Some historical documents prove that Turkish cuisine gained its characteristic features, since the time of nomadic tribes and the first Turkish settlers in Asia.
The roots of Turkish cuisine originate from the Ottoman Empire. it the state was founded by Turkic tribes, which are very simple relate to cooking. Their main dishes are mainly from meat, which in pieces was strung on skewers and fried on fire, or boiled beans in a cauldron. In fact, only with these dishes Turks enriched the kitchen in the Byzantine Empire.
Meat cooked with a skewer called shish kebab “, preserved in its original form and today day. Turks since ancient times grew wheat and widely used it to make different types of yeast bread and ordinary dough that was baked in clay ovens or charcoal braziers. Among the popular dishes of that era are “manti” and “borax”. Also until of our days, recipes for gourmet sweet dishes, as well as products from flour, the recipe of which has not changed much, even after a thousand years old.
Turkey cooking features
The main role in Turkish food is rice. He stands along with such popular lamb, goat meat, and poultry meat. The most popular rice dish is pilaf meat very finely cut and mixed with rice. The second important product is corn, as Turkish residents love cereal dishes.
Bean and chickpea dishes (mutton) are also common. peas). Also, Turks cannot imagine their diet without tomatoes and sweet peppers. An important attribute of a Turkish chef there are spices that Arab travelers brought here, yet since the time of the Ottoman Empire.
Spices and spices are more colorful when preparing vegetable dishes, most often cold. Carrots, greens, artichoke seasoned with sour lemon juice and olive oil served as an appetizer. The king dishes of vegetables is eggplant with meat patlican kebab with cabbage rolls. You can’t imagine Turkish dishes without garlic and onions, which considered very useful and give dishes a special taste.
Popular dishes
The favorite food is meat balls – a jacket that Be sure to cook with a skewer. Side dish presented dishes of zucchini, okra eggplant. Also in food can add pine or otherwise walnuts, pistachios, dried grapes (only the Sultanka variety). They will give food unique taste. If you need to add acid to the dish, then use pomegranate grains, not lemon juice. For some food use only sheep’s cheese aged in brine, or “kaymak” (thick sour cream), which the Turks make with sheep’s milk.
Since ancient times, the country of the seas was well developed viticulture. It is worth noting that a Muslim resident alcoholic beverages are not included in your diet. But contrary to this very famous all over the world, Turkish drink with content alcohol is rakiya. This is a drink made from rice. grains or date fruits.
Turkish residents do not drink beer. Thirst taken to quench with cold water, juices, drinks or Ayran.
Ayran is a Turkish drink made with yogurt and salt water. People who come to visit are usually offered tea, or coffee brewed according to their traditions. Turkish cuisine ranked rightfully third among the best cuisines in the world, so as it is known for its diversity, as well as antiquity (first the place belongs to France, three times is Chinese cuisine).
Food cult
In the centuries of the Ottoman Empire, food was elevated to a cult. Only worth on moment to introduce the ancient Topkapi Palace in the capital of Turkey, where in In the 17th century, approximately 13 thousand cooks lived. And most importantly, that each of them specialized only in the preparation of one culinary masterpiece. Here, more than 10 thousand could feed a day. people, and as a sign of their mercy they could send baskets filled with food, noble residents of the city.
It is worth noting that the Janissaries had titles that have in common with Turkish cuisine. “Cooking Soup” is an army commander whose the subordinates were “cooked” (officers), etc. Very important in the country was related to food quality. Even when merchants with caravans transported products such as spices, vegetables, fruits, drinks required special permission of a certain authority, which put the so-called quality mark.
The diet of Turkish residents is very influenced by religion. In Islam, very Fasting in Ramadan, prohibitions on alcohol or meat from pork, alcohol, etc. The diversity of the kitchen was able affect the multinational history of the population of Turkey.
In the territory of Turkey for a long time lived Greek, Arab, Assyrian, Turkic, Armenian and others population. Each of the peoples has made its own specific contribution to features of turkish food. Because of this, Turkish cuisine is a bit Compare with Greek, Balkan and other cuisines.
The Turkish breakfast includes the following products:
- Bread,
- Cheese,
- Black olives
- Tea.
Lunch consists of three or more dishes, not including salads. At first served meze appetizer. It can be different salads and pickled vegetables, seafood and pies, eggs and melon. The obligatory attribute of dinner is bread. In the past, Turkey has been “bread basket of the world”, as a result of this associated with the product many traditions. It is believed that the Turkish people’s bread recipe received from the archangel and eat it he should only fresh, by no means yesterday. In the country bake:
- Ekmek (white bread),
- Paide (flat cakes),
- “simit” (baked rings and sprinkled with seeds of the season),
- “borek” (thin wide dough from which puff pastries are baked pies or pies).
Have a snack, it’s time to eat!
After the appetizer there are main hot dishes. Most popular: Kebab meat over an open fire. In our country, such a dish is more known as barbecue. Lamb kebab is made and seasoned honey and olive oil. And not every mutton can go on “kebab”. For the manufacture of such a dish, only tribal animals that grazed in open large expanses. it the most common dish in Turkey and you can buy it literally on every corner.
Köfte mixed minced meat from raw meat and seasonings and eggs. At this mixture is rolled into balls. Presented either raw or frying slightly in advance to your taste. Seafood. Insofar as Turkey is a sea country, there is enough seafood here. Here fry fish on charcoal from wood, so that the taste is obtained saturated, and the aroma is simply stunning.
Octopuses, cuttlefish and oysters are also eaten. All only the freshest, literally from the catch. Side dishes from vegetables. Are used stewed vegetables in their own juice with seasonings, or stuffed or fried.
Turks are very fond of eating pepper, iris, green beans, tomatoes, onions and eggplant. Not very respected cabbage. Turkish cuisine known for her spices and seasonings, as this people are not presents cooking without this supplement. Thanks to them the food is aromatic and very tasty.
After the main dishes, the time for desserts comes. At the heart of them preparations use berries and fruits. Popular here marmalade, cherry jam, fried dough with nuts, seeds and powders, as well as milk puddings.
Sweet desserts are washed down with fine tea called chayybardak. A Turk can drink up to 30 cups of tea per day. Even on There is a separate break for tea drinking. Among the national alcohol famous vodka “rakiya” based on grapes and pineapple. They also consume yoghurts and wines diluted with water, despite prohibitions in religion. Thus, with firm certainty, you can to say that Turkish cuisine is just a treasury of incredible dishes and combinations. It captivates and captivates at first sight. Therefore we it remains to wish you only bon appetit.
