Turkish Cuisine Week: Healthy, Traditional, Zero-waste

The unique Turkish cuisine, a defining element of the country’s cultural identity, was introduced at the newly launched Turkish Cuisine Week. Held for the first time this year from 21 to 27 May, Turkish Cuisine Week aimed to showcase Turkish dishes with all their original qualities as the crown of our tables. The event will be celebrated with promotional events in Turkey and abroad.

In Bangkok, a sumptuous feast was arranged at the residence of H.E. Ms. Serap Ersoy, Turkish Ambassador to Thailand. The dinner was hosted by Mr. Melihcan Ersen, Second Secretary to a selective group of guests to sample the timeless recipes. According to Mr. Ersen, “From this year onwards, we take a humble step forward with Turkish Cuisine Week towards highlighting and emphasising the healthy, zero waste and traditional character of Turkish cuisine. We invite the public to take time and experience Turkish cuisine, not only for trying new and extraordinarily delicious recipes, but also a means to embrace a sustainable, wasteless, balanced and a healthy lifestyle.”

Turkish cuisine

Turkish cuisine, nurtured and shaped by the deep rooted Anatolian history, stands out with its healthy characteristics, creative aspect, and sustainable structures. Mr. Ersen explained, “The flavours of Turkish dishes, influenced by thousands of years of history and the Seljuk and Ottoman palaces, carry a vast cultural accumulation to the present day. Dishes and meals that utilise every element of a product, without waste, reveal an ecologically sustainable tradition of taste. Offering countless options for vegetarian and vegan diets along with restorative pickles and vinegars, Turkish cuisine is also a world cuisine with the potential to respond to all dining trends.”

Turkish cuisine presents to the world its legendary flavours, each of which reflects centuries old knowledge and cultural heritage. During Turkish Cuisine Week, meals prepared with creative presentations by Turkey’s world famous cooks were offered to visitors in their own geography, with hospitality held in different countries. At the same time, menus created specifically for Turkish Cuisine Week in Turkey invited both Turkish and foreign guests to experience the best examples of Turkish cuisine in restaurants.

Turkish Cuisine With Timeless Recipes 

Turkish Cuisine With Timeless Recipes (Asırlık Tariflerle Türk Mutfağı) is the gastronomy book published under the leadership of First Lady Emine Erdoğan and under the auspices of the Presidency, in cooperation with the Turkey Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA) with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Aimed at promoting the richness of Turkish cuisine to a global audience and featuring contributions from prominent chefs, academics and experts, Turkish Cuisine With Timeless Recipes draws attention to the famous Turkish cuisine and its waste free, ecological and sustainable characteristics.

In addition to discussing the healthy storage and cooking techniques used in Turkish gastronomy, the book is intended to record centuries old traditional recipes in their original form, and make them accessible to future generations.

Published in Turkish and English, the book presents 218 recipes for healthy and alternative diets, including recipes for waste free, fermented, regional, local and gluten free dishes. The dishes and beverages in this book represent examples of the rich Turkish culinary culture.

Samples of Istanbul themed menu

Yaprak Sarma (Stuffed vine leaves)

Vine leaves are the most widely used type of leaves in Turkish cuisine for both meat and olive oil sarmas. Developed from a recipe from the Ottoman period, stuffed vine leaves combines sweet and sour flavours with the aromas of cinnamon, plenty of pine nuts and currants. Today, lemon slices have replaced the sourness of sour cherries, which were more commonly used during Ottoman period. Stuffed grape leaves in olive oil are cooked using different spices in every region and every home, sometimes sweet and sometimes slightly bitter, but always with a sour touch.

Zeytinyağlı Enginar (Artichokes braised in olive oil)

ilaki or braised fish stews are not only prepared with fish but also with shellfish such as mussels and clams, or legumes. The main ingredients of pilaki are onions, garlic, vinegar or lemon juice, parsley and olive oil. Various vegetables such as; potatoes, carrots and celeriac enhance the flavors further. All the ingredients are simmered gently on the stove over a low heat with a small amount of water, or it can be cooked in the oven as in this recipe.

Hünkâr Beğendi (Lamb stew with velvety eggplant puree)

As the name suggests, Hünkârbeğendi (Sultan’s Delight) is a dish worthy of Sultans. This is a popular dish served to entertain guests in the best possible way. In Turkish cuisine, it is a popular practice to roast eggplants and purée the flesh. However, preparing a roux similar to the technique used for béchamel sauce, and flavouring it with plenty of cheese indicates traces of Westernisation.

Sütlaç (Oven baked rice pudding)

Fırın Sütlaç (oven baked rice pudding) was one of the most popular of the Ottoman cuisine. It also gained fame in Europe as Turkish style rice pudding. Today, rice pudding is one of the most popular milk based desserts. When the rice pudding is to ready to be baked, egg yolk is added so a thin creamy skin is formed on top, and it is baked until golden brown in the oven.

Expat Life in Thailand readers who want more information on Turkish cuisine, can visit

https://turkishcuisineweek.com/turkish-cuisine-week