By Faten Omar

KUWAIT: On the occasion of Turkish Food Week, Turkish Ambassador to Kuwait Tuba Nur Sonmez hosted local media representatives to taste traditional Turkish food at her residence. The ambassador on the importance of cultural exchange to enhance communication and mutual understanding, pointing out that food is one of the most prominent characteristics of peoples’ culture, because it is a part of their daily lives.

The Turkish Ambassador stuffs Manti (Hengel), dumplings usually served with a yogurt and butter sauce.

Sonmez indicated the Turkish Food Week will present distinctive and diverse flavors from May 21-27, held in its second year. “Turkish cuisine is rich in internationally known delicious dishes, which are highly demanded in different countries of the world. The Turkish Food Week is an opportunity to introduce more Turkish dishes with unique flavors,” she said.

Sonmez noted the weeklong event features unique recipes from timeless Turkish cuisine, while highlighting the sustainability of an age-old culinary tradition where pots have been boiling with the philosophy of zero waste for millennia, pointing out that Turkish cuisine is naturally waste-free, with recipes that use every component of each product and stand out with a sustainable structure. Meals are prepared without wasting ingredients, and tables are laden with healing specialties, she added.

KUWAIT: Turkish women prepare food as part of the event hosted by Turkish Ambassador to Kuwait Tuba Nur Sonmez. -- Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

Sonmez revealed that this year’s special menu consists of local dishes from the cuisine of Hatay that are included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in gastronomy. “Featuring more than 650 dishes, Hatay’s gastronomy is a Mediterranean cuisine characterized by fresh vegetables, quality olive oil and legumes and cereals. Hatay’s cuisine, showcased in this year’s international events, includes flatbread with red pepper paste, olive salad, hummus, kisir (fine bulgur salad), oven-baked kebap and kunefe (dessert with cheese),” she explained.

The Turkish ambassador stressed the importance of food diplomacy in bringing peoples together, as it is an effective mechanism in spreading culture and solving problems, noting the Kuwaiti people know Turkish cuisine because Turkey is one of the favorite tourist destinations for Kuwaitis, in addition to the presence of around 70 Turkish restaurants in Kuwait, along with hotels that offer popular Turkish food.