Modern Turkish
Colin Clague, chef-patron of new Anatolian restaurant Ruya in London’s Mayfair (ruyalondon.com), guides us through the key dishes in modern Turkish cuisine
Isli patlican A smoked purée of aubergine, garlic and walnuts served with crispy aubergines.
Lakerda is a traditional salted bonito (fish) dish from the Bosphorus – a waterway in northwestern Turkey. We serve it with homemade tarama (fish roe) and compressed cucumber.
Black cabbage sarma Sarma means stuffed so like vine leaves, we stuff the leaves with spiced lamb and Turkish rice and serve them with a fragrant lamb consommé and minted yogurt.
Balik ekmek Based on the traditional fish sandwich found on the boats of Istanbul, this sandwich is made with grilled mackerel, lettuce, tomato and sumac. Ezogelin çorbasi Traditional lentil soup, healthy and warming. It’s enhanced at the end with chilli and dried mint butter. Lahmacun means 'meat with dough', sometimes called Turkish pizza. Ours is made with lamb mince, pepper, tomatoes, garlic and herbs.
Cheese pide A staple from many countries around the black sea, pide is like a boat-shaped pizza. Ours is filled with melted cheese and butter and topped with a slow-cooked egg.
Firin sütlaç Another Turkish classic – rice pudding served with rose water ice cream, raspberries and lokum (Turkish delight).
Keşkek A Unesco-designated dish of national importance from the Black Sea. It’s a barley porridge with lamb neck, but we add slow-cooked shoulder too.
Watermelon and
Lion’s milk A watermelon ice pop flavoured with the traditional Turkish drink Raki (also known as Lion’s milk), served with rose jelly and mint granita.