The national cuisine of Northern Cyprus.
Ask me to describe the cuisine of the northern Cypriots in three words. And I will say: Kebab, Hellim, Pekmez. Wait, wait, what kind of abracadabra, you say. And I, smiling, answer: But how delicious.
Cuisine of Northern Cyprus: Kebabs
Kebab, or in other words, meat fried on the grill. The cuisine of Northern Cyprus is rich in a variety of kebab options. It is always fresh young lamb cooked over charcoal. Shish kebab is a shashlik familiar to us. But the meat is not marinated in it, but only sprinkled with salt and fried.
Sheftali kebab. Lamb cutlets with parsley and onions, wrapped in intestines. Sheftali can only be found in Cyprus. There is a lot of debate about the origin of the name. According to one version, it was named after a peach, which also sounds like sheftali in Turkish. And according to another version, this is a modified name of its creator chef (chef) Ali. Which over time changed from chef Ali, turned into sheftali. Pirzola is young lamb on ribs, seasoned with salt and pepper.
Kyup kebab is one of the most favorite kebabs among the Cypriots of Northern Cyprus. In the southern part of Cyprus, it is called kleftiko. There are several options and varieties of cooking and serving. But it is always meat on the bone with a large potato divided in half. It can be wrapped in foil, laid out in a ceramic pot, or cooked in a large deep tray. But the main thing that unites them is many hours of simmering in a special oven called kyup. Shish kofte or adana kebab, known to many as lula kebab. Spicy, generously seasoned with pepper lamb cutlet cooked on a special wooden skewer. And shepherd’s salad (choban salatasi) of tomatoes, cucumbers and onions, a great addition to a scalding delicious kebab. Kebabs can be listed endlessly. There are also khyrsyz-kebab (thieves’ kebab cooked in a deep pit), tavuk-shish (chicken kebab), doner (lamb or chicken shawarma), tandyr (meat stewed in the oven), chop-shish (tiny kebab on skewers), kuzu-chevirme (lamb on a spit).
Cuisine of Northern Cyprus: Yogurt and Hellim
Undoubtedly, the best companion of any kebab is, of course, yogurt. Yogurt is a fermented milk product that vaguely resembles a mixture of curdled milk and sour cream. Yogurt marked süzme is most similar to sour cream, it is less acidic and thicker. Kebabs eaten together with it are digested much better. Therefore, you can eat much more of them. And what is hellim, you ask. Hellim is a traditional Cypriot cheese made from sheep’s milk. Hellim can be salted and lightly salted. It can be eaten raw, you can rub it and sprinkle it on pasta. But it is best to fry the pieces of hellim on the grill, like a kebab. And make yourself a delicious envelope from a piece of local bread cake (pide), a tomato slice and fried hellim. Yum! Cypriots are proud of their cheese and consume it in huge quantities. It is a component of any breakfast, a pleasant addition to lunch and a delicious snack at dinner.
Cuisine of Northern Cyprus: Pekmez
Pekmez is an extract from the fruits of the carob tree, grapes or mulberries. In North Cyprus, traditional pekmez is made from carob and is called harnup pekmez. And it also has a second name: Cypriot Viagra. Carob pekmez is unique in its composition and is a useful vitamin supplement in the diet of the inhabitants of Cyprus. It increases immunity and resistance of the body, improves hematopoiesis. A tablespoon of pekmez in the morning adds vigor and strengthens the body. Maybe that’s why there are so many centenarians among Cypriots?! They are very fond of eating sesame paste mixed with pekmez (tahyn pekmez) for breakfast. A piece of toasted toast and almost chocolate in color and taste paste, a sip of hot Turkish coffee and that’s it! Ready for the new day!
North Cyprus Cuisine: Fish & Seafood
But my story about the national cuisine of Northern Cyprus will be incomplete if I do not mention fish and seafood. The richness of the Mediterranean Sea can be found in restaurants, taverns, fish shops. There is always fresh fish here. The most common types of fish are trout, sea bream, sea bass, which are now grown artificially in specially adapted reservoirs. From seafood, I remember mussels, shrimp, squid, cuttlefish, octopus. Salad of arugula, white cabbage and lettuce is a great addition to fish dishes.
And of course Sweets
Meat, fish, cheese, and where is the dessert? The national cuisine of Northern Cyprus pleases us with oriental desserts and sweets. The long reign of the Ottoman Empire was most significantly reflected in the approach to sweets. There are many different varieties of baklava with walnuts and pistachios, semolina porridge and split almonds. Turkish delights, jam from orange peels and walnuts. Muffins and puddings with pekmez. Fruits and berries. Cypriot strawberries appear at the end of January and remain on sale until November. Even exotic fruits of the prickly pear cactus are eaten. The island is also famous for its citrus fruits: local tangerines, oranges and grapefruits are very juicy, they make an excellent juice, which is worth paying special attention to, as it is made without added sugar and preservatives.
Enjoy your acquaintance in the national cuisine of Northern Cyprus!
Source: Free Internet Article prepared by: Julia Ozerce Ask your question directly to Veles experts.
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