9 Traditional Tastes of Turkey

The ancient dish "Demir Tatlısı" was first made in Erzurum and has recently been revived. It is a typical homemade dessert which can’t be found in restaurants. Each family decorates it differently and usually includes the family crest. It is dipped in syrup for frying.

"Ciğer Sarma" is a typical Thracian dish and came to Turkey from Edirne. It is served during the Hıdırellez Festival which marks the arrival of spring. Cooking and serving Ciğer Sarma can even indicate one's status. It includes rice, beans, cheese and vegetables. 

"Sarma" is considered as technique in the Ottoman Empire. It’s not produced as a new dish, but as a result of adapting an existing dish with different techniques. "Yaprak Sarma" was eaten hot or cold by resting overnight. This old tradition has been preserved until the present.

The first recipe for the "Hamsili Pilav" was found in a treatise which written in 1764. Anchovy fish is a very important symbol of the Black Sea region. Hamsili Pilav is mostly consumed in the Black Sea Region.

"Muhlama" is one of the most famous dishes in the Eastern Black Sea cuisine. It includes butter, cheese and corn flour which are locally sourced, and it is easy to prepare.

"Kadayıf" was a desert that had given in soup kitchens during the Seljuk and Anatolian Principalities. It was among the Sultan's preferences according to the kitchen book "Beray Hassa". It is mostly consumed as a dessert in the Balkans, Turkey and the Middle East.

Revani is an Ottoman dessert that invented by the palace chefs in honor of the conquest of Revan in 1635. That's why it's called "Revani". There is a recipe for revani in Melceü't-Tabbâhîn, the first printed cookbook in Turkish history.

Kebab means meat cooked directly over the fire or in a pot without water. Turkish kebab has some slight differences compared to Middle East Kebap. "Yoğurtlu Kebab" brings together two major products of the Turkish Cuisine, kebab, and yoghurt.

"Yuvalama" is a typical soup in the Gaziantep cuisine. It’s eaten for breakfast on the first day of the Ramadan Feast. The meatballs are in the size of peas which requires skills to make. These meatballs takes long time to prepare.