 Vinegar ½ cup
 Garlic 7-8 cloves
 Butter 50 g
 Cayenne
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DIRECTIONS
Clean and wash tripe well, add 2 litres water and cook
Flourtil tripe is tender.
 Chop and put back in stock. Mix well egg yolks, flour, salt
and 1 cup water, add tripe stock and warm.
 Put mixture in saucepan, boil 3-4 minutes.
 Mash garlic cloves, mix vinegar. Add mixture in soup,
boil.
 Cook butter and cayenne 1 minute.
 Pour soup in bowls, put 1 tablespoon butter-cayenne
mixture each, serve hot.
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SU BÖREĞI (WATER PASTRY)
INGREDIENTS
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4 glasses flour
16 glasses water
1/4 glass water
8 tablespoons salt
8 eggs
corn starch
1 tablespoon salt
2 glasses melted margarine
250 gr. grated white cheese
5 glasses milk
1 bunch parsley
DIRECTIONS
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Sprinkle flour over a wooden board, make a well in the centre and add 4
eggs, 2 glasses milk, 1 glass melted margarine, water and 1 tablespoon
salt together and knead until a dough is formed.
Make it into the shape of a roll and slice into 12 equal pieces.
Roll the pieces in flour, press with the hand, sprinkle flour and roll out
one by one but not too thinly.
Blend 3 glasses milk and 1 glass melted margarine in a bowl, add 4 eggs,
cheese, chooped parsley and salt, then continue blending.
Grease the baking tray.
Put 16 glasses of water into a pan, add 8 tablespoons of salt and bring to
boil.
Put each piece of the dough into the pan one by one, hold it for one
minute then take it out and put into another bowl filled with cold water
and press with your hands so that the water drains out.
Place on a baking tray. First place one layer of pastry, then the filling,
repeat this until all the pastry is used and close the edges with the
overlapping piece.
Bake in a hot oven for an hour.
Remove from the oven, cut into slices and serve.
SİGARA BÖREĞİ (CIGARETTE BOREK)
INGREDIENTS
250 gr Pastry
½ cup cheese
1/3 cup fresh parsley
½ cup oil for frying
DIRECTIONS
Mix cheese and parsley in a small bowl.
 Place Pastry sheets on top of each other and cut them
in 6 pieces.
 Place 1 tablespoon of filling on the wide sides and fold
the corners inside .
 Then, roll them up and soak the end to water and close
it up.
 Fry the both sides of Cigarette Boreks.
 After that, place them on a paper towel to soak the
excess oil up.
 Place them to a serving plate and serve warm.
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TRADITIONAL TURKISH DESSERTS
BAKLAVA WITH PISTACHIO NUTS
INGREDIENTS
500 grams pastry
 125 grams butter
 250 grams hazelnuts
 75 grams pistachio nuts
 75 grams almonds
 Syrup: 5 glasses of sugar, 34 glasses of water, 1
teaspoons lemon juice
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DIRECTIONS
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Put the sugar, the water and lemon juice into a saucepan and boil until
getting thick.
Melt the butter.
Roll out every pastry sheet until it is twice the size of the dish.
Divide every pastry sheet in half.
Chop the hazelnuts, pistachio nuts and almonds into small pieces.
Mix them well.
Put a sheet of pastry in the oven dish, spread it with melted butter and
sprinkle some of the nut mix over it.
Repeat this sequence until every pastry sheet and all of the nut mix are
used.
Close it off with a final sheet of pastry. Put the oven dish into the oven;
bake for 15 minutes on the bottom of the oven and for 30 minutes in
the middle of the oven.
Remove the oven dish from the oven and cut the Baklava into square
pieces. Pour the syrup over the Baklava and leave it to absorb for an
hour
İRMİK HELVASI (SEMOLINA HELVA)
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Ingredients
Measure
Amount
Margarine
2 cups
150 grams
Pine nuts
2 tablespoons
20 grams
Semolina
2 cups
300 grams
Water
2 cups
500 grams
Sugar
1 1/3 cups
240 grams
Servings: 6
 Preparation :
Melt the margarine, add the nuts and the semolina and
brown them for about 15 minutes until the ingredients
change color slightly, stirring all the time. Boil the water
in a separate saucepan, add and melt the sugar. Add the
syrup to the semolina, stir and simmer for 10 minutes.
