Lahmacun

Posted by Jake Olson on June 14, 2007 · 4 Comments 

ADANA FOOD GUIDE: Lahmacun

A Turkish classic is Lahmacun. One great thing about this dish is that it’s done differently all over the country depending on regional traditions. I’ve had wonderful and very different versions of Lahmacun in Gaziantep, Antakya and even in Aleppo (Syria.) Sometimes it amazes me that this country roughly the size of Texas can have such a rich diversity of regional traditions; especially pertaining to foods that are served and how they’re prepared.

I must start by saying that Lahmacun has been described translated on countless menus as “Turkish Pizza.” I don’t think this is fair to Pizza, or to Lahmacun. Just because something is made with flat bread and meat and spices on top doesn’t mean it’s pizza. I can’t help but imagine a menu at a Pizza place in America translated into Turkish. Would they write “Amerikan Lahmacunu” to describe pizza?

In Adana, Lahmacun is most commonly prepared in a circle roughly 6-8 inches in diameter. It’s got bread on the bottom and on the top has a mixture of spices, minced meat, onions and tomatoes. It’s cooked in a stone oven like the one in the picture. Typically one will squirt lemon juice on top, put some parsley leaves on it, roll it up and eat it with their hands.

As an interesting cultural note; Lahmacun is usually prepared for homes by preparing the meat according to a family recipe and then bringing it to the neighborhood oven where the guys there will happily add it to their own dough and bake it for a minimal charge. Although it’s a meal that has meat, it’s typically a relatively inexpensive way to feed a group because a little bit of meat goes a long way.

Filed under Adana, Adana Food guide, Life In Turkey, turkey