The Turkish Kitchen
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TURKISH FOOD FROM Pastures TO PaLaCes The Turkish kiTchen By RHIannOn DavIeS PHOTOS By CenK SÖnMeZSOy, eLİF SavaRİ KIZIL TILeS FROM IZnIK FOUnDaTIOn THE GUIDE ISTANBUL 102 FeaTURe By RHIannOn DavIeS PHOTOS By CenK SÖnMeZSOy, eLİF SavaRİ KIZIL TILeS FROM IZnIK FOUnDaTIOn Ceramic Turquoise Plate and Ottoman Serving Plate with Lid by Sofa Art & Antiques 103 MARCH-APRIL 2014 TURKISH FOOD any visitors come A LittLe The nomadic Turkic tribes, to Turkey thinking regarded as the ancestors of they have a History modern day Turks, departed from handle on Turkish the Altay Mountains of what is Mcuisine, and that this handle is “Turkish food presents now Mongolia, to traverse the skewer shaped, impaling delicately incredible variations of often unforgiving landscapes seasoned, char-grilled meat. By the delicious tastes because of the of central Asia, before settling time they leave, some of the many ingredients’ sources, the history in the fertile plains of Anatolia and varied dishes that reveal Turkish of Turkish footsteps from between the 6th and 11th cuisine’s complex and multi-layered central Asia to the Balkans, centuries. Along the way, different nature will have been sampled, but and the dynamics of early culinary techniques were in actuality, this experience merely civilization in Anatolia. Turks assimilated and several of the scratches the surface. Along with lived in an area where 80% fundamental aspects of today’s French and Chinese, the Turkish of edible botanies originated Turkish cuisine were established kitchen is regarded as one of the and the world’s oldest cuisines during this period. Turkey’s world- world’s greatest, yet defining it can were nourished. Turks also had renowned kebabs can be traced to be tricky. a big role in the silk and spice the pastoralists’ meat based diet, road trade over the centuries. consisting of meat cooked over We asked Hande Bozdoğan, Nomadic life meant that Turks campfires. The substantial use of founder of the Istanbul Culinary were influenced and inspired yoghurt, another defining feature Institute, what makes Turkish by others.” of today’s Turkish kitchen, was culinary culture so unique: also a feature of those times, when Vedat Başaran, it was most probably fermented “When we say Turkish food, we Chef and President of Turkey’s by the wild bacteria present in talk about a big variety, in terms of Culinary Arts Center, goat skin bags. types and also geography. With a Nar Lokanta and Surplus rich historic and geographic span, today’s Turkish kitchen represents all the food cooked and served in this land, which, some centuries ago, covered an area from the Middle East to North Africa and part of Europe, encompassing various ethnic culinary cultures.” With this much diversity, it’s possible for ten different visitors to leave with ten different ideas about Turkish cuisine’s many components. With that in mind we wanted to take a closer look at how history, geography, and culture have shaped Turkey’s food history, and paved the way for today’s restaurant scene. Unless addresses are provided, all contact details for mentioned restaurants can be found in our listings, in the back of the magazine. THE GUIDE ISTANBUL 104 When they reached Anatolia, became the source of Persian, 17TH CENTURY mutton and wheat (the main Arab, Balkan, North African, RECORDS agricultural products of the region) Slavic, and Central Asian SUGGEST THAT became the basis of their diet. South influences, which remain on Eastern Anatolia is actually regarded Turkish tables today. IN ISTANBUL: as the birthplace of wheat – where 250 tons of bread it was first cultivated. Bread was However, it was in the Imperial were baked every day cooked on griddles or in clay ovens, Palace’s kitchens where Ottoman 18,000 oxen were while mantı (stuffed dumplings) and cuisine really blossomed. Any a dish similar to börek (filled pastry) visitor to Topkapı Palace today slaughtered each were also consumed. As the nomads understands the importance of month reached the warm seas of the eating well by witnessing the ten 2000 ships of food Mediterranean and Aegean, seafood domes housing huge kitchens sailed to the Golden also became part of the diet. where up to 1,300 staff members Horn annually worked to feed as many as 10,000 130 courses were After the Ottomans took discerning, hungry mouths. served in one Banquet Constantinople from the The hundreds of cooks each Byzantine Empire in 1453, a new specialized in and mastered one chapter began in the Turkish food type such as helva, pilafs, cookbook. The multinational and fish, vegetables, pastries, soups, multilingual empire spread from jams or beverages. Though it was the Black Sea to North Africa and mostly confined to the palaces, from Arabia to the Balkans, with this rich cuisine also spread to Istanbul as the truly cosmopolitan the rest of population via royal capital. This tri-continental span favors in the form of food trays or Ramadan celebrations. The