Ahtapot salatasi is an octopus salad made in Turkey and in Cyprus. It can be as simple as octopus, lemon, olive oil and vinegar. Variations can include any of the following: dill, green olives, balsamic vinegar, red onion, red wine vinegar and tomatoes. Similar salads are made all throughout the Mediterranean. Language Notes “Ahtapot” is…
Turkish Food
Dermason Beans
Dermason are large flat white kidney beans grown in Turkey. They are less curved than standard kidney beans.When cooked, Dermason Beans hold their shape, and have a smooth texture. The plant is a pole bean type. Cooking Tips Simmer soaked Dermason Beans for 40 to 45 minutes. Equivalents 1 cup dry = 2 1/2 cups…
Fistik Ezmesi
Fistik Ezmesi is Turkish marzipan. It’s green because it’s made from pistachios, not almonds, as other marzipan is. In fact, it doesn’t even use any almond flavouring at all, though it does use a great deal of sugar. It’s used in cookies, cakes, and various desserts. Cooking Tips 1 cup (4 oz / 125g) of…
Maras Ice Cream
Maras Ice Cream is a creamy, smooth Turkish ice cream with an elastic texture. You have to chew it; it melts as you chew. It is served with a knife and a fork. Maras Ice Cream is made from milk, sugar and powder from the tubers of wild orchids (“Dactylorhiza Osmanica”) which the Turks call…
Marash Peppers
Marash Peppers are mild, dark red peppers from Turkey and northern Syria. In Turkey, they are grown mainly in the Pazarcýk and Türkoðlu districts of Kahramanmaraş. Several cultivars are grown. They are processed for use as a condiment into flakes, or a powder that looks like paprika. The powder and flakes have a slightly roasted,…
Simit
Simit is a Turkish small, dry bread roll with sesame seeds on it. It is usually shaped in a ring, like a bagel, about 6 inches (15 cm) wide and about 1 inch (2 1/2 cm) thick. Occasionally, though, you may see it as a small, rounded loaf. It can vary in how crunchy or…
Tavuk Gögsü
Tavuk Gögsü is a Turkish dessert made with meat from a chicken breast. It is very white with a stringy consistency. The core ingredients are chicken, milk, sugar, and a thickener such as cornstarch or rice flour. Flavourings include salt and cinnamon. Some versions call for almond milk instead of animal milk. To make it,…
Turkish Delight
Turkish Delight Turkish Delight is a candy with a gummy, rubbery texture, though some mass commercial versions can be quite hard. It is made from sugar, rose water, corn starch, and water, with the addition of cream of tartar to help prevent the sugar from crystallizing. Some versions are sweeter than others. Turkish Delight is…
Turkish Food
Some people distinguish between Turkish food — the original nomadic food base from central Asia — and Ottoman Cuisine, the cuisine that absorbed the riches of Byzantine culture, plus all the other countries that were conquered and absorbed into the Ottoman Empire. In the latter viewpoint, Istanbul (the capital of Turkey) palace cooking is regarded…
Urfa Peppers
Urfa Peppers are basically a type of bell pepper. They are dark red. They are not hot, and are slightly sweet. They have more heat than paprika, less than cayenne. They are harvested, then soaked in olive oil, then processed for a week by drying them in the sun during the day, and each night,…