Istanbul Guide

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FOOD GLOSSARY

Popular Dishes MEZE acılı ezme – spicy tomato and onion paste ançüez – salted or pickled anchovy barbunya piliki – red-bean salad beyaz peynir – white cheese from sheep or goat çacık – yoghurt dip with garlic and mint çerkez tavuğu – Circassian chicken; made with chicken, bread, walnuts, salt and garlic enginar – cooked artichoke fasulye pilaki – white beans cooked with tomato paste and garlic fava salatası – mashed broad bean salad haydari – yoghurt dip with roasted eggplant and garlic humus – chickpea dip with sesame oil, lemon and spices imam bayıldı – literally ‘the imam fainted’; eggplant, onion, tomato and peppers slow cooked in olive oil kalamar tava – fried calamari lakerda – strongly flavoured salted kingfish salad midye dolma – stuffed mussels muhammara – dip of walnuts, bread, tahini, olive oil and lemon juice; also known as acuka or civizli biber patlıcan kızartması – fried eggplants with tomatoes piyaz – white-bean salad Rus salatası – Russian salad semizotu salatası – green purslane with yoghurt and garlic sigara böreği – deep-fried cigar-shaped pastries filled with white cheese turşu – pickled vegetables

yaprak sarma/yaprak dolması – vine leaves stuffed with rice, herbs and pine nuts yeşil fasulye – green beans KEBAPS (KEBABS) & KÖFTE (MEATBALLS) Adana kebap – a spicy version of şiş köfte alinazik – eggplant purée with yoghurt and ground köfte beyti sarma – spicy ground meat baked in a thin layer of bread and served with yoghurt çiğ köfte – raw ground-lamb mixed with pounded bulgur, onion, spices and pepper döner kebap – compressed meat (usually lamb) cooked on a revolving upright skewer and thinly sliced fıstıklı kebap – minced lamb studded with pistachios içli köfte – meatballs rolled in bulgur and fried İskender (Bursa) kebap – döner lamb served on crumbled pide with yoghurt, topped with tomato and butter sauces ızgara köfte – grilled meatballs karışık izgara – mixed grilled lamb kebap – meat grilled on a skewer köfte – meatballs patlıcan kebap – cubed or minced lamb grilled with eggplant pirzola – lamb cutlet şiş kebap – small pieces of lamb grilled on a skewer şiş köfte – meatballs wrapped around a flat skewer and barbecued tavuk şiş – small chicken pieces grilled on a skewer testi kebap – small pieces of lamb or chicken in sauce that

is slow-cooked in a sealed ter racotta pot tokat kebap – lamb cubes grilled with potato, tomato, eggplant and garlic Urfa kebap – a mild version of the Adana kebap served with lots of onion and black pepper Other Dishes Arnavut çiğeri – Albanian style spicy fried liver balık ekmek – sandwich of grilled fish and salad börek – sweet or savoury filled pastry çoban salatası – salad of tomatoes, cucumber, onion and pepper gözleme – filled savoury pancake hünkâr beğendi – literally ‘sultan’s delight’; lamb or beef stew served on a mound of rich eggplant purée iç pilav – rice with onions, nuts and currants işkembe çorbası – tripe soup kısır – bulgur salad kokoreç – seasoned, grilled lamb/mutton intestines kuru fasulye – haricot beans cooked in a spicy tomato sauce lahmacun – thin and crispy Arabic-style pizza mantı – Turkish ravioli stuffed with beef mince and topped with yoghurt, garlic, tomato and butter menemen – breakfast eggs cooked with tomatoes, peppers and white cheese mercimek çorbası – lentil soup pide – Turkish-style pizza su böreği – lasagne-like layered pastry laced with white cheese and parsley

Language FOOD GLOSSARY