Cypriot cuisine is simple, satisfying, healthy and incredibly delicious. It is one of the main components of the national culture, and the number of dishes offered in local establishments is estimated in dozens. What’s the first thing to try? We’ll tell you in this review.
Features of Cyprus cuisine
The local menu is based on the traditions of 3 cuisines – Turkish, traditional Greek and Mediterranean. The main ingredients include::
- Olive oil-huge olive groves are planted on the territory of Cyprus and natural oil of the highest quality is produced, so it is present in almost all dishes;
- Berries and fruits-strawberries, oranges of various varieties, figs, kiwis, avocados, carambola, pitahaya, grapes, momordica grow on the island;
- Fresh vegetables-we recommend you try dishes with artichoke, wild asparagus and fennel;
- Cheeses. Local cuisine is known for several types of cheese – kefalotiri, halloumi, anari, etc. They are used in the preparation of desserts and sandwiches;
- Spices, spices and herbs. National dishes of Cyprus are imbued with aromas of spices typical of the Mediterranean region. These are cumin, lavender, oregano, lava leaf, marjoram. From Italy, the Cypriots took cinnamon, basil, arugula, cardamom, mint, coriander and tarragon, from India-ginger and curry. At the same time, the dishes are less spicy, because during their preparation, cumin and hot pepper are practically not used.
Food is cooked on the grill or simply fried. No less popular are thick soups with the addition of large amounts of garlic, parsley and yogurt. In addition, the cuisine of Cyprus is not complete without meat. This product can be called the most common without exaggeration. Cypriots love pork, lamb and rabbit meat-they are marinated, smoked, stewed, fried, etc. Beef is eaten less often, since there are very few pastures and cattle are practically not bred.
But there are plenty of vegetables and fruits in Cyprus. The slopes of Troodos Mountain are covered with vineyards, pears, nuts, apples, figs, pomegranates and peaches. In the vicinity of Limassol, you can see whole plantations of grapefruits and oranges, and near the famous Paphos – bananas. Onions, potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, cucumbers are grown from vegetables on the island.
Another ingredient, without which it is impossible to imagine the national cuisine of the island, is poultry meat. They can not be caught, this is punishable by law, but many people calmly violate it. In the course there are nets and sticks smeared with plum syrup-traps. Most often, owls, orioles, small falcons, cuckoos, shrikes are exterminated. A special delicacy is considered to be black-headed warblers, which in Cyprus are called ambelopouli.
National dishes of Cyprus
If you do not know what to try in Cyprus, order traditional dishes. The food in it is characterized by a wide variety of unsurpassed taste-both vegetarians and meat eaters will like it. The menu of local cafes, eateries and restaurants offers a large selection of soups, meat delicacies, seafood, salads, fish, a variety of vegetables and exotic fruits. We will describe only the main ones – those that true gourmets should get acquainted with.
Meze
It is a set of 20-30 snacks. As a rule, it includes sauces, fried pieces of vegetables, fish, smoked pork tenderloin, pickled sausages, grape leaves filled with rice with minced meat, omelets with different fillings, grilled burgers, braised rabbit, etc. As a side dish, macaroni, bulgur, legumes, potatoes, pita (thin unleavened tortillas with salad and zajiki sauce) are served. Some places prepare meze only from meat or fish. In any case, the food is very satisfying and high in calories.
Souvlaki (suvla)
This is the name of the traditional Cyprus shish kebab, prepared according to a unique recipe and has no analogues in the world. Souvla and souvlaki are the same dish. The only difference is in the size of the pieces. If they are cut large for suvla, then small and neat ones are more suitable for suvlaki. Curiously, the Cypriots did not manage to come up with a single recipe for this dish. Some people use Greek yogurt before cooking, while others don’t. Some prefer lamb, others-chicken or pork. But there is one common point: shish kebab is not marinated here and cooked on fire, so it turns out not so juicy.
Before serving, a lemon is squeezed out on the finished dish, and various sauces are additionally poured on top. A traditional addition to souvla and souvlaka will be hard cheeses and fresh vegetables.
Sheftalya
Food in Cyprus is amazing with an abundance of mouth-watering meat food. One of its most striking representatives is the traditional sheftalya-thick chopped cutlets wrapped in a collagen shell. They are baked in the oven, cooked on coals, grilled or simply in a frying pan. Depending on the cooking method, the sausages are more or less greasy. Garnish with vegetable salad, French fries, freshly baked pita, zajiki sauce and, of course, lemon slices. It is believed that it is he who fully reveals the meat taste.
Most often, sheftalya is prepared in winter. By the way, in street eateries it is just as delicious and appetizing as in restaurants.
Gyros
Gyros is called one of the varieties of street food. In its recipe and cooking method, it resembles our shawarma. Typically, this is a pita, which is wrapped with French fries, sliced pork and pieces of fresh vegetables. All this is abundantly watered with sauce-it turns out juicy and delicious. If you’re looking for a quick and cheap snack, the gyros is a great choice. They are enjoyed by both tourists and locals.
Trachana
Branded soup that you can try in the restaurant or prepare yourself. It is based on goat’s milk, finely crushed bulgur and lemon juice. Milk is heated, lemon juice is poured in and the whey is separated. Then fill up the cereal. It absorbs liquid and instantly swells. From this thick mass, sausages are formed, which are then dried in the sun. This semi-finished product is called trakhana.