Sultan’s appetites were satisfied with lavish feasts that brought in the best produce from the empire’s four corners. As Semi Hakim from Gastronomika told us, “although each chef specialized in their Gastronomika is own niche, it actually became an Anatolian food a great place for the exchange preservation and of ideas, as chefs were brought from each part of the empire. exploration project However these traditions based in SALT remained inside the palace walls Beyo¤lu Gallery. Check and when then Ottoman Empire yaraticifikirlerenstitusu. was dismantled, many of the com for their program chefs did not start cooking for of talks and workshops. the people. As a result, a large number of recipes were lost.” However, in recent years, much work has been done to rediscover the Imperial 105 MARCH-APRIL 2014 FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MINORITY CULTURE CUISINES IN ISTANBUL, WATCH OUT FOR OUR ARTICLE TURKISH FOOD COMING SOON ON WWW.THEGUIDEISTANBUL.COM To have a go at some RECOMMENDED OTTOMAN DISHES FROM Ottoman-inspired recipes, Asitane’s MENU: see The Ottoman Kitchen: Modern Recipes from Ottoman Hums (1469) Crushed chickpeas, lightly pureed Turkey, Greece, the Balkans, with currants, pine nuts, and cinnamon Lebanon, and Syria by Sarah Stuffed Grape Leaves with Sour Cherries (1844) Grape Woodward, or Timeless leaves stuffed with a blend of sour cherries, rice, onions Tastes: Turkish Culinary and pine nuts, cooked lightly in olive oil seasoned with Culture published by the black pepper and cinnamon Vehbi Koç Vakfı Stuffed Melon (1539) Cored melon stuffed with a blend of minced meat, rice, herbs, almonds, currants and baked in the oven Palace’s recipes. Vedat Başaran Levzine (1539) Pounded Almond “Halva” is one of the chefs who worked closely with Ottoman scholars to discover original recipes. One of the key features of palace cuisine was the use of aromatics and fruit in savory dishes, such as chicken with apricots or lamb with figs. It’s important to note that while certain dishes were being refined in the palace kitchens, other traditions were developing simultaneously in rural Anatolia. These were not only determined by the geography, climate, and regional produce, but also by the different cultures such as the Armenians, Jews, Bulgarians, Laz, Circassions, Kurds, Syrians, and Greeks – who all influenced the rich tapestry of Turkish cuisine. To get an authentic taste of Ottoman Palace cuisine, visit one of these specialist restaurants that serve thoroughly researched and original recipes, accurate to the most minute details: Asitane is located close to the Chora Musueum, which contains some exquisite examples of Byzantine mosaics and Frescos. Matbah is found in the heart of the historical district, just a stone’s throw from the Blue Prodigal’s Meyhane table, 18th Century Mosque and Hagia Sophia. THE GUIDE ISTANBUL 106 BreAkinG it DOwn The Main CoMponenTs of Turkish Cuisine To make the Turkish • Lale İşkembecisi O ffal cuisine’s many facets easier This 24 hour joint has been serving its Turks are also very partial to understand,, some basic renowned soup to late night revelers to offal, with ci¤er (liver) categories are used to group since 1960. Apart from işkembe, try being a particular favorite. together certain foods. The the tuzlama (tripe soup with larger This comes cooked either dishes mentioned below are an pieces), or mercimek. Edirne (yaprak) style in thin introduction and mentioned slices, or Arnavut style in restaurants are some of our MeAt fried cubes. Other popular favorite places to sample those Kebabs are undoubtedly one of body parts are ikembe dishes. For more options, Turkey’s most popular exports and (tripe), kelle paça (head please see our comprehensive come in a number of different and foot), koç yumurtası Restaurant Listings on forms: döner is layers of meat (sweetbreads), kokoreç www.theguideistanbul.com cooked on a vertical spit, şiş is cubes (stuffed intestines), böbrek (kidney), yürek (heart), and cooked on skewers over a grill, soups Adana and Urfa kebabs are made beyin salatası (brain salad). It’s almost unthinkable in The area on the eastern from spiced minced meat (with Turkey to begin a meal without Adana being the spicier version). banks of the Golden Horn soup and in some parts of the is filled with some more rough-and-ready offal country it is still regularly The other ubiquitous meat focused restaurants. consumed for breakfast. The favorite is köfte (meat patty), most commonly encountered which comes in many different versions are mercimek (lentil), ways, including: kuru – ezogelin (made with lentils, mincemeat combined with bulgur and tomatoes), and breadcrumbs, egg, finely chopped tavuk suyu (chicken) and onion and spices; Izmir - cooked yoghurt based varieties such as in the oven with potatoes and yuvalama. In a departure from a tomato sauce; kadınbudu– Western versions, they are all minced meat mixed with rice served with fresh lemon, to be and dipped in egg, flour and squeezed over the top.