Yogurt

Yogurt plays an important role in Turkish food, and the Turks are one of the world’s largest consumers. It is an old, nourishing friend passed down from the ancient pastoral nomads of Central Asia. Rich in minerals and vitamins, it provides an easily digestible source of calcium and contains antibiotic properties. The standard set yogurt, called sıvı tas, varies in consistency from place to place. It is blended with water to make the refreshing drink called ayran and forms the base of most yogurt sauces. By hanging sıvı tas in a piece of muslin and leaving it to drain overnight, you get süzme, which is a thick, creamy yogurt that lends itself to savoury dips with garlic and herbs, and is delicious eaten on its own with a sprinkling of icing sugar (a speciality of Kanlica on the Asian shore of the Bosphorus), a dusting of cinnamon, puréed fresh fruit, or with a dollop of rich honey.