Because the Journey of 0.5 miles starts with a single step you need to read part 1 guys.
I mean you must.
Raise the deuce Vegans! Time to unleash that green hulk in non-less than Istanbul (one of the meat-eating capitals of the world … ok I made that up) for today we are starting an all-you-can-eat series about how to be a happy, thriving vegan in the city of cats & dogs (you gotta see to believe)
I may be 2-To 3 years late to the party, but I am bringing in the goods with the most definitive guide EVAH on being vegan Türkçe style, so help me God.
Afiyet Olsun
This phrase is kinda the Turkish equivalent of Bon Appetite. It’s said both before and after a meal and literally means “may you be healthy,” or “I hope this food gives you health.”
If you enjoyed the food — which you will — and want to compliment the cook, say, “Elinize sağlık,” meaning “may your hands that cooked this meal be healthy,” or “God bless your hands.”
Traditional Vegan Turkish dishes to DIE FOR:
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Turkey is a country that knows how to eat. This splendid country is a land of sun-drenched red peppers and olives, warm crusty melt in your mouth bread, and ruby-red pomegranate nectar sold at every nook and cranny. Many dishes in traditional Turkish cuisine naturally lean toward the vegan and vegetarian side, and when you add to that the inexpensive and easily accessible fruits and vegetables, you can eat like a sultan in Turkey. So whether you were vegan or just an average cruel human — just messin’ — keep some napkins handy for those dishes will leave you slobbering all over your phone/laptop/ typewriter thingy
Note: Later, there will be a comprehensive “where to eat what” so hold those horses of yours.
1- It’s Köfte o’clock baby
Yep, you’ve heard that right. As it turns out, this infamous mouth-watering dish ain’t for carnivores only, and I am not talking about the “veganized” versions, but juicy smoochy Köftes that are actually vegan.
So without further ado, there ya go.
Çiğ Köfte
Gosh, where do I begin? Melt-in-YO-mouth creamy, spicy yummy yumm yum goodness. I mean how can so much flavor — don’t get me started on the color — be packed in such a small ballish patty, or pattyish ball
For the history buffs out there, the Çiğ Köfte story goes 4000 years back. This once all the rage south-eastern Anatolian beef Tartare, in line with the European Community regulations, became Tartare a la vegan with bulgur instead of raw meat.
Do be mindful of two things though:
1- It’s still possible to find one made with raw beef or lamb, so double-check that you’re ordering the bulgur version.
2- This is not a “real” Köfte, as in there is no meat flavor, it’s just pure plant-based goodness that tastes oh so awesome. So if you are a fake meat freak keep that in mind.
Mercimek köftesi
Wrap this baby in lettuce, squeeze a load of lemon juice, devour and ENJOY. Yes, there is bulgur — again — in there somewhere. I mean if you’ve been to Turkey you know that everything is pretty much made of bulger. Yet and this is a big yet, it tastes nothing like Çiğ Köfte. Those delectable kebabs are a mixture of lentils and bulgur yet mysteriously taste like neither. Gotta try it vegans! Believe me, I can
eat tons of the stuff and be like, maybe there is a tiny space somewhere for one more.
2- Muhammara
I first had Muhammara in a famous breakfast spot in Rumeli Hisarı and it blew my mind. By now, I guess you have realized what a hopeless foodie I am because I am, and big time.
Vegans perk up your ears now. This Muhammara business is so addictive i want to dive in a pool of Muhammara, and chill on a giant Bazlama[1] floatie. Scoop it with lavaş[2], eat it with a spoon, or do what I did the last time I made pizza–spread it on homemade pizza dough, top it with vegan cheese — in my case seasoned Tofu — and bake to absolute perfection!
Muhammara gets its crimson color from roasted bell peppers, toasted walnuts give it a nutty flavor, bread crumbs contribute to its smooth texture and a small chorus of spices and condiments gives it flavorful nuances: a bit sweet, a bit tangy, a hint of heat and a whole lot of “what the hell is that” deliciousness.
3- Dolma (Yaprak Sarma, Zeytinyağlı Kuru Dolma, Zeytinyağlı yaprak sarma, Yalancı Sarma) AKA Delightful rolled and stuffed delicacies
Argh, Dolma, so many varieties and a bunch of complicated names, that It’s easy to just give up and let the Dolma train take off without you. So let’s try to break this complicated dish down into bite-sized chunks. First, whatever name or form it takes, Dolma is simply any stuffed Leaf, fresh, or Sun-Dried Veg on planet Turkey.
It’s derived from the verb “Dolmak” meaning to fill, and with that, anything stuffable has been stuffed. While grape leaves are popular, cabbage is used just as often, bringing us to the second name for this dish “sarma”. Coming from the word “Sarmak” — “to roll” making it more than obvious. Other uber delish stuffed thingies are eggplants and peppers (Kuru Patlıcan ve Kuru Biber Dolması), Zucchini, potatoes, even carrots, hell I have read somewhere that there are records of Okra being stuffed. So go ahead Vegan heads and stuff yourself with the “stuff”.
Word of caution: Make sure you ask that it’s vegan as Dolma may contain meat.
4- Meze
(Meh’-ZEH’) is a wide selection of mini-courses usually brought out and presented on a huge tray — in rounds — for diners to choose from. A spectacular experience, Meze is always eaten slowly together with drinks and a lot of good conversation. The first round of meze is always cold selections followed by the second round of hot dishes. You can feel so full after hours of sampling meze that you won’t have room for the main course. Now a Meze is not fixed in stone, meaning the selection of meze that’s offered before your meal depends on what you choose as your main course. Completely different line-ups of meze are traditionally served with either fish or meat fare. The best thing about Meze though is that the majority of Meze dishes are completely Vegan or can simply be veganized to your liking. Besides, they are served in almost every restaurant in Turkey. Meaning you don’t have to be confined to Vegan restaurants because no matter where you go in Istanbul you can always just order as many Meze dishes as you like and enjoy the most scrumptious and filling lunch/dinner ever.
To be continued …..
[1] A type of fluffy flat bread
[2] Large thin, crusty, round shaped bread baked in pit ovens, special large cast iron pans or hot stones