Turkish cuisine is inseparably linked with the past, therefore it can not be considered separately from the history of the Ottoman Empire. It was founded by representatives of bellicose Turkic tribes, who in the 5th century were ruled by nomads of Eastern Europe. Later they conquered Persia and began to advance to Europe, as cruel invaders, comparable in scale to the Crusaders.
They were subject to huge territories in the south-east of Europe for a century and a half before in 1453 these representatives of the Turkic tribes were able to conquer Constantinople, which led to the disintegration of Byzantium.
The militant nobility of the Far East quickly absorbed the culture and life of the Western world. National cuisine was subjected to a variety of influences, thanks to a series of marriages with the highest aristocracy from different parts of the Mediterranean region, and acquired the characteristic properties of that nationality to which the ruler belonged.
But the palace nobility considered the eastern conquerors to be real barbarians, for religion, aggression and complete misunderstanding of culinary art, as they were quite satisfied with meat, which was worn on a skewer and fried at the stake, and beans cooked in a cauldron. These delights were enriched by Byzantine cuisine during the reign of the Turkish Ottoman Empire.
However, meat on skewers or "shish kebab" has retained its original way of cooking until today, moreover it became popular with viziers and Sultan governors in all countries subject to the empire. The primitive cauldron for soup turned into a symbol of the elite janissary group of the Sultan, and continued its triumphal existence even after the ban imposed on it in 1826.
So the dishes of Turkish cuisine were not enriched either with recipes of Siberian cuisine, or with raisins from Ottomans. Therefore, its basis was the food of the ruling nobility of the Byzantine Empire, which managed to be modified by additional elements. But the famous Turkish sweets and flour products remained the same as before having resisted temporary changes.
The main place in the Turkish cuisine besides meat( lamb, goat and poultry) is rice, which has been cultivated in these parts since the prosperity of the Eastern Roman Empire. And the most popular folk dish - the bead contains at once two main components of the Turkish cuisine - chopped meat and rice.
Corn brought from America to Venice soon got to Turkey thanks to Venetian merchants and became an important cultural plant for the national cuisine. Prior to its appearance, the grass-roots layer of the country's population was consumed mainly by wild, uncultured cereals: sorghum, wheat and buckwheat, which today have not lost their leading positions.
But the most popular in the country are beans and mutton peas. Without them, it is also difficult to imagine Turkish cuisine, as well as without tomatoes or sweet peppers, imported from the South American continent. A large number of other types of cultivated plants, as well as spices, fell into the Ottoman Empire by the efforts of Arab merchants.
It's strange, but it's the cold vegetable dishes of the national cuisine of Turkey that are rich in flavor nuances, for which they are highly valued by gourmets. As a snack in this country, spinach, carrots or artichokes are served, beautifully decorated with the addition of olive oil, as well as lemon juice. Only here you can taste delicious aubergines with fried meat patlitsan kebab and dolma, which is prepared in olive oil from rice and meat with pine nuts wrapped in juicy grape leaves with a drop of lemon juice.
Onions and garlic also belong to the unchangeable attributes of Turkish cuisine. And you can safely call the favorite dish the balls of a jacket made of meat, cooked on a spit. The main components of vegetable garnishes are most often zucchini, eggplant and okra. Unusual taste and meat and vegetable dishes give, added to them walnuts, raisins "sultanka", pineapples and pistachios.
Often, traditional saffron juice is replaced with pomegranate seeds to give a sour dish. Another component of the national dishes is the irreplaceable sheep cheese, stored in a special brine, and sour cream kaimak, which is traditionally prepared from sheep's milk.
Non-Islamic minorities living in Turkey have been engaged in grapes cultivation since time immemorial. But the situation changed dramatically when the Greeks were evicted from the country. The use of alcoholic beverages is not welcomed in the Islamic world, however, rice or date ink is very well known and popular outside of Turkey. The local population prefers to quench their thirst with plain water or ayran, which is made from yoghurt and salted water. Beer is popular mainly with foreign tourists, along with tea and coffee in Turkish.
The national cuisine of Turkey is among the three world leaders, giving way only to France and China, due to their diversity, originality and solid age. The Ottoman Empire loved to eat and built this occupation in the cult. It's hard to believe, but in the Istanbul Topkai Palace in the 17th century there were 13 thousand cooks, each of whom was cultivated in cooking one single dish. Every day the palace was saturated with 10 thousand people, sending also baskets with food to the distinguished and noble people of the city as a token of special mercy.
The food was so firmly entrenched in the minds of people of that time that even the ranks of the military elite were intertwined with the kitchen. The division commander was called "cooking soup", and his officers had the title of "cooks" and "baking pancakes".The existing expression "turn the boiler" at that time was associated with a rebellion in the army, as the Janissaries expressed their dissatisfaction with the changes in politics by turning the boiler for pilaf.
The most sensitive in the country were the quality of products. Drinks, spices and products could be exported from Turkey, only possessing the quality mark set by a special organization. A peculiar likeness of the OTK was made by honest traders who were considered holy and had the right to deliver their goods throughout the capital on decorated carts on holidays.
