Alanya's Winter Soups: Çorba From Dawn to Dusk
The key warming dishes of Turkish cuisine and where to try them in January.
Winter Turkish cuisine is above all about soups (çorba in Turkish). In Alanya, January is the best time to get acquainted with the traditional varieties, many of which disappear from the menu for the summer. Mercimek çorbası is a classic. A thick red-lentil soup with lemon and red pepper. Served in practically every lokanta, it is perfect on a cold morning. In Alanya the best mercimek is made at Eski Konak in the heart of the old town. İşkembe çorbası is a tripe soup. A dish that divides foreigners, but beloved by locals as a cure for colds and hangovers. It is made with vinegar, garlic and r…