The most popular dishes of Turkish cuisine

Turkish cuisine is a symbiosis of traditions of different peoples of the world. Over the centuries, it has been formed under the influence of the cultures of the Middle East, Asia Minor and Central Asia and the Mediterranean. The most popular dishes of local gastronomy are meat dishes, the king of which can be called kebab. There are more than a dozen different types of kebab in Turkey, and their recipe differs depending on the region.

Tourists with a sweet tooth will be pleased with a myriad of traditional sweets-lukum, halva, baklava-for every taste and pocket.

Every traveler should try Turkish coffee in Turkey or tea from small glasses resembling shot glasses, a simit bagel, stuffed mussels in Turkish and lahmajun-a kind of pizza.

Simit. This is a round bagel with sesame seeds, which is usually served separately or with jelly, jam, or cheese for breakfast with tea. The characteristics of simite (size, crispness, etc.) are different in different regions. In the city of Izmir, simit is known as gevrek (tur. "crunchy"), although it is very similar to the Istanbul variety. (Robyn Lee)

Simit is often sold by street vendors who either carry it on a cart or carry it in a tray on their heads.

Gozleme is a traditional dish of Turkish cuisine in the form of a flatbread with a filling wrapped inside. Gozleme is baked in a frying pan called saj. The name of the dish comes from the Turkish word göz, which means eye. For the filling, spinach, cheese, seafood, egg, minced meat and much more are used. (Anton Pree)

Lahmajun is a popular oriental dish. According to national preferences, it is called Armenian, Turkish or Arabic pizza. The basis of the dish is a thin crunchy bread cake, on which minced meat (lamb, less often beef), tomatoes and/or tomato sauce, bell pepper, onion, garlic, herbs, black pepper, oregano are placed. Properly prepared lahmajun weighs about 150-170 grams. (Gar­rett Ziegler)

Mutanjana-mutton with dried fruits. (Gar­rett Ziegler)

Shrimp in a pot. (Gar­rett Ziegler)

Iskander kebab-thinly sliced lamb is cooked in tomato sauce with finely chopped pieces of flatbread, melted butter and yogurt. (Gar­rett Ziegler)

Adana-kebab-minced meat, very hotly peppered and fried on a spit. (Robyn Lee)

Kefte — Turkish meatballs. Cooking in each region of the country according to a special recipe. (Gar­rett Ziegler)

Stuffed mussels in Turkish. (Robyn Lee)

Raw cutlets with spices. (Robyn Lee)

Tantuni is a Turkish dish of meat and tomatoes, related to fast food. Tantuni is served mainly as a filling for pita bread, also in a special pita or ordinary bread. Before adding the filling, pita bread or bread is pressed against it for impregnation with meat juice. Herbs and onions are added to taste. (Robyn Lee)

Menemen is a traditional breakfast based on eggs, tomatoes, onions, peppers. (Robyn Lee)

Burekas is a type of unsweetened pastry of Turkish (apparently Anatolian) origin, popular in the countries of the former Ottoman Empire and neighboring countries. It is similar to Russian pies, but it is usually made of puff pastry and is always baked in the oven. (CMoi)

Knafe is a dish based on Kadaif vermicelli and goat cheese. (Robyn Lee)

Ayran is a fermented milk drink. (Robyn Lee)

Baklava is a multi-layered dessert made from sheets of dough as thick as paper, which are smeared with oil and laid out in layers in a rectangular baking dish or twisted into cylinders. Ground and finely chopped walnuts or pistachios are laid out between layers of dough, which are previously baked and soaked with a solution of sugar and lemon juice with spices and rose water. (Robyn Lee)

Lukum is a sweetness made of sugar (shaker-lukum) or flour (Turkish delight) with the addition of starch and nuts (pistachios, almonds, coconut, etc.). (Justine Sanderson)

Lokma are small donuts made from yeast dough with the addition of cinnamon, which are then deep-fried. When serving, lukumades are usually poured with honey or dipped in sugar syrup and sprinkled with cinnamon. (Robyn Lee)

Tulumba is a dessert dish. Tulumbu is made from unleavened dough, cut into small pieces up to 5 cm long. The blanks in the form of tubes or cylinders are fried until golden brown, after which they are poured with sweet syrup. (Robyn Lee)

Turkish coffee. (Jorge Cancela)

Turkish tea. (Nicolò Paternoster)