Islam and the multinational history of the country have a strong influence on the national cuisine of Turkey. After all, in ancient times the territory of modern Turkey was inhabited by the Seljujuk, Armenians, Turks, Persians, Greeks, Assyrians and many other peoples, each of which left its mark not only in the cultural heritage of the country, but also in its gastronomic predilections. As a result, the national dishes of Turkey are not too different from the Greek and Balkan cuisine, and therefore are considered part of the Mediterranean.
Unhurried Turks still love to eat, so it's no surprise that their dinner can last from 4 to 5 hours, while they do not like to snack on the go and eat only in the company. They differ in their propensity to trade and like to treat consumers with tea or coffee.
Traditional Turkish breakfast is usually modest and consists of bread, cheese, olives and tea, a real feast takes place at lunch. The table is covered with main dishes, meze or snacks and finish, as expected, with dessert. The range of meze includes salads, olives, fish and seafood dishes, pies, mushrooms, pickled vegetables, cheese, yogurt sauce with garlic and freshly baked bread.
Bread should be dedicated to a separate conversation, since Turkey in the past was a "bread basket" for the whole world. The Turks believe in the legend, which says that the holy patron saint of bakers Adam was given the recipe for his preparation by the archangel himself. They never eat yesterday's bread, just baked today. In addition to white bread "ekmek" they bake flat flat cakes pajd, which sprinkle with seeds of croissant or simite. Very popular are thinly rolled dough sheets, which are called borek. From it baked puff cakes and patties, rolled up with a tube. To those who perfectly master the art of rolling borek, are treated with special respect in Turkey.
The dinner continues, and after the meze on the table, the main dishes appear, which first of all become kebabs cooked on open fire. Unfortunately, few people remember the origin of this meat dish today, and most call it shish kebab. The first mention of the kebab can be found in the written memoirs of the Hittite kingdom, dating back to the 2nd millennium BC.Then the dish was prepared, from the sheep sacrificed, seasoned with honey and olive oil.
There are many legends connected with the kebab, one of which tells how Alexander the Great, staying with a military campaign in Antalya, put a thinly cut lamb on a flat cake, sprinkled it with lentils, and poured yoghurt on top, calling it the proper name. From that time on, there is also a quinander-kebab.
Kebabs can be prepared in a variety of ways, but always without water. Their excellent taste qualities became possible due to the breeding mutton and cattle, which are grown on open pastures. To the sheep in Turkey, a special attitude has also been formed, they are revered as guides, which on the day of the Last Judgment will lead the believers to heaven along a narrow and sharp road, like a blade. Kebabchi or stalls in which you can eat delicious kebabs, can easily be found in any Turkish city, which does not suffer from a lack of them.
Another main dish is called kyufte. It is made from raw ground beef mixed with spices, egg and shaped into balls. Serve both in cheese and fried.
Turkey is surrounded by four seas, which is why it is so delicious to cook dishes from fish and seafood. Enjoy their unique flavor allows cooking on charcoal. Fry fresh octopus, swordfish, mullet, oysters, stingray or lobster directly under the open sky and serve with white bread. But the queen of fish diversity is hamsa, from which the Turks are able to cook more than 40 dishes, including even dessert!
A popular garnish for dishes from vegetables and meat in the country include pilaf from rice or wheat grains. Vegetable dishes are divided into two types that are stewed in their own juice with the addition of olive oil and those that are stuffed, and then fried or baked. Almost all stuffed vegetables are called "dolma", since they come from the verb "doldu-ermak" or fill.
The most popular stuffing is prepared from rice and meat, well, green sweet pepper, filled with rice, favorite dolma in the country. Zeytinyaly or stewed beans with onions and tomatoes is a dish that no Turks will refuse. To cabbage in the country are reserved, spices and spices are applied moderately contrary to the existing stereotype.
Turks like to give the dish a fragrant sound, rather than hide its taste under different sauces. In their opinion, zucchini is perfectly combined with mint or dill, and aubergines are only with parsley. The taste of olive oil, meat and vegetables is balanced with lemon and yogurt.
Lovers of food in Turkey are waiting for a real paradise, which is especially felt in desserts. Delicious marmalade is created from quince, jam from sour cherry, and jam from rose petals. Eloquent names of Turkish sweets are endless "Vizier's finger", "woman's hip", "braided turban", the list can be continued for a very long time.
The most famous sweet is a baklava, which is a thin cake, strewn with chopped nuts and sprinkled with sugar syrup. Mukhallebi or Turkish puddings are cooked without butter and eggs, and quite unexpected, against the background of the remaining components, is the appearance of a chicken breast. Drinks are given to friends from childhood, halva, lukum and marzipans.
Turks consume little coffee, however, Turkish coffee is known and popular in many parts of the world. It turns out that this is due to fortune-telling on the coffee grounds, which is popular today.
In general, there is a belief that Europe recognized the taste of coffee thanks to sacks with its wonderful grains, forgotten by the gates of Vienna by the retreating Ottoman army. But in Turkey they like tea very much, where it is brewed and served in transparent cups of tea-bardak, drinking about 30 pieces per day, which is included in the working schedule.
Modern Turks, despite the traditions of Islam, sometimes allow themselves to be pampered with beer and wine. But the national drink is grape and aniseed vodka "raki", which is customary to drink, diluted with ice water, from which it acquires whitish color and it is called "lion milk" for it.
"She-ref!" Or in translation from Turkish "Your health!" And indeed the basis of the Turkish cuisine are healthy and healthy products that attract so many admirers from all over the world!