A taste of Turkiye

Because of its history and its geographic location, Türkiye has a cuisine that can best be described as universal, says Turkish Ambassador to the Philippines H.E. Niyazi Evren Akyol.

For one thing, Türkiye is the only country in the world that straddles two continents: Europe and Asia, making it a melting pot of cultures and resources. Moreover, its proximity to the legendary Silk Road, an important trade route during the second century BCE till the mid-15th century, gave its people access to the exchange of goods that included spices, teas, dyes, honey, and wine, important components to the development of gastronomy. Lying on the Mediterranean Sea on one side and the Black Sea on the other, Türkiye is also blest with bountiful treasures of the sea. In addition, the rich fertile lands of Anatolia, Türkiye’s major land mass, further provide the farm products that enrich its cuisine.

With seven regions, each with its own distinct climate, agricultural products, and cultural heritage, Türkiye’s cuisine is, indeed, as diverse as the world itself. It’s part Eastern, part Western, it’s both European and Asian, it uses spices, it uses herbs, it has olive oil, it has wine, and always, always, there’s yogurt to refresh the palate and add zing to every dish.

In short, Turkish cuisine is whatever you want it to be, and in this sense, it is, indeed, universal and all-encompassing.

On a balmy summer night, at the residence of Ambassador Akyol and his lovely wife Putri Puspitasari Akyol, we had a taste of authentic Turkish cuisine. It was the week of celebrating Türkiye’s gastronomy, an annual event that takes place globally in the month of May. For this year’s celebration, the focus was on classic dishes, considered the backbone of Turkish cuisine.

First, we had lentil soup, smooth and velvety, and the color of golden sunshine. Made with onions and tomatoes sautéed in olive oil, and seasoned with spices like cumin and pepper, it’s a heartwarming soup and, says Ambassador Akyol, it’s often served in restaurants and households. Lemon wedges and slices of raw onions enhance its flavor.

And speaking of olive oil, it’s widely used in Turkish cooking, says Putri. That’s because Türkiye produces its own olive oil, from the abundance of its olive trees.

Next, we had mixed dolma, a trio of stuffed vegetables: minced meat cooked with rice, fragrant herbs, tomatoes, and spices, then skillfully tucked into eggplant, rolled cabbage, and sliced zucchini. This was followed closely by börek, a savory pie made with layers of phyllo dough, chopped spinach, and feta cheese. A familiar dish in the Middle East, the börek was like a close cousin of lasagna, except that its structure was neater and more compact. When we sliced into it, it held its shape (unlike lasagna which tends to break apart) and we loved its toasty, golden brown topping.

Another eggplant dish was the karniyarik. This time, the eggplant was shaped like a boat, and it was topped with minced meat and chopped tomatoes. It reminded us somewhat of rellenong talong, the Filipino version of stuffed eggplant. The rice pilaf that accompanied it had been cooked in butter, making it vibrant and elevating its status to more than that of a side dish.

Equally enticing was a salad made with a medley of tomatoes, cucumbers, pickles, olives and feta cheese, topped with an edible flower and drizzled with a tangy vinaigrette.

A real comfort dish was the kuru fasulye, a flavorful white bean stew, sometimes considered the national dish of Türkiye. Enlivened with olive oil, onions, and tomato paste (or tomato sauce), it’s exactly what one would want to eat on a rainy day, or on a summer evening, or when one has guests, and even when one just wants a simple meal. In other words, it’s a dish for every mood and every occasion. “It’s universally recognized in all the regions of Türkiye,” says Ambassador Akyol. What made it even better was the zesty yogurt sprinkled with chopped cucumbers served on the side.