Cover with a napkin and let rest for 20 minutes. Toss
before serving.
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FIRIN SÜTLAÇ(BAKED RICE PUDDING)
INGREDIENTS
4 glass of milk
 3+1/2 cups of sugar
 1 cup of rice
 1/2 teaspoon salt
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PREPARATION:
Cook the rice and then filter it.
 Boil the milk in another pot and add the rice and the
sugar.
 Pour the blend into small bowls.
 Pour some water into the oven tray and put the bowls
into the tray.
 Cook it in the oven for 35-40 minutes.
 After it is cooked, take it from the oven and put it into
the refrigerator.
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AYVA TATLISI (QUINCE DESSERT)
INGREDIENTS
4 quinces
 11/2 cups sugar
 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
 1 teaspoon grated clove
 whipped cream
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DIRECTIONS
Wash, peel and cut quinces in half.
 Carve quinces out.
 Save 4 or 5 seeds.
 Place them in a pan.
 Mix sugar, cinnamon, clove and then sprinkle them over
quince halves.
 Put seeds into the pan.
 Seeds give to this dessert a nice color.
 Cover the pan and bake about 45 minutes.
 Let it cool and serve it with whipped cream.
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BÜLBÜL YUVASI - NIGHTINGALE'S NEST
INGREDIENTS
FILLING: 2 glasses of walnuts, finely chopped, 1
tablespoon sugar ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
 PASTRY: 12 frozen filo pastry sheets, 1 glasses of
unsalted butter, melted
 SYRUP: 5 glasses of sugar, 4 glasses ofwater, juice of ½
lemon
 GARNISH: 1 glass of ground pistachio nuts
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DIRECTIONS
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Make the walnut filling by mixing all ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.
Place one sheet of filo pastry on a clean surface. Brush with butter.
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon walnut filling evenly over the sheet. Place a thin
rolling pin at the narrow end of the sheet and roll up the pastry on the
pin.
Gently push the rolled-up pastry from both ends towards the center to
compress. Pull out the rolling pin.
Form into a spiral shape and place on a buttered baking tray.
Bake in moderate oven for about 30 minutes, until golden brown.
While nightingale nests are baking boil sugar and water for 15 minutes.
Add lemon juice 2 minutes before removing from heat.
Pour lukewarm syrup over hot nests, allow time to absorb syrup and
cool. Transfer to a serving platter.
Garnish with ground pistachio nuts.
CEVİZLİ TEL KADAYIF (SHREDDED WHEAT
IN SIRUP WITH WALNUTS)
INGREDIENTS
750 gr. tel kadayif
 1 1/2 glasses of margarine
 2 glasses of walnuts
 Syrup: 4 glasses of sugar, 3 glasses of water, 1 teaspoons
lemon juice
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DIRECTIONS
Put the sugar, the water and lemon juice into a
saucepan and boil until getting thick.
 Flake kadayif and place on a shallow cake pan, sprinkle
crushed walnuts over evenly and spread the other half
of the kadayif on top.
 Sprinkle melted margarine over and place in moderate
oven to bake for 40 minutes.
 When golden brown, take kadayif out of oven and
sprinkle boiling syrup over immediately.
 Cover and allow to cool. When cool, place a plate large
enough over the top of the pan and transfer kadayif
onto the plate by turning it upside down.
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TRADITIONAL TURKISH DRINKS
TÜRK KAHVESİ (TURKISH COFFEE)
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From the days of the Ottoman
Empire through the present,
coffee has played an important
role in Turkish lifestyle and
culture. The serving and
consumption of coffee has had
a profound effect on betrothal
and gender customs, political
and social interaction, prayer,
and hospitality customs
throughout the centuries.
Although many of the rituals
are not prevalent in today's
society, coffee has remained
an integral part of Turkish
culture.
