Turkey has always been at the confluence of major trading routes criss-crossing Europe, Asia and Africa. As such, its culinary repertoire has been gifted by travellers with some of the most exotic foods in the world. Many of the most beloved have topped the Turkish street food charts for centuries…
Kokoreç: A sort of Turkish take on Shawarma…
Turkey is well-known for its unique style of coffee, its immortal Shish Kebab, Dönner and sweets – not the least of which include such internationally acclaimed classics as Baklava, Turkish Delight and Halvah.
But Turkey is also a street food mecca. In fact, many Turks pick up breakfast and lunch on the go, from street stalls and carts.
On our menu today
Simit: They say every advanced cuisine has its analogue of the bagel. In Turkey, it’s called Simt. This large pastry features a big home in the middle and a crust of molasses and sesame seeds. It’s crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. Classic hand food, it’s a national favourite and perhaps the most popular breakfast in Turkey.
Lamacun: Some call it Turkish Pizza, but that’s a long stretch. It’s merely a thin, flat crust topped with a mixture of finely minced meat, onions and red pepper.
Served with a sprinkle of fresh parsley and a squirt of lemon juice. Another grab-and-go tradition.
Borek: Stuffed flatbread. An arm’s length relative of Greek clasic spanakopita, Borek uses top and bottom layers of phyllo pastry stuffed with spinach and feta cheese. At breakfast time, they come stuffed sweetened cheese. A classy alternative to plain old toast!
Kokoreç: Spiced and skewered lamb or goat offal, slow roasted on a horizontal rotisserie, basted with a light glaze of honey, ginger and cumin. Served sliced thin or chopped fine on a Turkish roll. Another bold, savoury dish flavoured with tomatoes, fresh parsley, green and red pepper, curry, cumin, thyme, basil and mint.
Durum and Tantuni: Lest we forget wraps! The thin flexible, tortilla-like flatbread of Turkey is designed for wrapping, and Durum and Tantuni top the list on the street menu. Durum is a cornucopia of grilled meats and veggies available in chicken, beef, cheese or veggie variations. Tantuni is similar in concept but stuffed with grilled beef, tomatoes, peppers and a traditional spice blend.
Balik Eckmek: The national sandwich of Turkey, it’s simply a deep fried or grilled fish filet on a soft, Turkish-style roll (similar to a sub bun), topped with a medley of fresh veggies.
A fast, easy, healthy and (at least on the banks of the Bosphorous) cheap meal on the go.
Kumpir: The traditional Turkish baked potato. First par-boiled then baked, the innards are scooped out and mashed with butter, cheese and a fair amount of salt. the mash is then spooned back into the potato skins and topped with olives, Russian salad, roasted red peppers and pickles.
Tavuk Pilav: Chicken with Rice. You boil the chicken to produce a rich broth which is then used to cook the rice. Onions and butter are all the additional flavouring you need. The chicken is pulled off the bones and used either to top the rice or mix in with it. Usually pressed into single serving moulds and turned out on a paper plate.
Midye Dolma: Mussels on the half-shell with spicy rice and a squeeze of lemon juice. The rice is rich and savoury, flavoured with…
…tomato paste, red peppers, cinnamon, pine nuts, dried fruit, dill and parsley.
Try these unique treats at home!
Google the recipes for these and other Turkish delights and try making them at home. The great thing is, you can orchestrate the flavourings and gauge the spices to suit your own taste and heat tolerance. A final note: Turkish specialties which call for hot peppers or curry are not nearly as hot as Indian or Asian disahes. In Turkish cooking, ‘mild’ does not mean ‘meek’. I prefer to think of it as ‘refined’…
~ Maggie J.