Soups35 min
Mercimek Çorbası
A velvety red lentil soup seasoned with cumin and paprika butter — Istanbul's beloved winter comfort in a bowl.
Welcome to dimitriisawhitehead
Authentic Turkish Recipes from the Heart of Istanbul
Explore the flavors, traditions, and stories behind Turkey's most beloved dishes — cooked with love, served with history.
Featured Recipe
Istanbul Classics
Ottoman Heritage · Bursa, Turkey
İskender
Kebap
Born in 19th-century Bursa by chef İskender Efendi, this iconic dish layers thinly sliced döner lamb over pillowy pide bread, bathed in a slow-cooked tomato sauce and finished with a tableside pour of sizzling brown butter. Cooling yogurt cuts through the richness — bold, smoky, and deeply comforting.
Prep Time
45 minutes
Cook Time
1 hr 20 min
Difficulty
Intermediate
Servings
4 people
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Mains50 min
İskender Kebap
Thinly sliced döner lamb over torn flatbread, drenched in tomato sauce and sizzling browned butter — Bursa's legendary feast dish.
About the AuthorBehind Every Recipe,
Behind Every Recipe,
a Story
I'm Dimitri Isa Whitehead, a food writer based in Beyoğlu, Istanbul. This blog is my love letter to Turkish culinary tradition — every recipe here is researched, tested, and told with care.
From the slow-simmered lentil soups of Anatolia to the sesame-crusted simit of a Bosphorus morning, I believe that cooking is the most honest way to understand a culture. Pull up a chair — Istanbul is waiting for you.
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Ramadan Table: Traditional Iftar Recipes
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