Enjoy Traditional Turkish Food in Istanbul

Gokce Nacar

Jan 21 1741 read

Enjoy Traditional Turkish Food in Istanbul

Apart from the beautiful historical spots in Istanbul, there are many things to do in the city. Arguably, one of the best things to do is to eat in Istanbul! Turkish cuisine is extremely diverse and known worldwide. Istanbul is a melting pot of races, many of which impact the food scene pleasantly. Even, forget the (fast) foreign food chain while here and have real Turkish food. But where do you start with so many different dishes? This little selection of foods is going to come in handy in Istanbul. Let's begin a classic!

Turkish Iskender Kebab

Kebap is döner meat in reality. Döner is a stew of beaten beef spiced on a spit and grilled vertically, with suet, local herbs and spices. Leaves are served on pide pieces, a pita like pizza. They are finely sliced doner pieces. Butter and tomato sauce are pid bits.

Yogurt is added to the plate line, and to make it much more enjoyable if you please add a tomato sauce and butter. This celestial saucy meat plat is Bursa's den. My personal favorite in Beyoğlu' s Atıf Yılmaz Street is a small and humble Bursa Kebapçısı. The master's name is signed by the Kazım Erdem residential building.

Adana Kebab

If you're a meat lover, this kebap is a must. It takes its name from the town of Adana, which is in the south-east. "Controlled designation of origin" has been available to Adana Kebab in Istanbul since 2009. Only facilities which are inspected and certified on site by the Adana Chamber of Commerce will make an original Adana kebap.

There are few ingredients, but the cooking method is unique. Lamb meat and tail fat are the main ingredients. The meat of a male lamb which is younger than 1 year old would traditionally be. The animal must be raised and fed local flora in its natural habitat. The meat is kneaded after detail purification and rest with dry red, green hot pepper, fresh local red peppers, brochet placed on the sprouts, grilled charcoal, and served on lavaş, with grilled onion, tomatoes, and pepper on its side. Eat Adana Kebab in the best restaurants!

Manti in Istanbul

Mantı is a spicy dish eaten with cold yoghurt and garlic, also called Turkish ravioli. Mantı can be understood as certain dumplings of the dough and its filling. Dough is made with water, flour and salt in the classical Anatolian (Kayseri) form. Some eggs are added to enhance the taste. The thinner the paste and the smaller the wrapped pieces, the more the cook would be. The filling consists of ground beef, lamb, oignon, salt and potato.

Manti in Istanbul with trout, spinach or even chicken can be ordered these days. If it's fried in water, buttered or boiling in tomato sauce, mantı is eaten with butter-cooked yogurt, garlic and tomato soup. It is very popular to add certain spices. A mixture of ground red pepper, mint and sumac is my daily preference.

Baklava

We will get to the desert when you're finished with the key meals! Baklava is Turkish dessert passion's finest example. The ingredients are plain (phyllo dough, nuts and syrup) but are certainly crafted. Dough layers are important to their thinness. Nuts, walnuts, hazelnuts or pistachios, in Turkey, range from one area to another. The nuts are scattered around the phyllo-paste layers. The dough stack is then dressed in butter, baked and eventually sipped. You must choose a good spot for your baklava to sit, since it certainly needs to be fresh and masterful. Some sites like Güllüoglu and Köşkeroglu have been achieved to eat baklava. Eat the best baklava in the city, and make sure that you visit historical places in Istanbul such as Hagia Sophia and Dolmabahce afterwards!