Must-Try Dishes in Turkish Cuisine Ranked!
The globally renowned gastronomy and flavor platform, TasteAtlas, has compiled a list of must-try dishes from Turkish cuisine on its official website. The list, curated based on user comments and votes, includes some intriguing flavors. Moreover, suggestions were given on where to best enjoy these selected dishes.
Let's see how the list shaped up.
Source
Lentil soup
The indispensable delight of every household, lentil soup, a must-have for guest dinners, has earned its place among the must-try flavors of Turkey. Lentil soup, entering the list at the 8th spot, is described as follows:
'Lentil soup, a cherished soup of Turkish cuisine, is made with red lentils, chicken broth, onions, and carrots. It is usually seasoned with salt, black pepper, cumin, or red pepper. This easy-to-prepare, satisfying, and warming soup is consumed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, especially in rural areas of Turkey, at local eateries known as 'lokantas'.'
Adana Kebab
Adana, the second dish that comes to mind when we think of kebab, has made it to our list. Adana kebab, made from minced meat and tail fat kneaded with garlic, onion, red flake pepper, and hot red chili powder, was particularly praised for its balance of spices.
TasteAtlas recommended, 'Alongside the Adana kebab, it is suggested to consume Ayran, a slightly salty, yogurt-based drink, or Şalgam, a fermented beverage made from vegetables and red carrots.'
Gyro
Naturally, the Doner, which Turkey has exported to the entire world under the name Doner, has found its place on this list. Despite Greece and Germany's attempts to claim ownership of the Doner, we won't let that slide, my friend!
So, where can you find the best Doner in Turkey?
Among the recommendations made by TasteAtlas users on this subject, Dönerci Şahin Usta and Bayramoğlu Döner from Istanbul stand out.
Beyran is a traditional soup from Gaziantep, a city in the southeastern region of Turkey. It's made from lamb meat and rice, and is typically served for breakfast. The soup is known for its rich flavor and is often enjoyed with fresh bread and a side of pickles. The preparation process is quite labor-intensive, as the meat needs to be cooked for several hours to achieve the desired tenderness. Despite the effort required, locals and tourists alike love the soup for its hearty taste and the warmth it brings, especially during the colder months.
Although TasteAtlas has included 'Beyran soup' in its list, we believe it's unjust to merely label Beyran as a 'soup'. Beyran, a dish prepared with painstaking effort and known to be a true winter cure, is an indispensable part of Gaziantep's culinary culture.
The most prized Beyran is rich in spice and garlic. Particularly favored in the mornings, we recommend trying Beyran at Metanet in Gaziantep for an authentic taste experience.
Kunafa
It would be unthinkable not to include a dessert in the list. While we were anticipating baklava, we were presented with künefe, but we accept it wholeheartedly. For some, künefe, with its crunchy texture and deliciously melted cheese, even surpasses baklava.
'Antakya künefe is a traditional type of künefe unique to the ancient Turkish city of Antakya, made from phyllo dough cut into thin strips and filled with creamy, unsalted cheese. The origins of this dish trace back to the Ottoman Empire, and it has continued to be one of the most authentic representatives of Antakya's culinary heritage and traditions to this day.'
Fried calamari
This came as quite the surprise!
Despite our country being surrounded by seas on three sides, we're not exactly renowned when it comes to seafood. However, there seems to be a certain affinity among TasteAtlas users towards fried calamari. This dish has previously managed to make its way onto lists of the world's best seafood.
Oltu spit-roasted kebab
We've arrived at the second spot on the list.
Occupying the second position is the unique delicacy from Erzurum, the Oltu Cağ Kebab.
The Oltu Cağ Kebab is a lamb kebab, distinctively cooked horizontally, that has become synonymous with the Oltu district in the northeastern province of Erzurum, Turkey. The product has been shaped by local practices and oversight, and continues to be defined in this way today. The emergence of this kebab is tied to sheep and lamb farming in and around Oltu, the availability of young lambs with a balanced fat profile, and a regional cooking method that favors slow and controlled cooking on a horizontal skewer over vertical stacking. Over time, the name 'Oltu' has become inseparable from the product, and the term 'Oltu cağ kebab' has been recorded in linguistic sources and global culinary literature. This sets it apart from similar regional preparations that share techniques but have different names.
Chubby Kebab
Topping the list is one of the most beloved street food options, the tombik doner.
'The tombik doner, also known as gobit kebab, is a variety of doner where minced meat is stuffed into a type of bread known as pide. The exterior of the bread is crispy, while the inside is soft. This dish is typically served with additional ingredients such as tomatoes, onions, lettuce, various vegetables, and sauces, depending on the customer's preference.'
Do you think this list is sufficient, or would you have any additions?
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