Vegetables
Along
with grains, vegetables are also consumed in large quantities in the Turkish
diet. The simplest and most basic type of vegetable dish is prepared by
slicing a main vegetable such as zucchini or eggplant, combining it with
tomatoes, green peppers and onions, and cooking it slowly in butter and
its own juices. Since the vegetables that are cultivated in Turkey are
truly delicious, a simple dish like this, eaten with a sizeable chunk of
fresh bread, is a satisfying meal in itself. A whole class of vegetables
is cooked in olive oil. These dishes would be third in a five-course meal,
following the soup and a main course such as rice or börek and a vegetable
or meat, and before dessert and fruit. Practically all vegetables, such
as fresh string beans, artichokes, celery root, eggplants, pinto beans,
or zucchini can be cooked in olive oil, and are typically eaten at room
temperature. They are a staple part of the menu with variations depending
on the season. Then there are the fried vegetables, such as eggplant, peppers
and zucchinis, that are eaten with a tomato or a yogurt sauce. "Dolma"
is the generic term for stuffed vegetables, being a derivative of the verb
"doldurmak" ("to fill") Here is another original and unique for the readers.
There are two categories of dolmas: those filled with a meat mix and those
with a rice mix. The latter are cooked in olive oil and eaten at room-temperature.
The meat dolma is a main-course dish eaten with a yogurt sauce, and a very
frequent one in the average household. 
Any
vegetable which can be filled with or wrapped around these mixes can be
used as a dolma, including zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, cabbage, and grape
leaves. However, the green pepper dolma with the rice stuffing, has to
be the queen of all dolmas. A royal feast to the eye and the palate...
In addition to these general categories, there are numerous meat and vegetable
dishes which feature unique recipes. When talking vegetables, it is important
to know that the eggplant (or aubergine) has a special place in Turkish
cuisine. This handsome vegetable with its brown-green cap, velvety purple
skin, firm and slim body, has a richer flavor than that of its relatives
found elsewhere. At a party, a frustrating question to ask a Turk would
be "How do you usually cook your eggplant?" A proper answer to this question
would require hours! Here, too, it will have to suffice to mention just
two eggplant dishes that are a must to taste. In one, the eggplant is split
lengthwise and filled with a meat mix. This is a common summer dish, eaten
with white rice pilaf. The other one is "Her Majesty's Favourite," a delicate
formal dish that is not easy to make but well worth trying. The name refers
to Empress Eugenie, the wife of Napoleon 111, who fell in love with it
on her visit to Sultan Abdülaziz. To taste these dishes, look for
a "Lokanta," a word borrowed from the Italian "Locanda," describing the
type of establishment where traditional cooking is prepared, usually for
those who work nearby. The best examples are the Borsa, Haci Salih, and
Konyali in Istanbul and Liman and Ciftlik in Ankara. The tables are covered
with white linen, and the menu comprises soups, traditional main dishes
and desserts, including fresh fruit. Businessmen and politicians frequently
visit these places for lunch.
