North Cyprus Desserts - Baklava

Baklava is a popular dessert in North Cyprus, made from filo pastry, filled with chopped nuts and then sweetened with syrup or honey. You will find Baklava in nearly all of the supermarkets and sweet shops, and in many restaurants. Although the original country to have made Baklava is under debate, there is strong evidence that the version we know today originated in Topkapi Palace in Istanbul. 

North Cyprus Desserts - Lokma

 

Street sellers making Lokma in Kyrenia, North Cyprus. Lokma means "mouthful" in Turkish and is a type of fried dough pastry. The dough is deep fried, then soaked in sugar syrup and sprinkled with honey, cinnamon or sesame seeds.

North Cyprus Vegetables - Siyah Havuç

Black carrots, or as they are know in Turkish - Siyah Havuç. Black and purple carrots originate from Turkey and the Middle East, and are very good for reducing bad cholesterol (LDL). Black carrots are something you may have never seen before, as we know carrots to be orange, but in fact, the black carrot was around for around 5,000 years before the orange carrot became established in the 16th Century. Black and Purple carrots were taken to the western world, but they did not survive very well in the cold conditions. However, some mutant yellow carrots grew from the black variety when planted in the west, and it is thought that these yellow carrots crossed with the wild carrot actually created the orange carrot which we know today.

North Cyprus Vegetables - Kereviz

Celeriac, or as it is known in Turkish - Kereviz. Celeriac is a member of the celery family, and when peeled smells and tastes of celery, but when cooked it has a much milder and sweeter flavour. It is high in Vitamin C, as well as magnesium and potassium. If you do not know how to cook it properly, it can be very bitter. It is a good root vegetable to use in stews, or you can grate it, then blanch it to eat with salads.

North Cyprus Vegetables - Bamya

Okra - or as they are known in Turkish, Bamya. These are also known as "ladies' fingers" or "gumbo" because of their shape. This vegetable is easily grown in North Cyprus, as it thrives in warm temperate regions, and is very resistant to heat and drought. The flavour has been likened to aubergine, however the texture is completely different and takes some getting used to.

North Cyprus Vegetables - Kohlrabi

Kohlrabi - otherwise known as "cabbage turnip" due to the literal translation of the name from German to English. Kohlrabi grow almost anywhere, and are popular in North Cyprus. It comes in two different colours, purple and green, and both varieties are prepared and cooked in the same way. The bulb, stems and leaves can be eaten, the leaves are similar to spinach, and the bulb tastes slightly sweeter than a cabbage or a turnip. Kohlrabi is a good source of Vitamin C, as well as magnesium and phosphorous.

North Cyprus Vegetables - Kolakas

 Kolokas/Kolakasi/Colocasia/Taro - this vegetable is known under many different names, but is essentially a root vegetable which is widely known as Kolakas in North Cyprus. Generally, Kolakas is eaten like a potato, as it tastes quite similar when cooked but with a nutty flavour. Generally the Kolakas from North Cyprus are quite large, certainly larger than in other countries.