What Is Ayran?

Ayran (pronounced eye-RAHN) is a tangy, savoury yogurt-based drink traditionally enjoyed chilled. Whether served at breakfast, with a rich meat dish, or sipped in the late afternoon, ayran provides a refreshing contrast to hot temperatures and hearty meals. It’s especially popular in the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern regions, but it remains most deeply rooted in Turkey, where it’s consumed daily across all ages.

The Perfect Pairing for Turkish Cuisine

In Turkish dining, ayran often shares the table with grilled meats, köfte (meatballs), and lahmacun (Turkish flatbread with minced meat). Its natural acidity and creamy texture help to mellow out spicy or fatty dishes, cleansing the palate while aiding digestion. Thanks to its probiotic content, homemade ayran in particular is also considered good for gut health.

Homemade vs. Store-Bought

While you can buy bottled ayran in supermarkets and restaurants across Turkey, locals often prefer to whip it up at home. Homemade ayran has a fresher, tangier flavour and can be adjusted to personal preference—some like it thicker and saltier, others lighter and frothier. In restaurants, ayran might be served foamy, freshly whisked to order and poured into copper cups or tall glasses.

Be cautious, though: to the uninitiated, ayran can be mistaken for milk. Many a tourist has learned the hard way that this savoury drink does not belong in coffee!

How to Make Traditional Ayran at Home

Ingredients:

• 2 cups full-fat plain yogurt
• 2.5 cups cold water
• ½–1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
• 2 teaspoons dried mint (optional, but adds a lovely herbal note)
• Ice cubes and fresh mint leaves for serving

Method:

• Pour the yogurt into a jug or mixing bowl. Whisk until completely smooth, breaking up any lumps.
• Begin by adding half the water and whisk until fully combined. Then add the rest along with the salt and dried mint. Whisk vigorously until frothy.
• Taste your ayran and adjust the salt or water to get your preferred level of tang and thickness.
• Refrigerate until ice cold. When ready to serve, pour into glasses over ice and garnish with a few fresh mint leaves.

A Drink for All Seasons (But Best in Summer)

Though ayran is most popular during Turkey’s scorching summers, its benefits can be enjoyed year-round. It’s hydrating, naturally probiotic, and full of calcium and protein. For those cutting back on sugar or seeking a dairy-based alternative to fizzy drinks, ayran is a wholesome, satisfying option.

Whether you’re preparing a Middle Eastern feast or simply looking to cool off, give this traditional Turkish drink a try. It may just become your new go-to refresher.

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Dondurma – Turkish Ice Cream Like No Other

In Turkey, dondurma (literally meaning “freezing”) is the word for ice cream — but don’t expect your usual scoop. Among the many brands and regional varieties, one stands out for its unique texture and taste: the legendary ice cream of Kahramanmaraş.

This isn’t your ordinary dessert. Maraş dondurma is famously chewy, dense, and elastic, thanks to two special ingredients: salep, a flour made from orchid tubers, and mastic, a natural resin. It’s the salep that gives the ice cream its rich, creamy flavour and its resistance to melting — a trait that makes it particularly well-suited to Turkey’s hot climate.

Before freezing, the ice cream is stretchy and pliable. Once frozen, it sets firm — almost rock-like — but don’t be fooled: once it hits your tongue, it melts luxuriously smooth, like butter.

A Dessert with a Twist

Maraş dondurma is truly one-of-a-kind. Traditionally, it’s served in thick slices, sprinkled with ground pistachios, and eaten with a knife and fork, as it’s far too dense for a spoon. You’ll also find it in tempting flavours like vanilla, peach, redcurrant, pistachio, chocolate, strawberry, and more.

Where to Try It – Including Right Here in Fethiye

During the summer, you’ll spot Maraş dondurma vendors in bustling tourist areas across Turkey. These sellers are performers as much as they are ice cream experts — twirling, stretching, and flipping the ice cream like a circus act. They’re known for their cheeky sleight-of-hand, teasing customers as they try to grab the elusive, sticky treat from the vendor’s scoop.

In Fethiye, keep an eye out for signs reading Maraş Dövme Dondurma and treat yourself to this unforgettable taste of Turkish tradition.

Afiyet Olsun!

This article was first published on 23 June 2022 and updated on 1 August 2025.

