Borek, or what you might call Turkish pastry, must be a very ancient food.

Turkey is world renowned for its unique and specialized cuisine. The country’s climate ranges from temperate to extremes of heat and cold which enables a varied range of fresh produce to be cultivated, from tea in the cooler north to chili peppers in the south. For most Turks, the staples are rice and wheat and while it is a secular society, with most of the country’s population being Islamic, lamb and chicken are the main meats, with very little pork being consumed. With so much coastline, various types of fish and seafood are also plentiful and incorporated into many of the country’s dishes.

Ancient Times and Influences

Turkey has a rich history, involving many different tribes and civilizations through the centuries. The basis of current day Turkish cuisine was established in very early times. Wheat was cultivated as far back as the nomadic period, and the practice of cooking meat on skewers (kebabs) and the use of dairy products also dates back to this time. However, it is perhaps during the Ottoman era that Turkish cuisine developed the most. By the l7th century the Sultan’s palace housed around thirteen hundred kitchen staff, including hundreds of chefs. It was these chefs who refined and perfected Turkish cuisine in an effort to please the royal palate. Literally hundreds of dishes were created during this period. Turkey’s geographical location also made it a natural route for traders, travelers and migrants who all influenced Turkish cuisine. For instance certain Turkish habits such as using sweet spices, fruit and nuts with meats is reminiscent of North African cooking. With the Sultan having complete control over “The Spice Road” many spices and seasonings were added to flavor traditional dishes.

Current Day Cuisine

The climatic and geographical differences within the country also influence regional cooking, from desert-like heat in the southeast (where the food tends to be more spicy and meat dishes such as kebabs are common), to temperate fertile zones to the west where seafood and olive oil are frequently used ingredients. It is in the eastern region with its long cold winters where dairy produce, honey, cereals and meat are popular. The basics of Turkish cooking today are relatively unchanged from that of the Ottoman Era. Rice and wheat based goods are still the staples. Kofte, pilavs and both shish and doner kebabs are popular dishes as are yogurt salads, fish in olive oil and stuffed vegetables and vine leaves (dolma). Cheese, olives, bread, eggs and jam are served at breakfast, although regional differences may mean that foods such as sausage, tomato and cucumber are also served. Dinner, the main meal of the day, can consists of soup, a main course, salad and dessert. Of course, Turkish coffee is also world famous, and at breakfast and throughout the day, Turkish people enjoy the strong and bitter black tea.

Rice Pudding Recipe

Turkish Name: Sütlaç / Sutlac Ingredients 1L / 35fl.oz. Milk 250g / 9oz Sugar 100g/4oz Rice 1 tbsp Rice Flour 1 teasp Vanilla Extract Ground Cinnamon to serve Instructions 1. Place the rice in a medium saucepan with enough water to cover, bring to the boil then simmer for 5 minutes. 2. Remove from heat, drain well and return to the saucepan together with the milk. 3. Bring to the boil then stir in the sugar, reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the rice is tender. 4. Place the rice flour in a small mixing bowl together with enough cold water to make a paste. Stir the paste and vanilla extract into the rice mixture and continue to simmer, stirring constantly, for 3-4 minutes. 5. Remove from the heat, transfer to individual bowls and set aside to cool. 6. Sprinkle with a little ground cinnamon just before serving. Serves 6

Turkish Liver

Turkish Name: Arnavut Ciðeri / Arnavut Cigeri
Ingredients
450g/1lb Lamb’s Liver, cut into small cubes 1 teasp Cayenne Pepper
1 heaped tbsp Plain Flour Salt
1 tbsp freshly chopped Parsley Oil for shallow frying
Instructions
1. Wash the liver thoroughly under cold running water and pat dry on kitchen paper. Set
aside.
2. Preheat about 2.5cm/1-inch of oil in a frying pan to 180C, 350F. In a medium bowl, mix
together the cayenne pepper, salt and flour.
3. Roll the liver cubes in the flour to coat well on all sides then shake off the excess flour.
4. Fry in the hot oil for 2 minutes, turning, then remove with slotted spoon and drain on kitchen
paper.
5. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve immediately.
Serves 4.

Yoghurt Soup

Turkish Name: Yayla Çorbasý / Yayla Corbasi
Ingredients
50g / 2oz Rice 960 / 32 fl oz. Water Salt
3 tbsp Plain Flour 420ml / 14fl.oz. Yogurt 1 Egg
25g / 1oz Butter 1 heaped tbsp freshly chopped Mint
Instructions
1. Place the rice in a saucepan together with the water and salt, bring to the boil then reduce
the heat to medium and cook for 20 minutes or until the rice is tender.
2. Place the flour, yogurt and egg in a small bowl and blend well.
3. Add a 3 tablespoons of the hot liquid from the soup to the yoghurt mixture and blend well.
4. Gradually add the yogurt mixture to the saucepan of soup, mixing well then raise the heat
and bring to the boil stirring constantly.
5. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan, add the mint, stir a couple of times then
remove from heat.
7. To serve - transfer the soup to a serving dish and slowly drizzle the mint mixture over the
soup. Serve immediately. Serves 4-6.