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Turkish Delight — traditional dish from Istanbul, Turkey
Dessert Vegan

Food Flavour DNA

Nutritional Values

🔥360kcal
💪—Protein
🌾90gCarbs
🥑—Fat
🌿—Fibre
⚖️100 gServing

* Per serving · 100 g. May vary.

Turkish Delight

How to order / say it
Say it Lokum — [LOK-oom]
Order I'd like some Turkish delight, please.
Locally Biraz lokum alayım lütfen.
Say locally

A sweet, gelatinous confection often flavored with rosewater, lemon, or mastic.

Why try it?

Eating Lokum offers a taste of Istanbul's rich history as a crossroads of trade and culture. This confection symbolizes the opulent sweetness of Turkish hospitality.

How it tastes

Soft and chewy with a hint of floral or fruity flavor, often covered in powdered sugar, it melts gently in the mouth, leaving a pleasant, lingering sweetness.

Origin & History — first documented: 1777

Lokum's history can be traced back to the late 18th century Istanbul, when a confectioner created it as a softer option for the sultan's table, quickly becoming a favorite treat across the empire.

Recipe

Ingredients

  • 🍯 300 g sugar
  • 🌾 50 g cornstarch
  • 🍋 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 🍋 2 tbsp rosewater
  • 300 ml water
  • 🍯 50 g powdered sugar

Method

  1. 1 Dissolve sugar in boiling water and add lemon juice.
  2. 2 Mix cornstarch with cold water; stir into sugar syrup.
  3. 3 Simmer until thick, mix in rosewater.
  4. 4 Pour into mold, sprinkle with powdered sugar.
All Europe recipes — Turkey — Istanbul — Turkish Delight
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