Chef´s Choice – Turkish Cuisine

Turkish Delight (Lokum)

Turkish cuisine is largely the continuation of Ottoman cuisine, which in turn borrowed many elements from Central Asian, Caucasian, Jewish, Middle Eastern, Greek and Balkan cuisines.

Turkish cuisine varies across the country. The cooking of Istanbul, Bursa, Izmir, and rest of the Aegean region inherits many elements of Ottoman court cuisine, with a lighter use of spices, a preference for rice over bulgur, köftes and a wider availability of vegetable stews (Türlü), eggplant, stuffed dolmas and fish. The cuisine of the Black Sea Region uses fish extensively, especially the Black Sea anchovy (hamsi) and includes maize dishes. The cuisine of the southeast (e.g. Urfa, Gaziantep, and Adana) is famous for its variety of kebabs, mezes and dough-based desserts such as Baklava, Söbiyet, Kadayıf, and Künefe.

Ingredients

• 500 g white sugar
• 8 sheets gelatin, broken into halves
• 50 g icing sugar, sieved
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/4 tspn cream of tartar (Potassium bitartrate)
• 1 tspn flavouring essence (rose water, alternatively Bergamot orange or lemon extract)
• few drops of pink or yellow liquid food colouring (if desired)
• icing sugar for decoration

Preparation

Pour 300 ml of water into a cooking pot and add the gelatine sheets. Leave it for about 5 minutes, then heat the pot on medium heat and stir gently until the gelatine melts.

Add the sugar and stir until it has dissolved. Increase the heat and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer it, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes.

Mix the icing sugar, corn starch and cream of tartar in a bowl, then stir the whole lot into the sugar/gelatine mixture.

Remove the pot from the heat and add flavouring essence and food colouring.

Pour the syrup into a big enough non-adherent baking dish and leave it in a cool place over night.

Remove the hardened mixture from the baking dish and cut it into small cubes using a wet knife.

Place icing sugar in a bowl. Roll the Turkish delight cubes in it until they are evenly coated.

You can store the Turkish delight in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.