Orzo Rice Pilaf
This orzo rice pilaf is a flavorful Middle Eastern dish that works well as a side or main course. It combines rice (Baldo is my favorite) with golden-browned orzo for...
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All posts by Feyza Kirmaci
Feyza is a professional chef, food stylist and food photographer based in Istanbul, Turkey. She has a B.A. in Gastronomy and Culinary Arts from the Yeditepe University in Istanbul. She loves to write, develop recipes and generally create content around food & cultural experiences. As an avid traveler, she loves experiencing new cultures and cuisines. She loves to cook with locally sourced ingredients and is eager to introduce the lesser-known tastes of Turkish and Middle Eastern cuisine to the world.
Muhallebi | Mehalabeya
Muhallebi is a traditional milk pudding popular in the Middle East all the way from Turkey to Iraq and Egypt (called locally Mehalabeya) . Its has a creamy, smooth texture...
Turkish Boza
Boza is a traditional fermented beverage popular in Turkey and nearby countries like Bulgaria and North Macedonia. Made from grains like millet, it has a slightly tangy, sweet flavor and...
Mamoul (Middle Eastern Date-Filled Cookies)
Mamoul are delicate, melt-in-your-mouth cookies filled with sweet date paste, loved across Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cultures. Their tender semolina dough and rich filling make them perfect for festive gatherings...
Maghmour (Lebanese Moussaka)
Maghmour is one of those cozy, comfort dishes you just can’t get enough of. Think fried eggplant, tender chickpeas, and a garlicky, spiced tomato sauce coming together in the most...
Turkish Almond Cookies: Acıbadem Kurabiyesi
These traditional cookies are among the most popular in Turkey and trace their origins to Istanbul. These cookies resemble large macarons but without the ganache, and unlike macarons, you want...
Piyaz: Turkish White Bean Salad
Legume salads, featuring ingredients like white beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, broad beans, and black-eyed peas, are essential for anyone looking to familiarize themselves with Turkish salads. When seasoned with olive...
Çoban Salata (Turkish Sheperd’s Salad)
The most popular of Turkish salads is Çoban salad (literally translated to shepherd’s salad). It’s a light and wonderful summer salad made with roughly chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, peppers, and...
Turkish Flour Halva
Halva is one of those quintessential Turkish treats that you have to try at least once. Besides water, it only requires four simple ingredients and it’s simply delicious. Check out...
Karnıyarık: Turkish Stuffed Eggplant
This traditional Turkish dish is never going to look elegant on the plate but it is a fantastic dish that’s worth trying out, and best served with rice, cacik or...
Dolma: Turkish Stuffed Grape Leaves
Dolma means stuffed in Turkish and this is exactly what you’re getting with this famous Turkish dish. Vine leaves or cabbage leaves (lahana dolması) are stuffed with a delicious mixture...
Şekerpare (Turkish Cookies)
Şekerpare are traditional Turkish cookies that are soaked in a sweet syrup flavored with lemon. They can be made with or without almonds – and this traditional recipe by Chef...
Turkish Manti Recipe
Manti is a traditional Turkish dish featuring small dumplings filled with seasoned minced meat, served with a garlic & yogurt topping and drizzled with a flavorful chili & butter sauce....
From Orchard to Table: Most Popular Turkish Fruits
Turkey’s diverse geography and climate have transformed the country into a fruit treasure trove boasting hundreds of varieties. This cherished bounty holds a unique place in Turkish culture and cuisine,...
10 Popular Turkish Cookies & Biscuits
You will find a patisserie or bakery on every corner in Turkey, and the smell of freshly baked simit and börek is a constant on the streets. Pastries are an...
Traditional Turkish Baklava Recipe
Baklava is a delicious, sweet pastry made with layers of phyllo dough, nuts, and syrup. It is a popular dessert in many Middle Eastern and Mediterranean countries and has a...
Turkish Anchovy (Hamsi) Recipe
With around 5,000 miles of coastline, fishing is a big industry in Turkey. But the number one favorite fish is hamsi, fresh from the Black Sea. While the fish can be...
18 Famous Street Foods in Turkey
Street food in Turkey has been around for centuries, well before we had restaurants, which may be true of many places in the world. In fact, it would not be...
Turkish Köfte Recipe
Also known as ćufte, polpeti, and köfte, qofte are meatballs made with beef, chicken, lamb, or pork. Minced meat is mixed with breadcrumbs, paprika, black pepper, chopped onion, and other...
Popular Turkish Sausages: Sucuk and Cured Meats
If you enjoy cured meats, you must experience Turkey’s sausages and pastramis. Turkish cured meats are typically made from beef, but goat and camel meat can also be used. T...
16 Most Popular Turkish Cheeses
The variety of local cheeses is one of the most valuable treasures of any national cuisine. Some countries are proud of their cheese, and Turkey is no exception. We especially...
8 Most Popular Turkish Drinks
Drinks are integral to gatherings with friends and family and crowded dining tables in Turkish culture. Sometimes these drinks even represent a particular type of get-together. For example, making a...
8 Famous Desserts of Arabic Cuisine
The history of desserts in Arabic culinary culture goes back hundreds of years, before Islam to nomadic tribes. However, the faith of Islam has had an undeniable influence on Arabic...
16 Most Popular Arabic Foods
Arabia is home to dozens of regional cultures and thousands of different dishes originating from Maghreb to Makresh. Think of Arabian cuisine and we usually think of the Middle East....