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Turkish cuisine (Turkish: Türk mutfağı) is the cuisine of Turkey and the Turkish diaspora. The cuisine took its current form after numerous cultural interactions throughout centuries, descending from earlier stages of Turkish cuisine, Ottoman cuisine (Osmanlı mutfağı) and Seljuk cuisine.[1][2] Turkish cuisine with traditional Turkic elements such as yogurt, ayran, kaymak, exerts and gains influences to and from Mediterranean, Balkan, Middle Eastern, Central Asian and Eastern European cuisines.[3]
Turkish cuisine shows variation across Turkey. The cooking of Istanbul, Bursa, İzmir, and the rest of the Anatolia region inherits many elements of Ottoman court cuisine, including moderate use of spices, a preference for rice over bulgur, koftes, and a wider availability of vegetable stews (türlü), eggplant, stuffed dolmas and fish. The cuisine of the Black Sea Region uses fish extensively, especially the Black Sea anchovy (hamsi) and includes maize dishes. The cuisine of the southeast (e.g. Urfa, Gaziantep, Adıyaman and Adana) is famous for its variety of kebabs, mezes and dough-based desserts such as baklava, şöbiyet, kadayıf, katmer and künefe.
Especially in the western parts of Turkey, where olive trees grow abundantly, olive oil is the major type of oil used for cooking.[4] The cuisines of the Aegean, Marmara and Mediterranean regions are rich in vegetables, herbs, and fish. Central Anatolia has many famous specialties, such as keşkek, mantı (especially from Kayseri) and gözleme. Food names directly cognate with mantı are also found in Chinese (mantou or steamed bun), and it is generally considered to have originated in Mongolia during the 13th century.[5]
Specialties are often named for places, and may refer to different styles of preparation. For example, Urfa kebap is less spicy and thicker than Adana kebap. Although meat-based foods such as kebabs are common in Turkish cuisine abroad, meals in Turkey largely center around rice, vegetables, and bread.
- ^ "Phases of Turkish Cuisine - Seljuk Cuisine". Phases of Turkish Cuisine - Seljuk Cuisine (in Turkish). Retrieved 13 January 2024.
- ^ Akkor, Muhammed Ömür (2014). Seljuk cuisine: a chef's quest for his soulmate. Internet Archive. New York : Blue Dome. ISBN 978-1-935295-54-9.
- ^ İlkin, Nur; Kaufman, Sheilah (2002). A Taste of Turkish cuisine. Hippocrene Books. ISBN 978-0-7818-0948-1. Retrieved 12 December 2017.
- ^ "Ethnic Cuisine - Turkey by Terrie Wright Chrones". Archived from the original on 29 April 2007. Retrieved 17 February 2007.
- ^ Warren, Ozlem (18 December 2013). "Mantı, Turkish Dumplings with Ground Meat, Onions, and Spices". Ozlem's Turkish Table. Archived from the original on 7 December 2022. Retrieved 23 March 2021.