Konya's Culinary Heritage

Konya women are also the architects of today's richness of Konya cuisine with their passion to do better in every cooking establishment.

If you ask which city should be put at the center of Anatolian cuisine, "Konya" is possible. The traces of this historical heritage can be seen in the cuisine of Konya, which has hosted various civilizations since Catalhöyük, the first known settlement, the first urbanization and the first animal domestication in the world. The presence of the tomb of Mevlana Celaleddini Rumi's chef Ateşbazı Veli in Konya, the capital of the Anatolian Seljuk Empire, is a separate feature of the city. Therefore, it can be said that Konya cuisine was developed in the Seljuk palaces and kneaded with Mevlevi methods and traditions.

Konya cuisine; It reflects the taste of Anatolia not only with its food, but also with its culinary culture, table layout, cooking methods, kitchen tools, kitchen architecture and service layouts. In a way, the meaning of the food is that in Konya, women serve the most delicious to their guests. The competition between women to "make the most delicious" is also effective in the development of Konya cuisine. Konya women are also the architects of today's richness of Konya cuisine with their passion to do better in every cooking establishment.

When you go somewhere for the first time, you ask those around you to eat, "Where, what should I eat? What is the special dish of this place?" When you ask in Konya, they give you many answers. If we look at the most important of these;

Etli Ekmek is best served in the bakery or restaurants. Even in restaurants of foreign origin, advertisements such as "Our Etli Ekmek service has started" are seen a few months after opening.

Fırın kebab can be called a legacy from the Seljuks. In Mevlana's works, kebab and ovens that cook kelle kebab are mentioned. According to the season, lamb and mutton are used. They say that the most acceptable is the one made with lamb meat.

The characteristic of the spicy chicken soup called Arabaşı is in the dough. Water is boiled with salt, flour is added while in slurry, mixed until custard consistency, poured into a tray at the height of two fingers and left to rest.

Okra soup is native to Central Anatolia; It is important as an intermediate dish in classic menus in Konya. Since it is sour in rice (wedding and invitation dinners) and intermediate dinner set (as in tradition), it is given after dessert and stimulates the appetite for eating the second type of dishes. Dried flowers are prepared with okra and bird's head meat.

Höşmerim is made by roasting with cream, milk, sugar and special flour. Although it is reminiscent of flour halva, it is a light and delicious dessert. If sugar is not desired, it is also sweetened with honey.

Sacarası is a delicious dessert unique to Konya. In the past, the dessert tray was placed on the sheet and placed on the stove. A second sheet was closed on it and the embers of oak wood taken from the stove were laid on that sheet. The name of the dessert comes from these two trays. The dessert tray is cooked between two sheets. It is a very special and light dessert prepared at weddings.