A FOOD TRADITION
Black Sea Turkish Cuisine
Black Sea Turkish cuisine reflects the humid, mountainous coast and the culinary practices of communities including Laz, Hemshin, Georgian, and Turkish populations. Cornmeal, anchovies, hazelnuts, cabbage, beans, collard-like greens, butter, dairy, and local herbs are recurring ingredients. Cooking commonly involves baking, pan-frying, simmering, pickling, and fermenting, with seafood and preserved vegetables helping structure the seasonal repertoire. Recognizable examples include hamsili pilav, karalahana corbasi, and mihlama or kuymak. Regional breads, corn preparations, anchovy dishes, and dense vegetable stews distinguish the Black Sea table from the more meat- and wheat-dominant cuisines of central and southeastern Türkiye.
Dishes linked to this cuisine
1–5 of 5
Hamsi Tava
Hamsi Tava is a Turkish dish of anchovies coated in cornmeal and pan-fried in oil until crisp.
Hamsili Pilav
Black Sea rice pilaf encased with anchovies and baked as a savoury fish-and-rice dish.
Karalahana Çorbası
A hearty Black Sea kale soup commonly built with corn, beans and corn flour.
Karalahana Sarması
Black Sea kale leaves wrapped around a seasoned rice filling and simmered until tender.
Kuymak
A rich Black Sea breakfast dish of regional cheese melted into butter and corn flour.
Catalogue preview Cuisine connections may be unreviewed. Regional comparisons include their food references and do not establish the ingredients of a particular meal.