Turkey’s Cultural Food

Hi Everyone –

This week we are sending you a postcard from three cities in Turkey: Gaziantep, Malatya and Samsun, to introduce you to some local tastes that you might have never heard about.

Turkish food is very diverse because each region combines different ingredients in unique ways. Here are three regional dishes you should absolutely try when you visit Turkey.

Visne Kebab (Cherry Kebab) – Gaziantep

Gaziantep has just been admitted to the UNESCO most creative cuisines list. This unique dish is prepared with a mixture of ground cherries and minced meat. It is sweet and sour and the meat almost melts in your mouth. Unfortunately, Cherry Kebab is a completely local dish that you will need to go all the way to Gaziantep to taste. (It is worth it!)

Hamsi Pilavi (Pilaf with Anchovies) – Samsun

This delicious dish is oven baked anchovies stuffed with rice and spices. It looks like a slice of cake when you cut it and the savory taste of the anchovies go well with the spiced rice that’s as soft as cotton. Don’t forget to have a glass of fresh Ayran (refreshing yoghurt drink) along with it.

Anali Kizli – Malatya

Anali Kizli means” Mother & Daughter”. The name comes from the practice of mothers and daughters cooking this dish together. Bulgur and minced meat is mixed and turned into cone shapes, with Mom stuffing the larger cones with minced meat, spices and walnuts. Daughters make the little cones, which are not stuffed. They are just rolled bulgur and meat.