The post Maraş Dondurma – Ice Cream that’s a stretch! appeared first on Fethiye Times.

That’s right—this beautiful country, with its diverse climate and fertile lands, produces hundreds of thousands of tonnes of cherries every year. From the vibrant markets of Istanbul to the sprawling orchards of Afyon, cherries are not just a seasonal treat—they’re a national treasure.

A Fruitful Legacy

Turkey’s love affair with cherries goes way back. In fact, the city of Giresun on the Black Sea coast is thought to be the birthplace of the cherry as we know it today. According to historical records, cherries from this region were first exported to Europe by the Romans over 2,000 years ago. The Latin name for cherry—Cerasus—is actually derived from the ancient name for Giresun.

A Global Powerhouse

Today, Turkey is consistently ranked among the top cherry-producing nations, often competing with the United States and Iran for the top spot. In 2023, Turkey produced over 700,000 tonnes of cherries, with much of the harvest exported to Europe, Russia, and the Middle East.

Popular cherry-growing regions include:

• Afyonkarahisar – Known for its rich, sweet cherries.
• Isparta – Famous not just for roses, but also high-quality fruit.
• Manisa – Home to cherry festivals and fertile orchards.
• Bursa – Where early cherry varieties flourish thanks to the microclimate.

Cherry Season in Turkey

Cherry season usually kicks off in late May and runs through July. During this time, local markets are bursting with fresh cherries—deep red, shiny, and full of flavour. Whether you prefer to snack on them straight from the punnet, bake them into a tart, or preserve them as jam, there’s no shortage of ways to enjoy Turkey’s most tempting fruit.

Here’s a recipe for juicy sour cherry cake for those hot summer days

Sweet, sticky and slightly tart, here’s the recipe for Meliz Berg’s Sour Cherry Jam

Many towns even hold cherry festivals during peak season, celebrating the harvest with music, dancing, local food, and—of course—cherry-picking competitions.

More Than Just a Snack

Beyond their juicy deliciousness, cherries are a serious business in Turkey. The country exports fresh cherries to over 50 countries, with Germany, Russia, and the Netherlands among its biggest buyers. Turkish farmers and exporters are known for their focus on quality, freshness, and sustainable farming techniques, helping to maintain Turkey’s strong international reputation.

The Cherry on Top

So, next time you bite into a plump, juicy cherry, there’s a good chance it came from Turkey—where generations of growers have perfected the art of cultivating this beloved fruit.

Cherries may be small, but in Turkey, they represent a big story—one of heritage, pride, and a whole lot of flavour.

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While Fethiye is well known for its turquoise coastlines and lush nature, its local cuisine is just as rich and vibrant — and Mercimek Yoğurtlama  is a true hidden gem that deserves a spot on your table.

What is Mercimek Yoğurtlama ?

A refreshing and nutritious dish made with green lentils, garlicky yogurt, and a drizzle of crispy pepper-infused olive oil, Mercimek Yoğurtlama  is both comforting in winter and cooling in summer. Served as a meze or light main, it’s a simple yet deeply flavourful recipe rooted in local tradition.

Want to try it yourself? Here’s the Fethiye-style recipe:

Ingredients:

• 500g dry green lentils
• 500g strained or regular yogurt
• 2–3 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp butter
• ½ tea glass olive oil
• 4–5 dried red peppers (hot or sweet)
• Salt
• Water

How to Make It:

1. Boil lentils until tender, changing the water once to reduce gassiness.
2. Sauté in butter with a pinch of salt.
3. Mix yogurt with crushed garlic.
4. Combine cooled lentils with the garlic yogurt.
5. Heat olive oil with dried peppers until they sizzle (don’t burn!).
6. Drizzle pepper oil over the yogurt mixture. Garnish with fresh herbs if you like.

Local Tip: Use strained yogurt for a thicker consistency and don’t overcook the lentils — they should hold their shape.

Where to Eat It in Fethiye?

Look for traditional restaurants in Fethiye town centre or the surrounding villages serving authentic home-style meals — Mercimek Yoğurtlama  might just surprise you!

Rediscover Fethiye through its flavours. Try this dish at home and bring a taste of the Turkish coast to your kitchen.

Source: Fethiye TV

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The post Fethiye’s Secret Flavour: Mercimek Yoğurtlama  appeared first on Fethiye Times.

