A vast array of specialities beyond kofta kebabs

Largely the heritage of Ottoman cuisine, Turkish food is usually a fusion of Mediterranean, Balkan, Middle Eastern, Central Asian, Eastern European, Armenian, and Georgian cuisines.

With a moderate use of spices, there's a preference for rice over bulgar, koftes, and a wide variety of vegetable stews, eggplant and stuffed dolmas and fish.

The cuisine of the Black Sea region uses fish extensively, especially the hamsi or Black Sea Anchovy and includes countless mezze dishes, while the southeast specialities — places including Urfa, Gaziantep, Adiyaman and Adana — are more famous for sweets and desserts, including dishes like baklava, kadayif and kunefe.

Surprise your family this month with a sumptuous Turkish spread and pick up these staples available at Choithrams.com

Halloumi pitas

Squeaky, chewy halloumi gives bulk to a meat-free meal, or adds a delicious addition to any BBQ feast. Try the lemon zest or mint varieties and the dinner table just got even more interesting. Adults will love the change and kids will surprise you.

It’s squeaky cheese with a cool mint after taste. Which little one wouldn’t want to give it a go to see whose cheese squeaks the loudest?

Bob’s Red Mill Flour

Replace the flour, not your recipe thanks to Bob's Red Mill gluten-free baking flour. This special 1-to-1 blend of gluten free flours, starches and xanthan gum, makes it easy to transform traditional bread and cakes into gluten free treats. Natural flour is ground with the skin intact making it absolutely perfect for paleo and grain-free baking and cooking. Many popular Turkish dishes benefit from all the goodness of cooking with flour, as it’s a staple across the country.

Long red chilli

Being where it is, with one part in Asia and the other in Europe, the history of the chilli in Turkey is quite complex. The chilli is certainly not indigenous to Turkey but is an important part of the cuisine.

Both fresh chillies (hot or sweet ) and a variety of dried formats, in colours ranging from black and dark orange to different shades of red, find themselves in Turkish dishes. They are used either pickled or as paste, added as an ingredient to dishes or served as a condiment that is sprinkled over food after cooking.

The chemical in chillies that makes them taste hot, capsaicin, is technically a neurotoxin. It stimulates the adrenal glands to release hormones, giving you an energy rush. No wonder we’re hooked on them.

The most common variety is the long red chilli and they can be up to 15cm long and ripen from green to red. 'They can be a bit of a lottery and at different times of year they go up and down in heat levels so watch out.

Chopped, long chillies add a lovely fresh heat and crunch to a Turkish stir-fry or flat bread recipe.

Golden Loaf Arabic Bread

Rip it, cut it, fold it, wrap it, or stuff it — Arabic bread is a wonderfully versatile bread. The way it transforms from thin, flat dough into a hearty pocket of bread, ready for any ingredient is just fascinating. Stuff them with lunch meat for a sandwich, top them with sauce and cheese for a pizza, or bake them until crisp for chips.

Yes, the wonder of the humble round of Arabic bread knows no limit!.Although the exact origin is unknown, these versatile middle-eastern flatbreads are perhaps the oldest breads known. Soft and thin, they provided the basis for a variety of popular portable items. Get transporting.