Politiki, Smyrneiki and Turkish Cuisine
The Higher Hotel Institute, Cyprus is proud to announce the re-opening of its Student Training Restaurant as from the 07/02/2017. The Restaurant will be open to the public for lunch from 13:30 until 15:00 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, and charges are set at cost price. Places are limited and you are advised to reserve a table in advance.
The Restaurant is operated by students under the supervision of their Instructors. It will continue to offer a superb variety of culinary delights for you to experience. During the Spring Semester, the restaurant will feature Cypriot Cuisine and other cuisines that have influenced it through the centuries.
For reservations TEL.: 22404847 and 22404800 FAX: 22314672
SALADS AND APPETIZERS
Tomato, Onion, Mint and Feta Salad, Salad with Courgettes and Yoghurt, Aubergine Salad with Hot Peppers, “Politiki” Salad, “Piazi” Salad with Tahini, Tomato and Onion Salad, “Gialatzi Dolmades”: Stuffed Vine Leaves, “Mitsveri Politiko”: Courgette Fritters, “Kessaria” Meat and Cheese Pies, Rocket Salad, Broad Bean Salad, Olive and Pepper Salad
MAIN DISHES
“Mpoulama”: Baked Fish with Herbs, “Imam Bayildi”: Aubergines with Onions and Tomatoes, “Soutzoukakia Smyrneika” Piquant Meatballs, “Mpourani Smyrneiko”: Rice Pilaf, “Tas Kebab”: Meat Stew, Artichokes a la Polita, Baked Potatoes with Onions, “Giaourtlou Kebab”: Marinated Chicken
DESSERTS
“Kazandibi”: Caramelized Milk Pudding, “Ekmek Kataifi”: Creamy dessert with bread Fresh Fruit/ Fruit Salad
Price: 8:00 euros
Politiki, Smyrneiki and Turkish Cuisine – Glossary
Politiki Kouzina means Cuisine of the City and refers to the Cuisine of the city of Constantinople.
Smyrneiki Kouzina means Cuisine of Smyrni, a city on the south west coast of Turkey. Before 1922, nearly half of the city’s population was Greek.
“Politiki” Salad: Based on cabbage, celery and carrot, this salad has many variations. Greeks will often make cabbage salads in the cold months with the most popular one being “politiki salata”. “Politiki” refers to a Constantinople dish and this salad is just one of the many to be enjoyed by Greeks in all corners of the country.
“Piazi” Salad with tahini: This salad is a perfect way to reuse the leftover beans the next day. It is perfect for a warm summer day and includes raw onion, parsley, sumac and fresh olive oil. It is also a must dish for Turkish traditional meze.
“Gialatzi Dolmades” (“Gialatzi” Stuffed Vine Leaves): If dolma (which means stuffed in Turkish) do not contain meat, they are sometimes described as Gialatzi dolma meaning “fake” dolma. The main stuffing in “Gialatzi Dolmades” is rice. Depending on the season and wrapper availability, we can use lettuce or cabbage instead of vine leaves.
“Mitsveri Politiko”: Courgette Fritters are very common in Greek cuisine. Actually this dish comes from Constantinople and is often served with yogurt dip.
“Kessaria” Meat and Cheese Pie: This pie got its name from its place of origin, Cappadocia in Turkey. The dish was introduced into Greek cuisine by Greek refugees, and its distinctive ingredient is the beef pastourma (cured beef side) flavoured with cumin, paprika and garlic.
“Mboulama” fish with herbs is traditionally prepared with large, white, fresh fish. It started as a fish stew but it can be cooked in oven and the sauce is prepared separately.
“Imam Bayildi”: Aubergines stuffed with onions and tomatoes. Several stories recall that an imam, upon tasting this dish for the first time, fainted in pure rapture, thus giving the name “The Imam Fainted” to this famous dish. This dish may also be found in other countries of the region.
“Soutzoukakia Smyrneika”: Meatballs cooked and served in tomato sauce. Soutzoukakia have their origins in Smyrni. The characteristic spice used is cumin. In a variation recipe from Constantinople, no tomato sauce is used, the meat is shallow fried and then transferred to another casserole where it is deglazed with wine.
“Mpourani Smyrneiko”: Rice Pilaf with fresh spring herbs and tomato sauce.
“Tas Kebab” is a well-known Turkish dish also known as ‘bowl kebab’. It is a Turkish stewed kebab made of lamb or beef pieces stewed along with tomatoes, herbs and spices and eaten with pita bread.
“Giaourtlou Kebab”: Kebabs served with yoghurt sauce as a basic accompaniment. Lamb is preferred though chicken can sometimes be used, and the meat is usually marinated overnight. The dish is accompanied with Ezme sauce (a piquant tomato salsa type sauce) employed to add a spicy flavour to the otherwise bland kebab.
“Kazandibi”: Caramelized Milk Pudding. The term Kazandibi literally means ‘bottom of a kazan or cauldron’ and is attributed to the accidental burning of bottom of the kazan. It was developed in the kitchens of the Ottoman Palace, and today is one of the most popular Turkish desserts. Since then this milk pudding has been served with a thin caramelized layer accounting for the exotic aftertaste.
“Ekmek Kataifi”: Creamy dessert with bread believed to have its roots in a city in western Turkey, Afyonkarahisar. It dates back to the years of the Ottoman Empire. Bread was used in this recipe as a structural ingredient to hold the rest of the pudding. Turkish Ekmek Kadaifi is often topped with kaymak, a clotted cream with a buttery consistency.