Ingredients

250 gram cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 loaf turkish bread (215g), halved (use a loaf of ciabatta bread if Turkish bread is not available.)

1 avocado (250g), sliced thinly

100 gram reduced fat feta cheese, crumbled

Method

1.Preheat grill.

2.Cook tomato under grill about 5 minutes or until softened.

3. Meanwhile, split bread pieces horizontally; toast cut sides. Top toast with avocado, tomato and cheese; grill about 2 minutes or until hot.

Recipe courtesy of Women’s Weekly Food

The post Recipe: Roasted cherry tomatoes, feta and avocado on Turkish bread appeared first on Fethiye Times.

Turkish delight or lokum is a family of deliciously sweet confections based on a gel of starch and sugar.

Until the arrival of refined sugar in the late 18th century, lokum meant an amalgam of honey or pekmez and wheat flour.

The creator of Turkish delight

In fact, it was more deserving of the name Turkish Glop than anything more alluring. But when confectioner Hacı Bekir got his hands on white sugar and cornflour, he began to have delightful dreams of a new lokum.

His smooth, translucent, jellied dreams turned into what we know today as Turkish Delight.

Such was Hacı’s fame and acclaim that he was soon appointed chief confectioner at Topkapı Palace.

The sweet came to international fame after a delighted British traveller took a sample back to Blighty, wowing his mates.

The quaint shop Hacı Bekir opened in 1777 has been restored and is still doing a roaring trade in sugary lovelies, now overseen by the fifth generation of the family. The original shop is on a small street behind the Yeni Cami (New Mosque) in Istanbul’s Bahçekapı district

Today, the Hacı Bekir business includes five stores within Istanbul, and they ship their famous Turkish delight to customers all over the world.

Read The secret story behind Turkish delight here

Sade lokum (plain Turkish delight) is just the beginning. It can be flavored in a number of ways, often with nuts, citrus fruits, and/or rose water. The most common is probably the pink-colored rose-flavored lokum, but other popular varieties use pistachios and walnuts.

Have a go at making it yourself with this recipe from Ozlem’s Turkish Table

Source: World Food Turkey

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Be a better cook Try to get your flatbreads stretched out nice and big for these – you want a large surface area to spread the lamb mixture over, as you don’t want it too thick or it won’t cook through properly.

The double baking tray trick A baking stone will give you the crispest base but if you don’t have one you can put 2 baking trays on top of each other to absorb more heat.

To make this recipe, you’ll also need a batch of flatbread dough.

Ingredients

1 batch flatbread dough in 6 balls, at room temperature

1 red onion, finely sliced

30g parsley, finely chopped

2 tbsp sumac

1 lemon, cut into wedges

Fine semolina or plain flour to dust

450g jar roasted red peppers, drained and cut into thin strips

250g greek yogurt, whisked

For the topping

1 onion, roughly chopped

2 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped

1 long red pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped

30g parsley, roughly chopped

4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

1 red chilli, roughly chopped

1 tbsp tomato purée

2 tbsp shawarma spice mix

250g lamb mince, ideally 20% fat

Specialist kit

Baking stone, or try the double baking tray trick (see ‘before you start’)

Method

Put all the topping ingredients (except the lamb) in a food processor with a good pinch of salt, then whizz to a coarse, wet paste. Add the lamb mince and whizz again – you really want to break down the mince into a paste. If your food processor isn’t big enough, you can knead the mince and whizzed for 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. The consistency should be quite wet and easily spreadable – if it’s a bit too firm, add a splash of water. Keep in the fridge until needed.

Heat your oven to the hottest it can possibly go, with a baking stone on a tray inside to warm up (or heat your pizza oven – aiming to get it to 450°C). Mix the red onion, parsley and sumac together in a large bowl and squeeze over a little lemon juice from the wedges.

Dust a work surface with semolina or flour and stretch out a dough ball, then spread an even layer of the lamb mixture all over the top, leaving the edge exposed. Top with some strips of red pepper, then cook for 8-12 minutes in the oven or 2-3 minutes in a pizza oven.

Pipe, spoon or drizzle the yogurt on top of the flatbread, then add a pile of the onion salad and serve with lemon wedges. Cook the rest of the flatbreads in the same way.

