Centuries of empire-building and cultural mixing have made Turkish cuisine one of the “three great cuisines” in the world. Pistachios from Central Asia, mint from Persia, grilled meats from Arabia, and yoghurt – an invention of ancient Turkish nomads – have all come together as staples of Turkish flavor. Rarely do Yangon residents have an opportunity to experience this rich culinary tradition, but for one week, that will change.
From October 31 to November 6, Café Sule at the Sule Shangri-la Hotel will offer “Flavours of Turkey” – a dinner spread that includes the best of Turkish cuisine. Coconuts had a chance to sample the menu this week, and it was yummy.
The highlights of the meal were the mezzes – small dishes served with pita that come at the beginning of a big meal. These included babaganoush, which was smoky and textured. There was also haydari – a yogurt dip made with garlic and dill – which was a welcome burst of freshness to those of us who lament the scant availability of yoghurt in the Golden Land. It went together perfectly with mücver – a salty zucchini fritter.
The paçanga – pastrami and cheddar cheese in a flaky roll – is sure to be a favorite among those who are less familiar with Turkish food. It’s as friendly-looking as a spring roll and tastes even better.
Among the main dishes, the hünkar beğendi, or “sultan’s delight,” got all the attention. This lamb stew on a bed of creamy eggplant puree was, according to legend, invented in the kitchen of Ottoman Sultan Murad IV in the 17th century and later served to Empress Eugenie, the wife of Napoleon III, in 1869. She reportedly pressured the chef of Sultan Abdülaziz to give up the recipe.
“Flavours of Turkey” is a creation of chefs Ali Toprak and Serkan Akca, both from Shangri-la Bosphorous in Istanbul, who are visiting Myanmar to bring us a taste of their homeland.
The dinner costs US$32 per person, and bookings can be made by emailing restaurantreservations.ssyn@shangri-la.com.
