Many Influences Create Accessible Tastes

Writing about Turkish cuisine, the Turkish Cultural Association declared, “The soul comes through the throat”. The statement reflects the central role that food plays in Turkish life and Turkish social traditions. With roots that date back to the Ottoman Empire, Turkish cuisine’s rich, flavorful variations represent the soul of the nation.

More than one food writer has said that the world has but three great cooking traditions – European, Asian, and Turkish. Agree or disagree, there is no doubt that Turkish foods have made an impact on the international scene. It’s an impact that is growing, spreading out from as many channels as there are origins to this unique dining culture.

The Roots Of Turkish Cuisine

Modern Turkish cuisine credits the power of the Ottoman Empire with shaping the dishes on the table. As the empire grew in both size and power, it absorbed the cooking traditions of its regions of influence. This included Middle Eastern food traditions, but also nearby Asian and Balkan influences. The result is that traditional dinners can feel like a table-top tour of the Ottoman Empire at its peak.

Some of the elements that make Turkish food unique include the use of dairy, nuts, vegetables, and spices. The food gracing the table top also shifts with the season, with Turkish summer cuisine focusing much more on fried vegetables, yoghurt dishes, and fruits than winter cuisine. This shift reflects the powerful heat of Turkish summers, when Ottoman rulers were just as desperate as the next citizen to feel a bit cooler.

A culture rich in dairy food, the summer cuisine might feature flavored yoghurt drinks or cooling sherbets flavored with rosehips. Winter might see more heavy yoghurt soups and fried cheese side dishes. Year-round, yoghurt in various forms accompanies almost all Turkish meals, whether as a thin, highly spiced dipping sauce, a thickener for soups, or form of dessert. Cheeses serve as filling for pastries, with a preference for salty white cheeses (not unlike Greek feta) and low-lactose goat cheeses at meals.

Nuts are another way Turkish cuisine sets itself apart. Pistachios, chestnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, and walnuts are all native to Turkey and the surrounding area, providing locally sourced ingredients rich in amino acids and vitamins. Nuts are often chopped and blended with spices to be added to everything from main dishes like moussaka to desserts like Turkey’s renowned baklava.

The spices blended with these nuts or used alone are parsley, cumin, black pepper, paprika, mint, oregano, red pepper and thyme. The preservative and anti-bacterial properties of these spices help foods thrive in the hot climate, while stomach soothers like mint help locals make it through rich multi-course meals without discomfort.

Finally, Turkish use of vegetables adds to the cuisine. The dominant vegetables are eggplant, green pepper, tomato, onions, beans and lentils. The first three are often grilled or stuffed, while the latter three are used in soups, as accents to main dishes, or in savory side dishes. The wide variety of vegetables used in Turkish cooking enhances the overall health of the Turkish diet and makes the cuisine attractive to vegetarians and vegans.

Kebabs Of Many Kinds

Aside from its decadent baklava, the other main food item commonly associated with Turkey is kebab. The kebab has its roots in the urban culture of the Near East, which left cooks with limited amounts of fuel available for meals and smaller cooking spaces, according to the Turkish Cultural Association. Nevertheless, local chefs rose to the challenge, creating a versatile and quick main dish that was eaten by everyone from the sultans on down.

Kebabs can be made using a variety of meats and vegetables together, or using just one or the other. Nearly 30 different varieties exist. Kebabs eaten at home are usually served with a side of rice and yoghurt sauce, with grilled vegetables as an optional addition.

One of the most popular kebabs in Turkey is the Patlcan Kebab, made with eggplant and ground beef. The meat is seasoned with garlic, cayenne, salt, and black pepper, and then shaped into thin rectangle patties or small meatballs. For the best taste, this should be done the night before and the meat left to steep in its spices. The eggplant, on the other hand, should be prepared shortly before cooking. It should be cut into one-inch square pieces (or rounds for thin eggplants) and coated with a small amount of olive oil and the same spices used on the meat.

When the ingredients are ready, they should be added to skewers for cooking. Metal or wood skewers can be used, though wooden skewers should be soaked in water for 30 minutes prior to use so that the meat doesn’t stick to them while cooking. An indoor oven broiler or outdoor grill can be used to get the right flavor for the kebabs, which should be cooked for 8-10 minutes on each side.

Once cooked, Patlcan Kebabs are generally served wrapped in pita or naan style bread with a side of rice pilaf and yoghurt. The simple ingredients bring protein and fiber to the diet, and eggplant is also rich in potassium, manganese, and copper while being very low in calories. The meal as a whole is known as a filling dish and served year-round.

A Taste Of Turkey Near You

The popularity of kebabs in Turkey virtually assured that they would spread outside the boundaries of the former Ottoman Empire. That most kebab combinations are easy to prepare quickly makes them popular in both formal and casual dining restaurants, and the mix-and-match nature of meats and vegetables used in kebabs makes it easy to customize them for picky or sensitive eaters. As a result, you may be surprised to find a taste of authentic Turkish cuisine is closer than you think.

Döner kebab, made from meat, tomato, and onion, has become a mainstay of casual dining in Europe, particularly in Germany and Western Canada. The traditional pita and salad sides are often replaced with french fries, making the dish more accessible to foreign palates. In the U.S., Döner kebab competes with gyros for popularity, particularly on the East Coast.

The even more basic Shish kebab is another emerging international favorite. Tracing its roots to the Persian word for six – as in six pieces on a skewer – this spiced meat kebab is often served over rice with yoghurt or tahini-based sauces. Easy and inexpensive to make, it has become popular as a menu expansion item and appetizer world-wide.

Though the Ottoman Empire is long gone, its soul lives on through its foods. The spread of the everyman’s mainstay – kebab – to the four corners of the world testifies to its power as an accessible dish. If you haven’t had the chance, take a look around. You may find that the chance for a taste of Turkey is closer than you think!