The Fabulous Food Served During Ramadan

The holy month of Ramadan starts on March 11th this year and runs through until April 9th 2024. It’s a period when many Muslims refrain from certain pleasures, including eating and drinking during daylight hours. Although keeping the fast is one of the five pillars of Islam, this period doesn’t mean those who observe the fast don’t think about food. In fact, Ramadan has played a significant role in shaping Turkish food culture and at each sundown the best in Turkiye’s local food is celebrated.

Culinary traditions and the food served during Ramadan

In days gone by, when supermarkets were few and far between and many ingredients weren’t readily available throughout the year, people put a lot of thought into stocking their cupboards for the holy month. Homemakers would buy fresh produce in bulk when they were cheap and in season and store them for months in readiness for Ramadan.

Vegetables were dried, including beans, peppers, tomatoes and aubergines. Onions, cauliflower, cabbage and carrots were pickled, and fruits were made into jams and preserves and stocked safely away for future use. Rice, bulgur and pasta were bought in bulk, and even meats were dried and cured like pastirma and sucuk. These foods were then lovingly turned into dishes for the entire family to share at “iftar”, the meal after sundown. People appreciate food more, having spent many hours fasting, and a great deal of thought and emphasis is put on what is eaten after the evening call to prayer. This is why so many wonderful dishes originated during the period, and several special foods served during Ramadan resulted.

Turkish food served during Ramadan

Dates and Dried Fruit

The meal that breaks the fast at sundown is known as iftar, and it’s a time when families come together to share this special meal. Most choose to break the fast as Mohammad did, with a sip of water and three dates. Dried fruit and nuts are often eaten at the breakfast before sunrise and during the sundown meal, they are a staple of this holy time.

Meze

A selection of light meze is normally served on the iftar table as a light introduction to the main course. The meze varies, but often, there is a yogurt-based option along with various olives, salads, and cheese for all to share.

Soups

The hydrating benefits of soup make it an excellent starter during Ramadan, and one almost always served at iftar. Türkiye has many wonderful traditional soups, but particular Ramadan favourites include spicy lentil Ezogelin, nutrient-packed Tarhana, Yayla yoghurt and mint soup and Mercimek corba, a popular potato and lentil option.

Ramadan Pide

Fresh, piping hot bread is a comforting treat at any time, and the special Ramadan pide bread is a well-loved staple food served during Ramadan. This round, leavened bread is the size of a dinner plate and has a delightfully fluffy centre and pitted crispy crust. It’s often topped with a few nigella and sesame seeds and served hot to the table where diners can tear off a chunk to mop up the main dishes’ wonderful flavours.

Olive Oil Dishes (Zeytin Yagli)

Türkiye is known for its wonderful zeytin yagli, or olive oil-based vegetable dishes. As family favourites, many feature on the table during the month. Kuru Fasulye (dry white beans), Taze Fasulye (fresh green beans), Barbunya (Cranberry beans), dolma (stuffed vegetables), and almost any other vegetable or edible leaf cooked with olive oil are popular, and some are served with cured meats like pastirma or spicy sucuk sausage to add an extra protein kick. (Read more about Turkish olive oil dishes in our zeytin yagli post)

Sultan’s Delight (Hunkar Begendi)

Tasty lamb stew served on a bed of creamed roast aubergine is one of Türkiye’s most well-loved traditional dishes and often served during Ramadan. This comforting meal is known as Sultan’s Delight to many, and one also enjoyed on special occasions throughout the year.

Slow-cooked Lamb (Kuzu Tandir)

Fall-apart, tender, slow-cooked lamb is always a delight. Traditionally cooked for many hours, suspended over coals in a deep pit in the ground, it is a dish normally kept for celebrations, large iftar gatherings, or weddings.

Chicken Stew (Tavuk Guvec)

Due to the sauce and hydrating properties, stews and casseroles are popular during Ramadan. Chicken pieces with carrots, peppers and other vegetables cooked in an onion and tomato puree-based sauce is a favourite, normally served with Turkish rice with orzo or chickpeas.

Traditional Ramadan desserts in Türkiye

Turkish Delight and Baklava

During the three-day Seker Bayram celebration marking the end of Ramadan in Türkiye, the shops are filled with sweets and candy. Seker means sugar in Turkish, and traditionally Turkish Delight, Lokum and Baklava are given to family and friends that visit.

Gullac

Some food historians believe that the traditional Turkish dessert of Gullac inspired baklava. This beautiful dessert is served most often during Ramadan and is made of milk, pomegranate, rose water, and special layers of pastry and nuts.

Revani

Revani is a moist semolina cake soaked in citrus and sugar syrup. It’s a cake served widely throughout the Middle East and the Mediterranean, and it became popular during the Ottoman era. It’s a childhood favourite for many and one that almost always appears during Ramadan.

Kunefe

We have written about Kunefe before in our post about weird and wonderful Turkish desserts. This traditional, crispy-topped delight is made with kadayif, a shredded-wheat style filo pastry stuffed with an unsalted mozzarella-like cheese, sprinkled with pistachio and served hot so the centre is stringy and soft. It’s a favourite throughout the year but especially loved during Ramadan.

Kaymakli kayisi

The indulgent dessert of Kaymakli Kayisi Tatlisi is made from dried apricots cooked in sweet sugar syrup and then stuffed with kaymak, a rich buffalo milk that tastes similar to clotted cream. The dish is impressive, and the apricots are often sprinkled or rolled in ground pistachio making them soft, sweet, creamy and crunchy all at the same time!

Ramadan Drinks

Ayran

The salty, yoghurt-based drink Ayran was officially declared Türkiye’s national drink in 2013. Great for hydration, it’s almost always served with the sundown meal as it helps combat dehydration. It’s a healthy drink popular with all ages and goes perfectly with many traditional kebab and meat-based dishes.

Serbet

Serbet is another great hydrating drink made by boiling seasonal fruit, herbs and flowers with spice and sugar. There are many variations, some including citrus, rose water and even sandalwood.

Hoshaf

Like Serbet, Hoshaf is made by simmering raisins, berries, apricots and other fruits with sugar but a lot more water. The difference is that when the fruit is plump, it is taken off the heat and set aside to cool. It is served cold or at room temperature, a little like a nutrient-packed thick squash with fruit in it.

STOCK-UP WITH PROVISIONS FOR RAMADAN

If you would like to try a range of traditional Turkish foods this Ramadan, let our team arrange to bring them to the yacht. Simply let us know what you need, and we will provide all that’s necessary – CONTACT US