Mehalabiya is a creamy Arabian dessert, in many ways similar to the French blancmange. It is made with a mixture of milk and sugar, cooked and thickened with rice flour or cornstarch, and usually flavored with orange blossom or rose water.

The remarkable baklava is a luscious dessert created with layers of thin phyllo dough intertwined with chopped nuts, all doused in a sweet, viscous syrup. The popularity of baklava has long surpassed borders, regions, and ethnic groups to become a dessert whose origin and invention is claimed by numerous countries.

Kofta or köfte are walnut-sized fried meatballs, usually made from ground beef or lamb. It is a popular Turkish meze dish that is often prepared for special occasions and cocktail parties, since the meatballs are quite easy to prepare and can be easily consumed with a toothpick.

This traditional Turkish white bean stew is a staple in virtually every household and lokanta—an establishment serving simple but hearty meals to people on the go. Kuru fasulye translates to dried beans which are first soaked and then cooked together with sautéed chopped onions, green peppers, tomatoes, and salça (tomato paste).

Turkish ice cream is believed to originate from the city of Maraş—hence the name—and what really sets it apart from other varieties is its resistance to melting and a particularly dense, chewy texture. These qualities are brought by adding two thickening agents to the basic milk and sugar mixture: Arab gum, also known as mastic resin, and salep—a type of flour made from the root of the early purple orchid.

Lokum are succulent, sugary cubes from Türkiye based on a gel of starch and sugar. Traditionally, lokum is flavored with rose water, lemon, bergamot orange, mastic, or mint, but the Turkish favorite remains a lokum of plain jelly combined with pistachios.

Even though lahmacun is popularly nicknamed Turkish pizza, it's origin is disputed and can be traced to Armenia, Syria, Lebanon, and Turkiye. It can be found at numerous street stalls as well as in virtually any traditional restaurant, but also in kebab eateries where they typically serve mini lahmacuns as appetizers.

Döner kebab is a delicacy that is known throughout the world, consisting of grilled pieces of meat that are shredded from a vertical skewer. The meat is typically seasoned with fresh herbs and spices. Originally, the meat used in döner was exclusively lamb, but today in Istanbul, there are kebabs prepared with a combination of lamb and beef, or sometimes only with beef.

Interestingly, this classic Turkish chicken breast pudding doesn't taste like chicken at all—instead, it is often flavored with cinnamon and vanilla, and is more reminiscent of a thick, creamy, and smooth milk or rice pudding, both in flavor and appearance.