Top 5 Turkish Cuisine Dishes
Turkish cuisine is full of amazing dishes. Therefore as a tourist, you should get to know 5 tasty food to eat in Turkey for your next trip. The reality of food in Turkey is that with its wide range of spices and traditional cooking methods, Turkish cuisine is the main feature of this exciting place. Therefore, here we look at 6 must-have foods you can try when you travel here.
1. Kahvalti Served for Breakfast
A Turkish breakfast normally has olives, white cheese, mozzarella cheese, and fresh butter. Also, you can get some honey, jam, bread, sliced tomatoes as well as cucumbers. You can add some cooked sides to the breakfast, like scrambled eggs mixed with tomatoes. Another Turkish breakfast dish is gözleme which is basically a crepe filled with spinach, potato as well as cheese. The two best breakfast cafes in Istanbul are Café Privato and also Nezih. Make sure to give them both a try.
2. Lahmacun or Turkish Pizza
Lahmacun is an essential part of Turkish cuisine. It is made from a thin dough with a layer of minced meat, minced tomato & onion, and some herbs like cumin & cayenne pepper. You can also add some lettuce, onion, and tomato inside once it’s ready and eat it like a sandwich. Also, get yourself a yogurt beverage to drink. This drink goes well with this dish. This dish is good for budget travelers as it is readily available and filling too.
3. İskender kebap with Döner Meat and Tomato
İskender kebap is one of the most famous foods in Turkey. To make it, they first put the pita on a cylindrical plate and pour some tomato sauce on it. Second, they add some sliced lamb on top and pour in some melted sheep’s butter. Finally, they add a scoop of yogurt on the side. It’s one of the best dishes in the country. Just note that if you have this dish in a restaurant, do not go overboard with the oil, as it makes the food super heavy and unpleasant. Just ask for a little oil to add flavor to your İskender kebap.
4. Simit Bread for the Morning
Simit is what you see most in Turkish cuisine. This bread is somewhat of a circular sesame bagel. This bread is crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside. You can find simit sellers on most busy street corners or squares all over Turkey. In fact, most Turkish locals use it to have it with cheese during breakfast. But you can still get it all hours of the day. This bread is good if you want to have a light snack and save some money on your travel.
5. Çiğ Köfte Suitable for Vegetarians
Ciğ köfte translates into a raw meatball, which is how it used to be made. However, today it’s made with ingredients like bulgur, onion as well as tomato paste & spices. You can find Çiğ Köfte all over Turkey. In fact, there are many shops in Istanbul Fatih and Beyoglu neighborhoods selling very affordable Çiğ Köfte that comes with a drink. It is good to know that this particular meal is quite spicy and uses raw materials. Therefore, if you think you cannot handle the spices or your body cannot accept raw ingredients, you should avoid eating Çiğ Köfte. You may not love it instantly, but you will probably miss it when you leave the country.
After exploring food in Turkey and, more importantly, Turkish cuisine offerings, you should also check out the top 8 bars in Istanbul for tourists if you like to drink some beer and have a nice night out with friends in the capital city of Istanbul.