To make a soup, the sausages are poured overnight with steep boiling water. In the morning, the water is drained, and the cereal itself is boiled in chicken broth. Then grated halloumi and boiled chicken are added to the almost finished soup. Languish for another 10 minutes. A traditional dish can be served to the table!
Kleftiko
Simple delicious food, known since the conquest of the island by the Ottomans. Under this intricate name is hidden leg of lamb with baked potatoes, fresh herbs and spices. In the original recipe for cooking kleftiko, furneaux stoves are used, but many housewives make do with an oven. The dish can be tasted separately or as part of a meze. The finished meat is abundantly watered with lemon juice.
In Greek, the word “kleftiko” means “stolen meat”. According to an ancient legend, shepherds who stole a goat from the herd hid its carcass in a pit, and lit a fire on top. As a result, the leg was baked underground and turned out to be so appetizing that the recipe for its preparation was distributed around the area, and later throughout Cyprus. Since then, any dish that is baked for a long time in an enclosed space has become known as kleftiko.
Aphelion
Another meat dish that is served exclusively in Cyprus. Aphelion – small pieces of pork that were soaked for hours in dry red wine with the addition of coriander and other aromatic spices. After that, they are fried a little in a frying pan, marinade is added and stewed until fully cooked. Aphelion is usually served with porridge and gravy made from natural yogurt.
Stifado
Many Cypriot dishes were borrowed from other peoples – for example, from the Greeks. One of them is stifado. It is made from meat and a large amount of fried onions. If desired, you can use chicken, rabbit or beef. Sometimes they take octopus instead. All this is generously seasoned with spices, garlic, wine marinade and tomato juice.
Musaka
Food with an original taste, but without a specific recipe. In the simplest version, this is fried minced pork. In a more complex recipe, other ingredients are also thrown into it – for example, mushrooms, blue ones, potatoes, tomatoes, grated cheese.
Grilled fish
Cyprus is an island country, so the local cuisine is full of delicious fish dishes and seafood. Tuna, gopa, tsipura, sorcos and swordfish are also available. From fresh seafood, we recommend you to try mussels, oysters, shrimp, deep-fried squid. Fish is cooked in the oven, fried in a frying pan or grilled. Shrimp and mussels are seasoned with a mixture of tomatoes and feta cheese, octopus is marinated and sent to the fire.
Kupelia
One of the types of dolma – also a dish of Turkish cuisine) – grape leaves, which are wrapped in a mixture of tomatoes, onions, rice, herbs and minced meat or finely chopped meat. This dish was brought to Cyprus by the Ottomans about 500 years ago. It not only caught on, but also formed the basis of the national menu.
Products that are produced in Cyprus
During your holiday in Cyprus, try local products and bring them with you as a souvenir.
Wines
Most of the drinks are made from several varieties of local grapes:
- Xynisteri – white grapes that are great for young light wines;
- Mavro-under this variety is given half of the vineyards in Cyprus. From Greek, its name translates as “black”. At the same time, the finished drink made from mavro has a brown hue.;
- Ophthalmo-red grapes, grown in limited quantities;
- Marateftiko is a unique red variety with a very bright aroma. It can not boast of such a high yield as the previous varieties, so it costs more. However, the quality of the wine is also much higher.
Imported types of grapes also grow in Cyprus. These include the world-famous Sauvignon, chardonnay, riesling, and carignan. Equally popular among winemakers are Cabernet, Shiraz, senso, Alicante Boucher, Grenache.
It is worth noting that the traditions of winemaking on the island originated about 4 thousand years ago, and local drinks were supplied even to the emperors of Rome and the pharaohs of Ancient Egypt. Currently, up to 5 thousand hectares of land are allocated for vineyards, which allows you to produce red, white, pink, nutmeg and flavored wines, as well as port, Malaga and sherry. Cyprus supplies 75% of its products to other countries. Among them are such legendary brands as Commandaria, Bellapais, Othello, Aphrodite.
Cheeses
Halloumi cheese, which is made from two types of milk – goat’s and sheep’s, is considered the hallmark of the country. It belongs to the hard varieties, but it does not look like them at all. The top of the halloumi is covered with a thin crispy crust, and inside it is tender and soft. And most importantly, it can be baked, grilled and pan-fried, it will not melt. Anari cheese is almost as popular. It is eaten for breakfast with honey and added to bukerya (Cypriot pastries), sauces or pasta.
Olives and olive oil
These products can be called almost the most common souvenir that tourists bring with them from Cyprus. And this is not surprising, because both olives and butter are the basis of the national cuisine. However, the latter may have a very different quality. If the tree grew in foothill and mountain areas, the oil comes out more liquid and clean. From olives collected in a flat area, the product turns out thicker. When buying butter, be sure to taste it: a really cool product has a rich taste and does not give off sourness.
Tahini
Thick sesame paste with onion, garlic and various spices. It is most often included in main dishes and sauces for appetizers or salads, but it can also be served separately. Very tasty and healthy.
As you can see, Cypriot cuisine offers a lot of dishes that you should definitely try. Rest assured, a trip to Cyprus will be not only interesting, but also very appetizing.