Recipe courtesy of delicious magazine

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The origin is somewhat uncertain, it is thought that the dish may have originated in the territories of the Mongol Empire. Some variations may be traced back to the Uyghur people of northwest China. One of the earliest mentions of manta is found in the 1330 manuscript Yinshan Zhengyao by Hu Sihui, a court therapist in service of the Yuan Dynasty.

It is a shared culinary heritage that the nomadic Turkish tribes brought with them when they travelled from Central Asia towards Anatolia, today’s Türkiye, during the 13^th century.  According to author Holly Chase, “Turkic and Mongol horsemen on the move were supposed to have carried frozen or dried mantı, which could be quickly boiled over a campfire”

Migrating Turkic-speaking peoples brought the dumpling with them to Anatolia, where it evolved into the Turkish mantı. When the Tatars settled into the central Kayseri region of modern-day Türkiye, the area became known for its Kayseri mantısı.

Kayseri mantısı

Kayseri mantısı is tiny and served with yoghurt, melted butter flavoured with Aleppo pepper, dried mint and seasoning, In Kayseri, when a couple is engaged to be married, the mother of the groom visits the bride’s house and during this visit, the bride should prepare mantı for her prospective mother-in-law. The smaller the mantı dumplings are, the more skilful the bride is considered to be in the kitchen. Traditionally the dumplings prepared for the prospective mother-in-law are supposed to be so small that 40 of them can fit into one spoon. 

Mantı may be made from shredded meat of quail, chicken or goose in some regions of Türkiye, while boş mantı (“empty dumpling”) lacks filling entirely.

Turkish cuisine includes also other dumplings similar to mantı, such as hingel and Tatar böreği. These are typically larger than Kayseri mantısı.

How to make Turkish mantı 

Although you can easily find mantı in shops and supermarkets, there’s nothing quite like having a go at making your own. Here’s a recipe from Ozlem’s Turkish Table.

Mantı, Turkish dumplings with ground meat, onion and spices

Serves 4 people

Dough ingredients: 

300gr/ 2 cups/ 10 ½ oz. all-purpose plain flour (plus a little extra for rolling)
1 egg, beaten
4 fl. oz. / ¼ cup water

30ml/2 tbsp. olive oil
5ml/1 tsp sea salt

For the filling: 

225gr/8oz ground beef or lean ground lamb
1 onion, grated or very finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the garlic yoghurt: 

500gr/2 ¼ cups thick and creamy plain yoghurt

1 -2 garlic cloves, crushed and finely chopped

Salt to taste

For the sauce:

15ml/1 tbsp. Turkish hot pepper paste, (biber salcası) or tomato paste

60ml/4 tbsp. olive oil

10 ml/2 tsp. dried mint (kuru nane)

5 ml/1 tsp. (or more) ground sumac (optional)

5 ml/ 1 tsp. (or more) Turkish red pepper flakes (chilli flakes, pul biber)

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 C / 350 F

First, make the dough. Sift the flour and salt into a wide bowl and make a well in the middle. Pour in the beaten egg and the water and using your hands, draw the flour into the liquid and mix into a dough. Pour in the olive oil and knead the dough for about 5-8 minutes, until it is smooth and elastic. Mantı dough needs to be quite hard; cover the dough with a cling film or kitchen towel and leave it to rest in a cold place or in the fridge for 30 minutes.

While the dough is resting, make the filling. Grate or finely chop the onion and combine it with the ground meat. Season with salt and ground black pepper and mix well.

In a separate bowl, beat the yoghurt with the garlic and season with salt to your taste.

Cut the dough into 3 pieces. Working one piece of dough at a time (and cover the rest of the dough pieces with a damp towel in the meantime so they don’t dry out), roll the dough as thinly as you can into a sheet, on a lightly floured surface. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into small squares (roughly 2.5cm/1in). Spoon a little of the filling, rounded at a size of half a chickpea, into the middle of each square.

Pinch the opposite corners to form a little pouch and press the seams together to seal firmly.

Bake uncovered for 10 minutes until the mantı dumplings start to get light golden.

Repeat with the rest of the dough and place the stuffed dumplings in a greased oven-proof dish, stacking them next to one another. Bake uncovered for 10 minutes until the mantı starts to get light golden. Take them out of the oven and cool them. You can freeze some of the baked mantı in a sealed bag for up to 3 weeks.

