Turkish food week offers tempting array of tasty treats

The first Turkish Cuisine Week took place at the Embassy residence of the Republic of Türkiye in Vientiane last week, to promote the traditional food and culture of Türkiye.
The Turks believe their food is a unique and defining element of their cultural identity, so last week’s event aimed to showcase the best of Turkish dishes with all their original qualities.

The Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to Laos, Mr Orhan Isik, and his wife Mrs Aynur Isik explain the characteristics of Turkish food.

The event lasted for seven days and was attended by many important guests.
With Covid-19 still in the background, the Embassy permitted only 30 people to be present each day, to keep everyone safe.
This reporter was lucky enough to receive an invitation and went along to learn the basics of Turkish cuisine, sample some traditional dishes, and learn how important food is to Turkish national identity.
On the day I was present, a tempting array of mouthwatering offerings was available.
The table was loaded with plates of manti (dumplings served with yogurt, lahana sarmasi (stuffed cabbage), icli kofte (bulgur balls filled with ground meat), zeytinyagli bamya (okra in olive oil), mercimek koftesi (lentil balls), un helvasi (flour helva), kabak tatlisi (baked pumpkin in syrup), and kurabiye (cookies).
The Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to Laos, Mr Orhan Isik, said the country’s cuisine reflects the people’s cultural identity, and the diversity of the rich landscapes and rich culture of Anatolia.
It also conveys the country’s historical experience with geography and traditions near and far.
Turkish cuisine brings to the world its legendary flavours. Each dish reflects centuries of knowledge and cultural heritage.
Turkish Cuisine Week was an initiative by Emine Erdogan to highlight good character and good health, the need to respect and preserve traditions, and to discourage wastefulness and littering.
Türkiye’s culinary culture strikes a balance between the needs of the body, mind, and society in general. Dining at the table brings people together at every festival, wedding, and funeral.
“Before eating we say ‘afiyet-olson’, which means ‘good health’,” Ambassador Isik said.
“Bread is a sacred food in our culture, so a Turkish table without bread is unthinkable.  The sharing of bread is important in Turkish culture, and wheat grains become intertwined with the soil. The sanctity of bread is revered in the wheat that feeds the world.”
Soup is one of the classic dishes of Turkish cuisine, especially at dinner time. Soup is served before the main course. Spicy food such as vegetables cooked in oil, lentils, dolma, sarmas, salads, and pickles are also served before the main course.
The main course is usually a simple dish of vegetables or legumes, dolma, kofte or red meat, and a dish made from chicken, such as kebabs.
The most popular spices are light yellow grass, hot pepper, ginger and mustard. The spice market in Istanbul is a large and bustling place even today.
The cuisine also reflects the diversity of materials, constituents and methods as a result of human geographical relationships.
Cereals and animals were well cared for in Mesopotamia. The agricultural revolution, which can be said to have lasted for thousands of years, took place in Anatolia. From the farm to the palace, cooking has not deteriorated and the original ideas remain.
A representative of Vientiane Times attended the event twice on the same day, when Ambassador Isik and his wife, Mrs Aynur Isik, presented dumplings and stuffed cabbage to the assembled guests. Everyone was then invited to learn how to prepare these simple dishes after a cook showed how it was done.
The dumplings tasted wonderful. They were very small. Mrs Isik said they were made like that to demonstrate the care and attention to detail given by the women who make them. Great care is needed to produce a perfect dumpling, and a neatly finished item is a source of pride to the maker.
The event also allowed guests to chat to the ambassador and his staff, who were happy to talk about Türkiye’s food culture and compare it with culinary traditions in Laos.

Guests enjoy learning how to make traditional Turkish dishes.	Some of the delicious snacks on offer at the event.

By Patithin Phetmeuangphuan
(Latest Update June 9, 2022)