It seems that Turkey, familiar to everyone, can no longer surprise an experienced traveler with anything, but no: if there is a desire, new opportunities will be found. “Subtleties” has written more than once about unprompted resorts, unusual road routes and little-known sights of the ancient country.
but authentic Turkish cuisine is also generous with surprises. Not the one that pampers all-inclusive adherents, but the one that has been formed over centuries in narrow streets and noisy bazaars.
Today on the menu are the top 10 strangest dishes with equally strange names: will anyone dare try everything?
Baba Ganoush” or “Spoiled Dad”
The name doesn’t lie: “spoiled dad” is an excellent treat, without a catch. Eggplants, peppers and tomatoes are baked or fried over coals, thoroughly mashed and seasoned with tahini sesame paste, lemon juice, olive oil, herbs and garlic. The recipe is known in Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Israel; pasta is served either separately or in addition to fish, vegetables, pasta and meat.
The creators of the Oxford Dictionary believe that “baba ghanoush” was invented in the royal harem, and the “spoiled dad” was none other than the sultan.
Another legend says that in ancient times there lived a priest named Ganesh, and he had a student who once came up with an unusual dish of baked eggplants with sesame seeds. The priest was so delighted that he shared the delicious food with everyone around him, and they, in gratitude, dubbed it “Father Hamish.”
Pyrtympyrt”, or “Tear to pieces”
The method of preparing this sour dish is clear from the name: grape leaves are finely chopped, boiled and mixed with meat and chickpeas. Simple homemade food was invented in Kayseri, and is now prepared throughout the country.
The trick is not only in the small number of ingredients, but also in the preliminary chores: chickpeas and wheat are soaked in the evening, boiled in separate pots, filtered, fried meat on the bone with onions and tomato paste, put everything together and only then add grape leaves and for a long time simmer under the lid.
Otur fatma”, or “Sit down, Fatma”
It is unclear where Fatma should sit and why (or who this woman is anyway), but the dessert named after her is truly delicious. The sweet, originally from the Kocal province, consists of what you always have on hand: corn flour, sugar, soda, eggs, lemon juice and yogurt. It is enough to grease a baking sheet with oil, pour in the dough and bake over medium heat – after 45 minutes a tender and fragrant golden-colored cake will appear on the table. Sit down, Fatima, five!
Kadynbudu”, or “Woman’s thigh”
Another culinary ode to lady’s charm is the “female thigh” cutlet, fluffy, juicy and rosy – in general, completely corresponding to the preferences of Turkish men. Half the ground beef or lamb should be fried until soft with onions, cooled and mixed with the remaining raw meat, boiled rice, egg and parsley, seasoned with salt, pepper, cinnamon, cumin and thyme. Cool, bread in flour and beaten egg and fry in plenty of hot oil – delicious both hot and cold.
Imam bayaldi”, or “Imam fainted”
Most likely, he fainted from the wonderful aroma of the eggplant treat presented by his inventive wife, but the reasons could also have been the cost of the ingredients or the required amount of olive oil – at least 8 tablespoons. Large eggplants are divided in half, the flesh is cut like an accordion, sprinkled with salt and left for an hour, then fried, stuffed with diced onions, tomatoes, walnuts, sweet peppers and garlic, and then baked in the oven for another half hour.
The sense of smell is caressed by the smells of cumin, cilantro, thyme, parsley and other herbs included in the recipe for colorful dishes.
Derdimi Alan”, or “Take away my grief”
Residents of the Turkish province of Isparta had to endure less than the Spartans in Greece, but in the history of the picturesque region there were conquests, struggles for power, and economic crises. So the locals created a dessert with the eloquent name “take away my grief”: pieces of pita bread in syrup from “bekmese” grape juice boiled until thick and hot butter.
If you abstract from the message and don’t take on other people’s troubles, you can quite enjoy a non-trivial combination of tastes and textures.
Shylyk Tatlysy”, or “The Sweetness of a Prostitute”
Delicious rolls of dough reminiscent of pancakes, with a creamy nut filling and a topping of crunchy pistachios – what’s provocative here? Of course, the name: “shylyk tatlysy” is translated as “the sweetness of a prostitute.” Conservative Turks do not like such liberties, but nothing can be done; tourists are to blame: the dessert used to be called “sileki,” which means “wet,” but guests stubbornly pronounced this word in their own way.
The main sweet of the Sanliurfa province takes a long time to prepare: the dough made from milk, flour, salt and baking powder must sit for 8-10 hours. Inside are cream, butter and ground walnuts, on top are hot sugar syrup and pistachios.
Vezir Parmagi”, or “Finger of the Vizier”
Yes, this is a real finger. More precisely, cookies, but they look exactly the same – they even have a nail. The dough for the creepy sticks is made from butter, eggs, flour, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and baking powder, plus the standard syrup – thickened sugar water with lemon. To make it more believable, half a nut is pressed into the finished “vizier’s finger”, decorated with coconut shavings – and you can crunch it while watching the Turkish film comedy of the same name.
Mumbar dolmasy” – cabbage rolls made from sheep intestines
It looks as “attractive” as it sounds: on the plate rises a mountain of spiral-shaped sausages, glistening with oil, with suspicious inclusions. This specific dish is popular in Lebanon, but has spread to the Turkish south and eastern Anatolia. The large intestine of the lamb is stuffed with fat, rice or bulgur, ground beef, tomato paste, oil and spices: cinnamon, salt, red, black and allspice.
