Veggistanbul

It is undeniable that Turkey is famous for its diverse range of yummy Kebabs and meat based dishes. But unfortunately it is not well known that some of the most delicious dishes are vegetable based. In this postcard, we will not only introduce you to those dishes but also tell you some vegetarian and vegan restaurants that you can find when you visit Turkey.

Zeytinyagli Enginar (Artichoke Hearts with Carrots & Peas)

It is made with boiled artichoke hearts, carrots, peas, potatoes and onions. The artichoke hearts are rubbed with olive oil and stuffed with the boiled veggies. To season it, some restaurants add dried dill and spices.

Zeytinyagli Sarma (Rice in Vine Leaves)

This dish is eaten very fast but prepared very slowly. The vine leaves (or any other type of leaves depending on the region) are stuffed with rice, spices, pistachios, currants, cinnamon and fried onions and then steamed. It is one of the most common comfort foods in Turkey.

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Kisir

It is a non cooked dish, with bulghur, tomatoes, peppers, onions and tons of greens. The bulghur is moistened with boiling water for a few minutes and then mixed with turkish sundried tomato paste and the other ingredients. When it is ready, it is usually wrapped in lettuce. Lemon adds a nice zest to the flavour.

Mihlama (Includes Butter and Cheese)

Melt butter. Add corn flour and cheese (lots of cheese) slowly. Dip toasted bread into it. Yum!

BONUS: Asure

Asure or Noah’s Pudding is a dessert made of a mixture of grains, fruits, dried fruits and nuts. Turks make Asure all year round, especially during Muharram. Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar and the 10th of Muharram corresponds to the Day of Asure. “Ashura” means “tenth” in Arabic.

Asure is part of the culinary tradition of Turkey. Christian and Jewish cultures as well make similar versions of this dessert under a variety of names. Asure is one of the few Turkish desserts which contain no animal products.