Staples of Turkish Cuisine
An overview of the dishes according to their ingredients can be helpful in explaining the basic structure of Turkish cuisine. Otherwise, it might seem that there is an overwhelming variety of dishes, each with a unique combination of ingredients and its own way of preparation and presentation. All dishes can be easily categorised as grains, grilled meats, vegetables, seafood, desserts, and beverages.
Before describing each of these categories, some general remarks are necessary. Cereals (rice and wheat) and vegetables form the basis of the cuisine. Each category of dishes contains only one or two types of main ingredients. Turkish food lovers are purists in their culinary tastes, so dishes should showcase the flavour of the main ingredient rather than hiding it under sauces or spices. So, eggplant (aubergine) should taste like eggplant (aubergine), lamb like lamb, pumpkin like pumpkin and so on.
In contrast to the prevailing impression of Turkish food in the West, spices and herbs are used simply and sparingly. For example, either mint or dill weed is used with marrow, parsley with eggplant (aubergine), a few cloves of garlic have their place in some cold vegetable dishes and cumin is sprinkled over red lentil soup or mixed into minced meat when making Köfte (meatballs). Lemon and yoğurt are used to complement meat and vegetable dishes and to balance the taste of olive oil or meat. Most desserts and fruit dishes do not require spices, their flavours are refined and subtle.
There are large categories of meatless dishes. If meat is used, it is used sparingly. Even with meat skewers, Pide or flatbread is the largest component of the dish, along with vegetables or Yoğurt. Turkish cuisine also boasts a variety of authentic contributions to desserts and beverages.
For Turkish cuisine connoisseurs, the setting is as important as the food itself. Therefore, the places where food is eaten must be considered as well as the dining protocol. Great places to find fresh ingredients include the weekly neighbourhood markets (Pazars) and the permanent markets.
The most famous permanent market is the Spice Bazaar (Mısır Çarşısı) in İstanbul. This is a place where every imaginable kind of food can be found, just as it was in pre-Ottoman times. The Spice Bazaar is a truly vibrant place, with hundreds of scents rising from the stalls in an ancient domed building that was the terminus of the Spice Route. In the district’s centres, there are more modest markets selling fresh fish and vegetables.
At the weekly markets, sleepy neighbourhoods come to life. Fruit and vegetable vendors set up their stalls before dawn in a designated area to sell their produce. Nowadays, handicrafts, textiles, glassware, and other household items are also offered at the lowest prices. What makes these markets so unique is the mix of sounds, sights, smells, and bustle, as well as the high quality of the fresh food you can only get at the Pazar. There is a lot of haggling and jostling as people make their way through the narrow aisles and vendors vie for their attention. You can navigate the kitchen as well as the streets of Turkish cities, where finding the eateries is as important as the museums and archaeological wonders.