Konya Cuisine with Its Historical Heritage

The necessity of feeding throughout human beings has caused people to develop certain rules about food. These rules, which have merged with the societies' own structures and values over time, have formed the culinary culture specific to those societies. Turkish Cuisine, which is among the world's famous cuisines, is the product of such a development.

We can divide Turkish Cuisine into two as classical and local cuisine. The kitchen we call classical is the kitchen shaped by imperial products in Istanbul. Local cuisines, which can also be called Turkish Folk Cuisine, are the cuisines shaped by regional products in Anatolia.

It would not be wrong to say that Konya, which has hosted many civilizations throughout history, is the center of Anatolian cuisine. Because you can see the traces of this historical heritage in its kitchen. Perhaps the deepest of these traces belongs to the Anatolian Seljuk State, the first great state of the Turks after conquering Anatolia. Konya has been the capital of this state for 200 years.

It would not be wrong to define a perfect formation for Konya Cuisine that developed in the Seljuk palaces and was kneaded with Mevlevi culture. Konya Cuisine, which has classical features with the rules it has set since the 13th century and even constitutes one of the foundations on which "Classical Turkish Cuisine" is based, should be excluded from "Turkish Folk Cuisine" due to this feature. Because the kitchen architecture, tools, food types, cooking methods, table arrangements, serving methods, food prepared for the winter has created a unique kitchen and an incredibly rich culinary culture related to this kitchen.

In the Seljuk palaces, the food on the golden trays and shelves was arranged in accordance with the Oğuz painting; It will be enough to state the magnificence of Konya Cuisine to say that the first teaming of the kitchen started in the Mevlevi Kitchen and that the tomb of Ateşbaz-ı Veli (the chief cook of Hazrat Mevlana), the only chef known to have a tomb in the world, was located in Konya. In addition, it would not be wrong to say that Mevlevi has shaped the cuisine of Konya.

In "Konya Cuisine", which has a very rich nutrition culture, the weight of dishes and pastries made with lamb and mutton is generally seen. "Etli Ekmek" with thin meat crumbled with knives, onions, tomatoes and peppers, "Bütüm", "Okra Soup" with lemon made from small okra flower and "Tirit" made by pouring minced meat, garlic yogurt and fried butter on bread soaked with broth stand out as the most famous regional dishes.

Konya's traditional culinary roots are based on the Oghuz Turks and Seljuks. For example, "Tutmaç" is a soup that has survived from the Seljuks to the present day. The weight of pastries in Konya dishes, which reflect the Seljuk culinary culture, is quite high.

As for the countless riches of Konya Cuisine; In all the transition periods that include the birth-marriage process, we can count the customs such as eating sweets as everywhere in Anatolia, distributing cookies to children who are only seen in Konya under the name of "Sivlilik" on holy days, and eating seven foods with the letter "S" applied in some cities in Nevruz, one of the joyful days.

Traditional Konya Cuisine; We can divide it into two as home meals and out dishes.

Konya home cooking is based on a wide range from soups to desserts. It is made by using Konya vegetables, especially meat and yogurt dishes. Water cooking, oil frying, tandoori and oven cooking are used as cooking methods. "Okra Soup", "Arabaşı Soup", "Çebiç", "Kaygana", "Batırık", "Papara", "Tirit", "Höşmerim" and "Sacarası" are the prominent tastes of Konya cuisine.

Secondly delectable foods stand out as out dishes in Konya; "Fırın Kebab", "Etli Ekmek" and "Pita with Cheese". Recently, we can say that mixed pita prepared with cheese and meat has been added to these. These three foods are the foods that attract the attention of local and foreign tourists coming to the city as well as Konya residents.