Tursu is a Turkish drink that has its origins in Ottoman cuisine and cuisine of the Roman Empire. It has also been proven to have existed in India for several millennia. In English the turşu is pronounced as TURSHU.
From the 15th century it appears at the court of the Sultan at the Topkapi Palace.
Tursu is a mixture of many vegetables (cabbage, carrots, red or green peppers, cucumber, beets, eggplants, etc.) macerated in vinegar, salted and lemon water. You can consume it any time of the day, all year round. It is easily eaten by hand, without hunger and can accompany an aperitif. It goes perfectly with pilaf and chicken or can be served as a side dish near basicly any meal. You can also serve it in a glass with or without liquid. The vegetables are then eaten with a fork and the brine can be drunk separately.
You can order tursu online from all over the country, choose its content and have it delivered to your home. You can try to place your first order on www.cubuktursucusu.com.
In Turkey there are cities where every year they organise a turşu festival; in 2013 from 12 to 15/09, 180 foreigners from (Bosnia – Herzegovina / Czech Republic / India / Bulgaria / Azerbaijan / Senegal) participated in this festival to sell turşu in their country.
In the 4th century BC Aristotle extolled its merits in his writings and the health benefits. Nowadays, it is advisable to consume it at least once a week. Turkish drink Tursu can be bought in a jar in all specialist shops, called “Tursucu”, but it can also be found from street vendors or by ordering its content online which will then be delivered to your home.
During your stay do not forget to discover this culinary delight of Turkish cuisine.