FISH AND SEAFOOD
 There are many doorless, windowless
shops open all-year in Turkey, which sell fish and seafood laid in colourful,
round, wooden trays.
Turkey is a peninsula having shores on
three sides, these seas contain many varieties of fish. Some examples to most
common species are mackerel, red mullet, blue fish, sardines, horse mackerel,
large bonito, bonito, tuna fish, anchovy, grey mullet, turbot. Lobsters, crabs
and oysters are expensive and thus only exist on the tables of the rich.
Shrimp, mussel and squid are the other
seafoods which are frequently used.
Coastal cities, especially Istanbul
and Izmir, use seafood frequently, whereas the other cities do not use fish in
their local cuisine. Istanbul, host of the Ottoman Palace and thereby
traditional Turkish cuisine, has been the birth place of a dish called 'uskumru
dolmasr' -mackerel stuffed with nuts, raisins and spices, which is full of
creativity.
Fish are generally fried by blending
with flour; steamed with a little water; or grilled. People experiencing fish
in Turkey think that fish is cooked in only these three ways. However, in
Turkish cuisine seafood is also used in soups, pilafs, casseroles, on skewers,
stewed.
Among all varieties, there is a
special one related to Blacksea people; hamsi-anchovy. Figures in folk dance of
this region symbolise fidgeting anchovies. Anchovies are used in many
inconceivable ways. They are pickled, grilled, dried and used in soups, boreks,
breads, pilafs and desserts.
The most popular seafood is the
mussel; dipped in batter and fried served with tarator sauce; stuffed; used in
pilaki and pilaf.
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