By MOOK Travel Life Network, Li Xinyi | Compiled & Reported | Source: Mofo Editorial Department
Located at the junction of Europe, Asia, and Africa, Turkish cuisine fuses Central Asian, Middle Eastern, and Mediterranean elements, standing alongside Chinese and French cuisines as one of the world’s three great culinary traditions. The ancestors of the Turks were nomads, so grilled meats, flatbreads, and yogurt (or yoghurt) form the foundation of their cooking. Blessed with abundant local produce and highland herbs that provide a wealth of spices, the cuisine has evolved into an incredibly diverse array of dishes. The refinement of Turkish cuisine, however, is largely credited to the Ottoman Empire, whose 800-year rule saw imperial gastronomy greatly influence the public, securing Turkish food a prominent place in global cuisine.
Situated at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, Turkish cuisine holds a distinguished spot in the world of food. (Image credit: Mofo Editorial Department)
Turkish cuisine combines flavors from Central Asia, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean. (Image credit: Mofo Editorial Department)
Appetizers – Meze
Many may wonder how Turkish cuisine can claim to be the world’s third-largest, but a taste of Meze will quickly reveal why. Meze refers to appetizers, but just how many varieties are there? Even Turks might be stumped—it's an almost countless selection, far outnumbering main dishes. They can be meat-based, seafood, or vegetable, served cold or warm, all drizzled with rich olive oil.
The most famous and common Meze is Dolma, which includes stuffed peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, or grape leaves, typically filled with rice, pine nuts, and currants.
Turkish cuisine offers an endless variety of appetizers. (Image credit: Mofo Editorial Department)
Pasta – Borek
Turkish pastries come in countless shapes, wrapping styles, and serving methods, making it hard even for locals to distinguish them all. Some refer to them broadly as Pide, but that’s not entirely accurate.
>Pide can be described as Turkey’s version of pizza—thick, chewy, and widely popular. There’s also a type of bread that puffs up like a small hill when baked and flattens when torn open, known as Lavaș, which is delicious when spread with butter and cheese while hot. Gözleme is a stuffed flatbread, usually filled with cheese, spinach, or minced meat, often seen being cooked by headscarf-wearing women by the roadside. Lahmacun is like a thin-crust pizza, originating from Arabia, and typically topped with minced meat. Another dish is Mantı, similar to Chinese dumplings but much smaller, and usually served in a yogurt-based sauce.
Pasta dishes are common in Turkish cuisine, with a wide variety of forms and preparation styles. (Image credit: Mofo Editorial Department)
Grilled Meats – Kabab
All kinds of grilled meat dishes are called Kabab, but there are many types. Döner Kebab is made from vertically roasted, thinly sliced meat—essentially the shawarma commonly seen on Taiwanese streets. Adana Kebab features minced meat skewered and grilled, while Şiş Kebab consists of grilled cubes of meat. Meatballs or patties are called Köfte. In Bursa, you can try İskender Kebab (also known as Bursa Kebab), a variation of Döner Kebab served on Pide with yogurt, melted butter, and tomato sauce.
Grilled meats are one of the foundational dishes of the historically nomadic Turkish people. (Image credit: Mofo Editorial Department)
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