Pour the hot water and pinch of salt into a large pan and bring to a boil. Place the baked dumplings gently into the boiling water and simmer for about 8- 10 minutes, until they are cooked. Once cooked, drain the water and return the mantı to the pan. Drizzle a little oil over them so that they don’t stick together.

While mantı is cooking, prepare your sauce. Heat the oil in a wide pan and add the hot pepper paste, biber salcasi or tomato paste. Stir in the red pepper flakes, dried mint and sumac, combine well and simmer for 1-2 minutes.

Arrange mantı on a warm serving dish and spoon the garlic yoghurt over them. Drizzle spices-infused olive oil and tomato/red pepper paste sauce over the garlic yoghurt. You can decorate with extra red pepper flakes, dried mint and sumac and serve immediately.

Please follow the link below for Ozlem’s recipe for vegetarian mantı.

Vegetarian mantı, Turkish dumplings with sautéed onions, chickpeas and spices

Afiyet Olsun

Source: Wikipedia/Ozlem’s Turkish Table

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Ingredients:

• 1 onion

• 300 grams diced beef (or lamb)

• 4 roasted eggplants

• A few cloves of garlic (to taste)

• 4 tablespoons yogurt (or more to taste)

• Spices: salt, cumin, red pepper flakes, and black pepper

How to make it:

1. Mince the onion and sauté it in a bit of oil. When the onion starts to turn translucent, add the diced beef (or lamb) and cook them together, stirring continuously. Add the spices and continue stirring until the meat is cooked through.

2. Cut the roasted eggplants into small pieces and add the chopped garlic. Then, add a bit of yogurt to the eggplant mixture and mix well.

3. First, create a “bed” of eggplant on each plate, then top it with the meat mixture. Serve with melted butter or extra red pepper flakes. Enjoy!

Tip:

The meat mixture on top of the eggplant is traditionally quite spicy, but since not everyone can handle the heat, we suggest tasting the meat as you cook it and adjusting the spice level to your liking.

Source: Daily Sabah

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What is Sumac? 

Derived from the berries of a decorative shrub native to the Mediterranean region, sumac is a staple in the cuisines of Lebanon, Syria, Türkiye, and Iran. Its tangy, lemony flavour is both vibrant and exotic, making it an essential ingredient in many traditional dishes.

The dark purple-red berries are sold dried or ground and boast a beautiful, almost purple hue along with an appealing lemon-lime tartness that makes them incredibly versatile.

Ground Sumac: A Culinary Game-Changer

In Iran, ground sumac is as common on the table as salt and pepper, used as a condiment to enhance the flavour of various dishes. You can do the same at home—try it as an alternative to lemon juice or zest for an immediate burst of flavour.

Sumac is wonderfully versatile. Sprinkle it on chips, rice dishes, or Middle Eastern classics like hummus and chickpea salads. It’s a sandwich game-changer too—pair it with cheddar for an unexpectedly delightful twist. For a simple yet delicious dip, just add a sprinkle to yoghurt.

Sumac is also a key ingredient in zahter, a beloved spice blend in southern Turkish cuisine, showcasing its importance in regional flavours.

Discover this hidden gem and elevate your cooking with sumac’s unique, tangy flair.

Oven-roasted chicken with sumac and pomegranate molasses

Click on the link for the recipe: Oven-roasted chicken with sumac, pomegranate molasses, chilli and sesame seeds

Baked feta with sumac and grapes

Compliments the contrasting flavours of salty feta, sweet grapes, and aniseed dill.

Click on the link for the recipe: Baked feta with sumac & grapes

Fattoush

Lebanon’s most famous salad is a refreshing, crunchy mix of herbs, cucumber, tomatoes, and pita, with a tangy sourness from the sumac.

Click on the link for the recipe: Fattoush

Next time you’re preparing eggs, try adding a pinch of sumac for a surprising and refreshing revelation.

Finally, it adds a refreshing burst of flavour when used as a syrup in desserts, jellies, and beverages, such as sumac lemonade.

Click here for more things you can do with sumac.

If you live in the UK, sumac is readily available from leading supermarkets or Amazon.

This article was first published on 14 August 2020 and updated on 15 January 2025

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