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Turkish coffee is served hot from a special coffee pot
called "cezve". Tradition states that after the guest has
consumed the coffee and the cup is turned upside down
on the saucer and allowed to cool, the hostess then
performs a fortune reading from the coffee grounds
remaining in the cup. Rich in tradition and flavor, Turkish
coffee remains a favorite today.
As
the Turks say "To drink one cup of
coffee together guarantees forty
years of friendship".
TÜRK ÇAYI (TURKISH TEA)
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Turkish tea is full-flavored and too
strong to be served in large cups thus
it's always offered in little tulip-shaped
glasses which you have to hold by the
rim to save your fingertips from burning
because it's served boiling hot. You can
add sugar in it but no milk, and you can
have it either lighter (weaker) or darker
(stronger) depending on your taste
because Turkish tea is made by pouring
some very strong tea into the glass,
then cutting it with water to the desired
strength. Serious tea-drinker Turks
usually go to a coffee & tea house
where they serve it with a samovar
(Semaver in Turkish) so they can refill
their glasses themselves as much as
they want.
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How to make good Turkish tea
Tea must be stored in closed packages in such a way that it is not
affected by humidity and external odors.
For best results, lime-free water, a tea-kettle and a porcelain
teapot are recommended.
After rinsing the clean teapot with lukewarm water, put in one
teaspoon of tea per person, whilst the water is boiled in the teakettle.
Boiling water from the tea-kettle is poured into the teapot.
The flame under the tea-kettle is turned down and the teapot is
placed onto the tea-kettle so that it boils with the steam
underneath.
The tea must brew for 10-15 minutes.
The tea is then ready for pouring into the small tea glasses,
usually 1/3 or 1/4 full depending how dark or how light you
prefer your tea. The tea glass is then topped-up with hot water
from the tea-kettle. The pot of tea should then be drunk within
30 minutes
RAKI (RAKİ)
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When one thinks of Turkey or
Turks, one is reminded of
Raki. Although it is not known
where or when this drink was
invented, it is certain that the
history of raki does not go as
far back as wine or beer.
There are many proverbs on
raki which is the traditional
Turkish drink. Raki is made
from different fruits in
different regions, but grapes,
figs and plums are the main
ones.
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Today in Istanbul, drinking raki has its own traditional
rituals. Most important is what it is to be partaken with.
White cheese is the main and unchangeable "meze" of
raki. Raki is usually drunk with cold dishes like tomatoes,
cucumber, lettuce and seafood. Fish is also a favorite,
especially mullet and mackerel. Due to the aniseed it
contains, raki changes color and becomes a milky white
when water is added and a glass of pure water to go
with it gives a distinct pleasant taste.
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AYRAN (BUTTERMILK DRINK)
Ayran (yoghurt drink) has been one of
the most popular drinks of the Turks
since the discovery of Yogurt among the
Turkish tribes in Central Asia. It is simply
made by diluting yogurt with water.
Some salt is added to taste. Best served
chilled.
It not only accompanies any meal but is
drunk as a refreshing drink by itself
especially during summer months. It is
common among all regions of the
country only the slight variation being its
thickness. Especially in the south, for
example, thicker ayran is preferred. But
the best of this unusual but simple drink
is made in Susurluk, near Balikesir, who
are so proud of their bubbled ayran that
they have a local festival for it in the
beginning of September
SAHLEP(MILK AND ORCHID ROOTS
HOT DRINK)
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Ingredients:
4 cups milk
1 cup sugar
1 Teaspoon sahlep powder (also
sold in supermarkets)
Preparation:
Mix sugar and sahlep powder
(dried powdered roots of a
mountain orchid - Orchis
Latifolia or Orchis Anatolica in
Latin) in a pan. Add the cold
milk and some sugar stirring
constantly. Heat the mixture
until it boils again stirring
constantly. Let it boil for 2-3
minutes and remove from heat.
Serve it warm and garnished
with powdered cinnamon.
TURKEY IS CALLIN’ YOU!!!